The SPU Voices Podcast

When Paige Johnson '15 first started exploring job opportunities for hospital dietitians, she was amazed by the demand for different dietetic specialties and services. Johnson started her career at Seattle Children's Hospital's milk lab, mixing formulas or fortifying a mother's breastmilk, then moved to pediatric oncology. After four and a half years working at Seattle Children's, Johnson recently accepted a new clinical dietitian position at Harborview Medical Center.

Fern Donaghy found theater early in life and came to SPU to study Theatre Education, hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow alum and Roosevelt High School Theatre teacher, Ben Stuart. But when COVID made student teaching more difficult than ever, Fern leaned in to passion for working behind the scenes in wardrobe and costume. Now, only a year and a half out of college, Fern works for Pacific Northwest Ballet, Paramount Theatre, and Climate Pledge Arena dressing for both locals shows and world tours. 

Dr. Deana L. Porterfield was elected in January of 2023, to be Seattle Pacific University's next president. Porterfield is the 12th president in the university's 133-year history and its first female president. She assumed her duties on July 1, 2023. With more than 35 years of experience in Christian higher education, including almost nine years as president of Roberts Wesleyan, Dr. Porterfield is known as a visionary leader with a passion for faith-based higher education which promotes transformational learning and hope.

Cami Ostman began her career as an English teacher. Then, after getting her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from SPU in 2000, spent the next 20 years as a therapist. Upon writing a successful memoir and seeing first-hand the transformational power of writing one's own story, she started The Narrative Project: providing everything you need to get your book done. Now, after watching hundreds of lives grow and blossom, she is bringing those transformational lessons to non-writers as well with The Phoenix Lessons.  

Alexia Estrada, class of 2020, is the granddaughter of farm workers and director of operations at Semillero (Nursery) de Ideas, a nonprofit centering around farm workers as the leaders of innovation. She spent her summer running an innovation challenge, speaking with farm workers about their ideas of how to make the cherry harvest safer and more efficient for themselves and the growers. In August of 2023, they presented the winner with a chance to patent his product and reap the rewards of his invention. 

We took a look at three generations of Noel with the long lost Christmas poem by JRR Tolkien written in 1936, the song Cry of a Tiny Babe by Bruce Coburn written in 1990, and a spoken word piece written in 2020 by our own Philip "Sharp Skills" Jacobs. Enjoy these readings by SPU alumni and podcast guests. Merry Christmas! 

After 18 years serving as a probation officer with the Lewis County Juvenile Court, Lee Montgomery '89, saw how easily kids without a strong support system found themselves getting into trouble. He had to do something to help slow the cycle of poverty and incarceration, so he started the Lewis County Youth Mentorship Program with a mission to inspire youth through meaningful relationships to make positive choices that build resiliency, encourage growth and enable them to pursue a successful future.

Tod Yansomboon, currently in his final quarter at SPU, is an international student from Thailand. Tod left his home at the age of 15 to attend high school in the US in pursuit of his overarching goal: to understand business and how business can help others. After three years of high school in three different U.S. states, Tod arrived on the SPU campus to study business administration and found his dreams all coming true ... until COVID hit. Forced to return home without much hope of returning, Tod turned to social media for community and support. He is now a true influencer with over one million subscribers, and his videos have been being viewed over 200 million times.

2020 grad Jacoby Miles describes herself as a business administrator, lover of the arts, apologetics enthusiast & lover of people. At the age of 15, she was paralyzed from my chest down due to a gymnastics accident. She has worked hard to gain her strength back but is still confined to a wheelchair with limited mobility. She says her life has never been the same after the accident, but it has changed in the best way, too.

Rev. Dr. Katie Douglass, Associate Professor of Educational Ministry and Practical Theology at Seattle Pacific, and her team have recently received 1.3 million in grants for the Faith Formation Project. The project is all about partnering with congregations and families in the Pacific Northwest to help kids grow in faith. If you are a parent, you know today's fast-changing world is making your job even harder. Prof Douglass is here to help. 

