Meet The Team
Dr. Harold J. Recinos
President
Dr. Recinos is a professor of Church and Society at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Professor Recinos received his Master's in Divinity in 1982 from Union Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry in parish ministry in 1986 from New York Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Philosophy with honors (Ph.D.) in cultural anthropology in 1993 from the American University in Washington, DC. Since the mid-1980s, Harold Recinos has worked with the Salvadoran refugee community and with marginal communities in El Salvador for social justice. Professor Recinos is an ordained elder and member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. A prolific writer and published poet, the royalties from Dr. Recinos' poetry collections support the work of the ORC.
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MaríaJosé Recinos
Director ORC and Senior LPC
MaríaJosé has always been surrounded by need. She grew up amid El Salvador's bitter civil war (1980-1992) when her family walked 45 minutes to a cathedral each Sunday to worship with Archbishop Oscar Romero. Romero spoke of uplifting El Salvador's poor, but was killed by a sniper in 1980 while standing before the altar in Mass. His ideas influenced Maria Jose to become an advocate for the poor while studying with Jesuit professors at the University of Central America, as a teacher to displaced children in the 22nd of April community in El Salvador during the civil war, and director of a mutual assistant association serving immigrants and refugees in Washington, DC. Since graduating from SMU and LP licensing, Maria Jose has provided counseling services to Immigrant newcomers to Northern Texas. She has also worked in various capacities in Alto de Miraflores to improve mental health service delivery and empower teachers, parents, and children. In addition, she established The Oscar Romero Center (ORC), a small 501(c)3 non-profit organization that facilitates work with marginalized communities in El Salvador and Dallas, Texas, to help them move with dignity toward sufficiency and abundance.
Ana del Carmen Cortez Reyes
Director of the Center for Children Studies in Alto de Miraflores, El Salvador. Ana is certified to work with at-risk children and youth in domestic abuse and gender violence situations. She has extensive experience in human rights work in marginal communities, focusing on childhood and adolescent development. She has provided leadership in marginal communities addressing juvenile violence, gender-based violence, and the impact of culturally determined masculinity on the lives of women and families.
Dr. Clarence John Ford, Jr.
Dr. Clarence J. Ford, Jr. serves as Sr. Pastor of Hill Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been in ministry for over 30 years. As a Pastor, he developed Christian Chapel's outreach ministries. The Belo Corporation recognized him for his contribution to the steering committee on the development of the religious section of the Dallas Morning News. He was also acknowledged for his work with the Dallas County Youth Detention Center and his leadership with the Dallas Area Community of Churches Justice for the Homeless Task Force. Since 1995, Dr. Ford has led each of the congregations he has served to develop a prophetic women's ministry. Dr. Ford was selected by the leadership of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University to serve on the committee on 'Race, Gender, and Ethnic Concerns.' He also serves as the Director of Social Justice Ministries for the 8th Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Ford is a graduate of Texas College in Tyler, TX. He holds a Master of Church Ministry with a focus in Urban Ministry from Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology, Master of Theology (Th.M.) with a focus in Practical Theology from Perkins School of Theology, and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He was also awarded a post-graduate fellowship and MBA Certification from Tulane University's A. B. Freeman School of Business.
Dr. Stephen Redmond
Dr. Stephen Redmond currently serves as the Disaster Response Warehouse Manager for The North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church Disaster Response Ministry (UMCOR). Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for "Mission U" and as a member of the Disaster Response Executive Committee for the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church and Rust College's Strategic Planning Committee (Rust College is the oldest United Methodist Church-affiliated Historically Black College). Dr. Redmond has served in the capacity of Campus Director of the Wesley Foundation at Alabama State University, Assistant Pastor at Hoosier Memorial United Methodist Church, Douglasville First United Methodist Church, Youth Director at Union Hill United Methodist Church, Shepard of the Hills United Methodist Church, and Volunteer Service Manager for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) in Baldwin, Louisiana. Dr. Redmond is a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served in Combat Logistics during Gulf War I, Desert Storm. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Saint Leo University, Master of Business Administration in Business Management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. Dr. Redmond has done additional theological studies at Gammon Theology Seminary, Interdenominational Theological Center, Cliff College/Perkins School of Theology Global Education (England), and Yale Divinity School. He was awarded an Honorary Degree from the Federal Aviation Administration while serving as a Federal Intern in Washington DC in 2001 and engaged in numerous international cross-cultural immersion and mission journeys, including locations including Central America, Bahamas, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and Saudi Araba.
Montserrat Tornè
Montserrat Tornè is a clinical psychologist and instructor at the University of Central America José Simeon Cañas.
She brings to the Romero Center team an extensive background in working with at-risk children and providing community workshops in marginal schools. She has also devoted the last fifteen years of her life to providing individual and group therapy to children, youth, and adults in situations of sexual abuse and family violence.
Edwin Oswaldo Pineda
Edwin received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Central America José Simeón Cañas, San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A. He was raised in barrio San Jacinto where residents live in a permanent condition of economic crisis and poverty. He is very familiar with the struggle of living in conditions that reflect intense urbanization; severe deficiencies of housing, basic infrastructure and educational institutions; environmental destruction and vulnerability to natural hazards; pervasive fear of violence and crime; inadequate drinking water, electricity and transportation. He works with marginal communities in the capacity of community organizer and youth leader. In particular, with the Oscar Romero Center Edwin focuses on working with educational institutions and groups to build capacity and promote educational institutional development.