Education Doctorate in Leadership & Innovation, New York University | Graduated 2024

This practitioner’s doctorate focused on change management, scalable learning, and sustainable solutions to systemic institutional challenges. The cross-sector nature of the cohort allowed me to learn from a variety of organizations, and to translate solutions across fields of work, as coursework and group projects were applied to present workplace challenges. The unique dissertation applies an academically informed solution to a persistent organizational problem; mine focused on developing a process that creates customized assessment tools for organizational values as the organization themselves understand that value. The sample value I used to develop this process within The Seattle School was collaboration specifically between interdepartmental teams.

Master of Divinity, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology | Graduated 2015

The leadership-focused program provided me with language to understand the complex systems that undergird all organizations, as well as tools to facilitate positive change within institutions. Equally important is the way the program grew my emotional and relational capacity, empowering me to engage pastoral conversations with heart to embody God in relationships.

Bachelor of Arts, English Language & Literature, Spanish Language & Literature, Grand Valley State University  |  Graduated 2009

Both my majors assisted in cultivating my love for language and strengthening my communication skills to excellence. A general education emphasis in Marginality & Difference deepened my sense of responsibility and desire to use words to shape the world into a more loving, just, and hospitable place for all.

Certificate: Design for Social Systems, d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design), Stanford University | August 2019

This training program equips cross-sector leaders with design-thinking skills and processes, empowering them to navigate complex systems and persevere through ambiguity in order to create meaningful change.

The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, Seattle, WA

Executive Director of the Center for Transforming Engagement, 2022 – Present

As founding Executive Director, I am responsible for the strategic leadership and vision, community engagement and partnerships, fundraising, and align team to oversee three major grant projects (Thriving in Ministry, Thriving Congregations, and Compelling Preaching) and consultant on a fourth (Pathways for Tomorrow). I serve as lead researcher, writer, and public speaker, as well as Executive Editor of the Christ & Cascadia Journal. 

Director of Resilient Leaders Project, 2019-2022

Program Manager for Community Relationships, 2018 –2019

Human Resources Generalist & Assistant to the Academic Dean, 2014 –2018

Student Assistant, 2012-2015

Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, Duke University, Durham, NC

Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker, 2020 – Present

• Affinity Groups Projects (2025 – Present): Compile key learnings and insights from affinity groups; assess capacity of coordinating institutions; draft RFP and other grant communications for a pilot program; grant reader; coach coordinating hosts for program implementation.
• Reflective Leadership Program (2023 – Present): Keynote and webinar speaker; participant small group facilitator; grant reader; grant reading team facilitator.
• Thriving in Ministry Coordination Program (2020-2023): Served on the Planning & Advisory Committee; facilitated in the 2022 Annual Gathering; presented on “Pastoral Ministry & Trauma” at the 2021 Annual Gathering; presented on “Clergy Burnout” in the 2023 monthly webinar series.
• Thriving Congregations Coordination Program (2022): Small group facilitator.

College of Arts, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Instructor of Capstone Planning, 2025 – Present

• Graduate course with 48 students in the Human Computer Interaction program to prepare them for an 8-month collaborative capstone project.

Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, Lilly School of Philanthropy, Indiana University

Consultant & Trainer, 2024

• Designed and led team training on design thinking principles for program innovation and team collaboration.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA

Director of Leadership Development, 2016 –2018

Developed and oversaw an intentional community and internship program for innovative ministry initiatives, for which I was responsible to secure grant funding, recruit and place interns into vocationally-aligned projects, lead meetings, and develop program goals and activities. I worked closely with the vicar and other ministry leaders to develop the congregation’s mission, vision, and values. Additionally, I recruited, trained, and scheduled congregants for service in worship; served on the Liturgy Planning Team, and contributed to the design and instruction of adult education offerings.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, WA

Community Developer, 2013 –2016

I was responsible cultivating the relationships of congregants, including volunteer recruitment, hospitality coordination, crafting social media and printed communications, designing and instructing adult education, leading formal discernment groups, and the creation of a plan to create connection points across services. I contributed to liturgy planning and execution, including regularly preaching sermons in services with diverse liturgical styles and cultures.

Homilist / Preacher:

• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, 2016 – 2022.
• Cathedral Day of the Diocese of Olympia, St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle, WA, April 2018.
• One Life Community Church, Seattle, April 2015.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe, Seattle, a bicultural community where I delivered sermons in both Spanish and English, 2014-2017.
• Evergreen Mennonite Church, Kirkland, WA, 2014-2016.
• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, 2014 – 2016.

Article, Interview with Brian McClaren, Christ & Cascaida Journal, June, 2022. 

White paper, Lead Writer, Clergy Burnout, The Center for Transforming Engagement, 2022.  

White Paper, Lead Writer, Effective Small Groups for Pastors and Christian Leaders: Building Resilience through Narrative Process Circles, The Center for Transforming Engagement, 2022. 

White Paper, Lead Wirter. Humanizing Pastors: A Focus on Clergy Suicide Prevention. The Center for Transforming Engagement, 2022.

Podcast: Living into the Tension of Advent. The Allender Center Podcast. December 2020.

Article, Collaborator: Literature Review of Clergy Resilience and Recommendations for Future Research. Journal of Psychology and Theology. November 2020.