Cara Wall-Scheffler is a Professor and Co-Chair of Biology at SPU. Her research focuses on the evolution of how men and women differ physically, particularly in the context of balancing body temperature and long-distance locomotion. She has been working on this problem for over 20 years and has published numerous papers along with her students. Her work shows very clearly how different selection pressures have acted on men and women, and that women in particular have a rare ability to work both efficiently and economically when carrying loads. Why is this meaningful for us today? Listen and find out...

Pastor Rebecca Worl was born and raised as a missionary kid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After returning to the states, she finished school in Bellingham and went on to receive her undergraduate degree in Theology from Seattle Pacific. Becca then earned her Masters in Theological and Biblical Studies from Fuller Seminary, and subsequently served as Associate Pastor on staff at Cedarcreek Covenant in Maple Valley. In 2022, she joined the Pine Lake Covenant Church team as Student Ministries Pastor, in addition to being a retreat speaker and an itinerant preacher in the ECC.  

Dr. Hedman, SPU class of '95, served in a joint appointment for the departments of English and Theatre at High Point University, teaching courses at the intersection of performance and literature. He now serves as director of the honors program as well. Nathan recently returned from advising a group of students studying abroad in Prague.

Professor Brent Ruby graduated from SPU in ‘89 with a degree in Exercise Science. He now serves as a professor at the University of Montana where his research includes the physical and mental toll fighting wildland fires has on the people who battle these blazes. Being away from loved ones can also weigh on firefighters, which led Ruby to write a children's book called “Wrango and Banjo: On the Fireline,” that tells the story of a canine fire crew battling wildfires, with the goal of helping the children of these heroes better understand the demands of their parents' job.

When Vanessa Aniteye's indoor track season started in December of 2022, she was a decorated 400-meter runner moving up to the 800 meters. At that point, she had raced the 800 just three times in her life. Three months later, in March of 2023, Vanessa became a national champion at that distance. Then a senior at Seattle Pacific, she brought home a first-place win, clocked the fastest time of the season, and also pocketed her ninth All-American honor. All this achievement would be difficult enough for any student, but Vanessa was also returning to the sport after giving birth to her son. 

Dr. Frank Spina was a professor of Old Testament at SPU for four and a half decades. Dr. Spina often heard from students that he had taught their parents — or their grandparents. Considered tough and fair, he was named Professor of the Year by these very students. Dr. Spina is an Episcopal priest, serving as associate priest at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Bellevue, Washington, he speaks regularly in the Northwest and beyond, and currently hosts a podcast called The Bible You Thought You Knew.

Esther Williamson graduated from SPU in 1998 with a double major in Theatre and English, then earned her Masters of Fine Arts from The Academy for Classical Acting at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC. Now, she's an actor and teaching artist based in Brooklyn, New York. A proud member of Taffety Punk Theatre Company, Esther has been praised by The Washington Post and numerous local critics for her deft handling of heightened text and her grounded, soulful onstage presence. With Taffety Punk, she has performed over half of Shakespeare's canon as well as several new and classic works. She has also acted and taught with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Seattle Shakespeare Company; Book-It Repertory Theatre; Opera House Arts in Stonington, ME; and many others.  Find her at estherwilliamson.com

Michael Henry is a retired pastor and missionary. Michael's ministry included serving as a missionary in Mexico, where he encountered intense spiritual warfare, and planting and pastoring churches in Washington state. Now retired, Mike pursues writing novels, screen plays, and film production- including an award-winning documentary film entitled “Kidnapped Redemption.” The story of missionary Phyllis Sortor's harrowing adventure in Nigeria.

Phyllis Sortor had served as a missionary with Free Methodist World Missions in Nigeria for 10 years when she was kidnapped by a terrorist group hoping to end her work with the Fulani, an indigenous nomadic people group. A new feature-length film has recently been released documenting her kidnapping and time in Nigeria. She immediately returned to Nigeria and built Schools for Africa, an organization providing schools, primary healthcare, grazing reserves, and water and grass restoration for the Fulani people. And she is Seattle Pacific University's 2023 Alumna of the Year.

