Executive Director – Tom Brewster

Tom and Rhesa Brewster have been married for 34 years. They have three children, a son-in-law and a grandson. Tom felt God’s call to full-time ministry in 2012. Tom’s passion is to do all he can to fulfill the Great Commission and join God’s mission wherever that may lead. For five and a half years, Tom led Engage Hope, a mission organization working primarily in South Asia, Africa and Mexico. In December of 2018, CHIA called Tom to become Executive Director.

Founder – Dr. John Sherman

Dr. John “Doc” Sherman has practiced general medicine in El Paso, TX for 52 years. He founded CHIA in 1981 along with Susie, his wife of 51 years. He and Susie have four children and seven grandchildren. He has authored three books: “The Treasure Within” “Mission Gourmet” and “So You Want to Cure Medicine” He has coordinated hundreds of short-term mission trips and mobilized thousands of people to serve the unreached and under-privileged around the world. Doc continues to be active as a general practitioner in El Paso.

Co-Founder – Susie Sherman

Susie was born in Hackensack, NJ, attended Duke University School of Nursing, Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, and Cedar Crest College in Allentown PA. After obtaining her RN & BSN, she was commissioned as a US-2 (short term missionary with the Methodist Church) to El Paso, TX to work in Newark Methodist Maternity Hospital. This is where she met Dr. Sherman, as he was one of the physicians at the hospital. They were married after she finished her two-year commitment in 1968. As a believer in the Lord Jesus, Susie is desirous of serving Him each day. Prayerfully, her role as a wife, mother, and grandmother—as well as her work in the office as a nurse and her involvement in CHIA—are a testimony to her faith.

Medical Director – Dr. Lorena Chavez, M.D.

Dr. Chavez has been serving with CHIA in our medical clinics since 2013.  She is a licensed OB/GYN doctor that has been serving in a Christian clinic in Durango, Mexico for over 25 years.  She has three children and recently received her P.A. license in the United States.  She has a heart to use her talents for Christ and has volunteered on numerous mission trips over the past four years.  With the retirement of Dr. Sherman in 2023, CHIA’s board unanimously voted for Dr. Chavez to become our new Medical Director.

Dental Director – Dr. Minerva Conde Soriano

Dr. Minerva, (“Minnie”) was born in Chihuahua, Chih Mexico and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2016. She is a 1990 graduate of the Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua Dental School. She began using her education to serve others in 1992 through Christ for Humanity. In 1996 Minnie began serving on mission trips with CHIA. In 2007 she became an assistant doctor with Dr. Sherman. She has been married for 15 years to Eduardo Soriano and has one child, Sarah Conde Soriano. Minnie has a heart to serve the under-privileged and is a tireless worker on the mission field.

Board of Directors

Tom Brewster – Executive Director
Dr. John Sherman – Chairman
Debbie Stoner – Vice President/Pharmacy Director
Susie Sherman – Secretary
Dr. Lorena Chavez – Medical Director
Dr. Minerva Conde Soriano – Dental Director
John Adams – Optometric Director
Hector Almeida – Evangelism Director
Jim Newman
Stu Aguilar
Billy Powell
Christine Swan
Dan Harker