White paper, Lead writer: Flourishing in Service. Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. September 2020. 

Presentation: Flourishing After Suffering, Beyond Paper Tigers Conference from Community Resilience Initiative, June 2020.

Webinar series, Host and Presenter: Resilience in Crisis, including “Resilience for Mental Health Professionals,” “Resilience for Spiritual Caregivers,” “Pandemic as Change Catalyst.” Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. April – June 2020

Resilience for Spiritual Caregivers. Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. December 2018.
Resilience for Mental Health Professionals.  Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. December 2018.

Hope: Pandemic as Change Catalyst. Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. December 2018.

Presentation: Flourishing After Suffering, Symposia at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, October 2019.

Podcast: Resilience, Trauma, and the Hope of the Church. Text.soul.culture, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. May 2019.

White paper, Lead writer. Resilience. Resilient Leaders Project at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. December 2018.

Keynote: Love Your Selfie, Regional Youth Retreat, Assemblies of God. 2016.

MDiv Capstone Paper and Presentation: To Play with a Child Named Sorrow: Engaging Sin, Grief, and the Self-in-Relation through Myth & Fairy Tale. Integrative Project Symposium at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. June 2015. 

Presentation: An Episcopal Approach to Scripture, St. Paul’s Seattle, 2014 – 2016.

Podcast, Regular Contributor: Thirty Seconds or Less. Ideas Done Daily. 2013-2016.

 Article: Seeking Uncertainty. The Other Journal: An Intersection of Theology & Culture. Issue 27: Church, Spring 2024.

Article: The Sun and the Salutation. The Other Journal: An Intersection of Theology & Culture. January 2013.

Article, Interview: Dancing Prayers: An Interview with Richard Twiss. The Other Journal: An Intersection of Theology & Culture. December 2012.

Blog, frequent contributor: The Intersections Blog, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. 2012 – 2021.

Total Grants Awarded  | $4,900,000 since 2017

Collaborative Discernment for Project Continuation January – September 2025

• $15,000 from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity
• Solo writer; Grant Director.
• Discern the future of the Thriving Congregations project through financial sustainability assessment and increasing sustainable program design.

Compelling Preaching: Implementation January 2024 – December 2028

• $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Solo writer; Grant Director.
• To cultivate practices among aspiring and active preachers that can help them to proclaim the gospel to a variety of audiences in more engaging and effective ways.

Thriving in Ministry: Sustainability January 2024 – December 2028

• $500,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc., matching grant
• Solo writer; Grant Director.
• To further disseminate resources for pastors to flourish in their communities and navigate key leadership challenges in ministry.

Reflective Practices for Project Sustainability September 2022 – March 2023

• $15,000 from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity
• Solo writer; Grant Director.
• Discern the future of the Thriving in Ministry project through business development, financial sustainability assessment, and increasing sustainable program design.

Pathways for Tomorrow: Implementation January 2022 – December 2026

• $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Collaborator on project design and lead grant writer.
• For institutional capacity development with a focus on theological degree programs and executive leadership team development.

Pathways for Tomorrow: Implementation January 2022 – December 2026

• $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Collaborator on project design and lead grant writer.
• For institutional capacity development with a focus on theological degree programs and executive leadership team development.

Pathways for Tomorrow: Planning April – December 2021

• $50,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Collaborator on project design and grant coordination coach.
• For institutional assessment and strategic planning activities to write proposals for a $1,000,000 implementation grant and a $5,000,000 collaborative grant.

Thriving Congregations: Implementation October 2020 – December 2025

• $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Lead; Program Director.
• Competitive grant was awarded to 92 organizations, selected from over 900 submissions. To resource, train, and network congregational teams to contribute to flourishing local communities.

Thriving in Ministry: Implementation January 2018 – December 2022

• $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Lead; Program Director.
• To develop resources for pastors to flourish in their communities and navigate key leadership challenges in ministry.

Thriving in Ministry: Planning April – December 2017

• $50,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
• Lead; Program Director.
• To research and design a proposal for resources to help pastors.

Mission Developers January 2017 – August 2018

• $20,000 from Mission Developers Group of The Episcopal Church USA
• Lead; Program Director.
• To establish a residential community of graduate level theology and psychology interns focused on contextual ministry.

Bishop’s Preaching Award, the Diocese of Olympia of the Episcopal Church 2017

The Bishop judges anonymous submissions of sermons from the year and selects one for this award, which includes a cash prize. I was the first layperson awarded, as well as the youngest. Additionally, the Bishop invited me to preach at a special service at the Cathedral in which all priests and congregations of the Diocese are invited to gather.

The Alumni Scholarship for Leadership Excellence, The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology 2011

This alumni-funded scholarship is awarded to incoming students who demonstrate commitment to and excellence in leadership, selected from personal essays reflecting on previous leadership experiences.

Initiated into Sigma Tau Delta, English Honors Society 2009

Orchestra Scholarship, Grand Valley State University 2006

Dean’s List, Grand Valley State University Fall 2005, Winter 2006, Fall 2008

Honors & Awards in: Academics, Music Performance, Orchestra Leadership; East Grand Rapids High School, grad. 2015