Bob Ekblad took a break from his studies at SPU to travel. Though he would return to graduate, his call to share with and gain insight from other cultures would steer the rest of his journey. Bob with his wife Gracie, 2014 SPU Medallion Award winners, are founders and co-directors of Tierra Nueva in Burlington, Washington and New Earth Refuge, a home-based retreat center in the Skagit Valley. These organizations work with a team of staff and volunteers to serve immigrants from Latin America, inmates, homeless people and people struggling with addictions. Bob is also known internationally for his courses and workshops on reading the Bible, emphasizing discipleship, holistic healing, and liberation.

Gabrielle Turner graduated Seattle Pacific University in 2017 with a degree in Music, but she was just beginning to find her voice. Building on her general music degree, she immediately began working on her vocal strength and building up her courage as a soloist. Now she is the Seattle Sound Music Awards Best Female Vocalist.

Peter Choi '17 came to SPU as an international student from Korea to study journalism. His career took off immediately after graduation, working as an international correspondent for the Korean National News during the pandemic, which left Peter and his new wife quarantining on opposite sides of the globe. They were recently reunited when Peter became a local multimedia reporter for KXLY in Spokane. 

Nansi Carroll recently visited SPU as a guest lecturer and brought a new original piece for our choir. She is a composer who has written over 300 vocal, choral, and piano works in her positions as Music Director of St. Augustine Church in Gainesville, FL, Artistic Co-Director of A Musical Offering, and as a faculty member at the University of Florida, Stetson University, and The Walden School. Carroll's music focuses on settings of African American Spirituals. 

George Scranton taught theatre at Seattle Pacific for more than four decades. Dr. Scranton has written or adapted a dozen plays, five of which received national awards. He enjoyed an academic and professional acting career and directed more than 90 plays in both educational and professional venues. Yet one of his most exciting achievements involves the hospitality he and his wife shared with both SPU and the local theatre community.

Rev. Dr. Rah is a Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary and was the founding senior pastor of Cambridge Community Fellowship Church in Cambridge. He has degrees from Columbia, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Harvard; Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Duke. He is a nationally recognized speaker and author of several books, including his most recent publication, Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery.

Lori Brown '20 is the Director of the Center for Career and Calling at Seattle Pacific University. She likes to say that she is a matchmaker at heart and loves connecting people and organizations to create win-win situations. And today, she's going to help us envision how to create some of those situations for ourselves.

In her new book Discovering Dyscalculia, Laura Jackson ('02 grad in Christian Ministries) writes about her child's struggle with numbers, their shared discovery of dyscalculia, and her family's journey supporting their daughter in school and in life. Though Dyscalculia impacts about 1 in every 20 children and adults, it is not widely recognized or understood. This math learning disability not only affects individuals in educational settings but also impacts their everyday life when it comes to handling money, telling time, measuring quantities, and performing basic calculations. 

Speaker and author Dr. Bob Petterson has carried on the time-honored tradition of storytelling, weaving unique, life-changing, and inspirational stories into all of his personal interactions with his readers. He has been senior pastor at some of America's most well-known churches, counselor to community and industry leaders, has served on the boards of major nonprofit organizations, and was adjunct faculty at Covenant Theology Seminary. Petterson is in demand worldwide as a speaker and has addressed audiences across America and in 30 countries internationally. Post-retirement, he began a new work with the Legacy Imperative.*Please note there are some vivid descriptions of abuse in this episode. Listener discretion advised. 

Speaker and author Dr. Bob Petterson has carried on the time-honored tradition of storytelling, weaving unique, life-changing, and inspirational stories into all of his personal interactions with his readers. He has been senior pastor at some of America's most well-known churches, counselor to community and industry leaders, has served on the boards of major nonprofit organizations, and was adjunct faculty at Covenant Theology Seminary. Petterson is in demand worldwide as a speaker and has addressed audiences across America and in 30 countries internationally. Post-retirement, he began a new work with the Legacy Imperative.

Amanda Heath Stubbert '95 and Corbett Stubbert '97 present a special Christmas episode, the personal story of Jesus Christ. There are many different readings at Christmas, if you go to Christmas services, including Christmas carols and concerts. One of the most loved traditional Christmas festivals is the Nine Lessons and Carols, which are broadcast every Christmas Eve from King's College, Cambridge.

When Karen Springs '04 graduated from college at SPU in 2004 with a degree in theater and communications, she had no idea her future would include living in Ukraine and working with a Christian broadcasting network to promote adoption. Her new book, Adoption Through the Rearview Mirror, comes out of her latest adventure crisscrossing the US and interviewing over 60 families who had adopted children from Ukraine.

Former SPU soccer player and assistant coach Bobby McLaughlin '89 shares his journey toward becoming a kidney donor. It started when he had a bicycle accident in 2016 and, through a life-giving surgery,  he is showing the world how active and healthy live organ donors can be.

Philip “Sharp Skills” Jacobs '07 is a modern-day renaissance man, as an entrepreneur, award-winning hip-hop artist, speaker, author, consultant, and inventor. He was the first executive director of Washington Employers of Racial Equity or WERE, a coalition of 80 plus companies in Washington state, committed to making the region equitable for Black Washingtonians and all people of color. He's here with us today to talk about his latest book, Elephant in the Room: A business parable about race and equity conversations in the workplace.Links:Book: Elephant in the Room: A business parable about race and equity conversations in the workplace, by Philip JacobsAlbum: “Making Up 4 Lost Time,” by Sharp Skills

Pam Nolte '76, co-founder, actor, and teaching artist at Taproot Theater Company, has been teaching improv classes to Alzheimer's patients since 2010. Not only has this work been rewarding for Pam, but her students have also been experiencing incredible results.

Scott Nolte '76, co-founder and producing artistic director at Taproot Theatre Company for 44 years, recently retired. And in 2018, in preparation for that retirement, Scott took the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, the Way of St. James, walking nearly 500 miles in just 32 days.

Rhoda Becher-Russell recently attended her 50-year reunion at Seattle Pacific University, and she has lots of fun stories about her legacy on campus and her life of intentional community.

We sat down with Ineliz Soto-Fuller, the director of Undergraduate Admissions at Seattle Pacific University. She was a first generation college student and is passionate about access to higher education. She didn't set out to work in admissions, but has now spent over 13 years helping students find their way. This episode originally aired  Oct. 17, 2019.

Jamie Crespo '12, an applied human biology major, was already a healthcare worker when she suddenly found herself caring for not one, but both of her parents. Her newfound passion for running provided her escape and a new community of support when she needed it the most. She is now using that passion to raise money and awareness for the prevention of colon cancer.

If you are a fan of the podcast, you know we love to end interviews with our famous last question: "If you could have everyone in Seattle wake up tomorrow and do one thing differently that would make the world a better place, what would you have us do?" Here are ten of our favorite answers to that question. You'll hear from nursing professors, a Nobel Prize nominee, our athletic director, a filmmaker, and others who are changing the world for the better every day.

As a therapist (she received her master's degree in marriage and family therapy from SPU in 2000) and a writer, Cami excels at helping people figure out what it is they really have to say. She is the author of the quest memoir Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents.This episode originally aired on March 25, 2019.

Terresa Davis '07 is an accountant, a lawyer, a dedicated mother of four, a Kung Fu student, and an orange belt in Kenpo karate. She and her husband are the masterminds behind incredible Seattle restaurants including Blueacre Seafood, Steelhead Diner, Orfeo, Zane and Wylie's, and Tempesta Coffee and Doughnuts. Born and raised in Australia, Davis recalls her journey to the United States and how her experience at Seattle Pacific University strengthened her feelings of self-worth and helped launch her career in the restaurant business. This episode was originally released on October 3, 2019.

Kimberly Segall, PhD, directs the social justice and cultural studies major at Seattle Pacific University. In this episode, she talks about her podcast on the comic book series Ms. Marvel.