Lutheran Studies Conference Speakers

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Who:
Dr. Jacqueline Bussie, Executive Director of the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research

Bio: 
Dr. Jacqueline Bussie is an award-winning author, professor, theologian, and student of life in all its messy beauty, as well as a much sought after speaker and workshop facilitator. Her first book, The Laughter of the Oppressed won the national Trinity Prize. Her 2nd book, Outlaw Christian: Finding Authentic Faith by Breaking the Rules won the 2017 Gold Medal Illumination Award for Christian Living and received a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly. Her 3rd and latest book, Love Without Limits: Jesus’ Radical Vision for a Love with No Exceptions won the Reader’s Favorite Bronze Medal International Book Award for Christian Living, the 2020 IAN Outstanding Religion Book of the Year Award, and 3rd place IAN Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award. Also, Publisher’s Weekly named Love Without Limits “a must-read for all Christians interested in inclusivity for their communities.” Love Without Limits was released in 2nd edition paperback and also on Audiobook with Jacqueline narrating in August, 2022.

An active servant-leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Dr. Bussie spent the last twenty years teaching religion to undergraduates at ELCA colleges and serving as the founding Director of the Forum on Faith and Life at Concordia College. Every day she is amazed and grateful that gets to: 1) write and tell her story; 2) empower other people to write and tell theirs; and 3) accompany marvelous people like you on your journey of faith, hope, and healing.

Who:
Ms. Jennifer Fadden, MA, LMFT, MHP, Associate Director for Clinical Operations/Counselor, PLU Counseling Services

Bio: 
I am very excited to be back on the PLU campus! I graduated from the PLU MFT program in 2012, and am looking forward to assisting the PLU community through our amazing counseling services.

I have over 12 years of experience as a therapist, along with an extensive professional history within the social work and social justice field. I have guided many people throughout the years, and feel it is my calling to be present for those who need support through this grand adventure called LIFE!

My main goal is to help you cut through the minutiae of your own mind, implement tools that will help you take back the authority of your life and propel you forward on the path of your choosing. I believe in creating “brave spaces” within the therapy room. My style of therapy is a little different as I believe therapy does not have to be a long drawn out process, nor a deep dive, in order to make significant changes in your life. Sometimes, you just need a place to breathe, focus and figure out your next steps. I combine various therapy techniques, in order to challenge you, keep you focused and allow space for you to discover your authentic self. Humor is also an important element of the process!

If you are ready for deep and lasting change, then contact PLU Counseling Services and let’s get started!

Who:
Dr. Eva Frey, PLU Dean of Students

Bio: 
Eva has enjoyed working at PLU for 15 years in the area of student activities, leadership, and diversity. She has lived all over the world and now calls Tacoma home. Her areas of professional interest are: support and persistence of first-generation college students, leadership and social justice, and multicultural education. Eva’s passion is in being a leader/educator and working in partnership with others to become their best selves. Her active research is in the vocational development of a college student.

Who:
Holly Galbreath, PhD, Owner of Dr.HG Services, PLLC

Bio: 
With over 40 years of experience working with children and adolescents with social/emotional/behavioral disabilities, Dr. Galbreath is a licensed clinical psychologist, certificated school psychologist and educational administrator. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, a Masters degree from Hofstra University and a dual PhD from Vanderbilt University in Clinical Psychology and Developmental Disabilities Research. Her psychiatric experience includes residency at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, and program directors positions at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, and the Washington State Child Study & Treatment Center, as well as serving as the Coordinator of Children’s Mental Health for the State of Alaska. For the past 16 years, Dr. Galbreath has has used her training and experience in her roles as a school psychologist, educational interventionist and special education administrator in the Clover Park, Bellevue, and University Place School Districts to craft effective, research-based and inclusive educational opportunities for youth with social/emotional/behavioral/developmental disabilities. She now has a private consulting business serving the South Puget Sound region continuing her work with school districts and clinics.

Holly Galbreath

Who:
Rev. Molly Knutson Keller, Certified Enneagram Coach and Consultant; Deep Coaching Institute Certified Life Coach; Certified Life Coach Institute

Past work: ELCA Parish Pastor, Olympia WA
College Campus Pastor, SDSU San Diego

Bio:
Molly is a practitioner of intentional living, meaning-making and joy-creating. In her over 27 years of work there is a theme: helping people surface their own inner wisdom and answers to life’s questions, big and small. As an ordained clergy person in the Lutheran Church for 25 years, Molly has worked with people through all different circumstances including marriage, divorce, parenting, job changes, illness, health challenges, death, and grief, existential questioning. She brings an open mind and listening ear as she accompanies people through painful times, and helps them find their way toward healing and inner peace. Molly is an ELCA pastor, a certified Enneagram Coach through the Chestnut Paes Enneagram Academy and Certified Life Coach, through the Deep Coaching Institute (which uses presence-based inquiry and somatic awareness). Molly lives in Olympia, WA with her spouse and best friend, Doug. They have two young adult children whom they adore. All four of them adore and spoil their three sweet dogs.

Who:
Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., Founder/Lead Consultant America & Moore, LLC

Bio: 
Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. has pursued and achieved success in academia, business, diversity, leadership and community service. In 1996, he started America & MOORE, LLC to provide comprehensive diversity, privilege, leadership and #BecomingAntiRacist trainings/workshops. He is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational/educational speakers and practitioners. His interview with Wisconsin Public Radio won the 2015 Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s Best Interview in Medium Market Radio, 1st Place, he is featured in the film “I’m not Racist….Am I?” and in the article 5 Clear Ways to Tell Whether You’ll Be a Good Leader in 2021. Dr. Moore was recently named one of Wisconsin’s 51 Most Influential Black Leaders and in 2022 was the recipient of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Honorable Bernice B. Donald Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Award. He is also the Founder/Program Director for the global White Privilege Conference (WPC). In 2014 Dr. Moore founded The Privilege Institute (TPI) which engages people in research, education, action and leadership through workshops, conferences, publications and strategic partnerships/relationships. He is co-founder of the on-line journal Understanding and Dismantling Privilege, co-editor of Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories, The Guide for White Women who Teach Black Boys,The Diversity Consultant Cookbook: Preparing for the Challenge (2019), Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls (2021) and Lil’ e – The Big Misunderstanding (2020). Over a 10-years, he was Dir of Diversity at Brooklyn Friends School and The Bush School. Dr. Moore received his PhD from the University of Iowa in Ed Leadership. His PhD research was on Black Football Players at Division III Schools in the Midwest. Twitter: @eddieknowsmoore | Instagram: @eddiemoorejr | In: www.linkedin.com/in/eddiemoorejr *IDI Qualified Administrator https://idiinventory.com/

Who:
Dr. Joanna Royce-Davis, PLU Vice President for Student Life

Bio: 
Dr. Joanna Royce-Davis comes to us from the University of the Pacific, where she most recently served as Dean of Students in the Division of Student Life. In her 15-year career at the University of the Pacific, she has served as Associate Professor in the Benerd School of Education; Interim Vice President for Student Life; Assistant and Associate Vice President for Student Life; and as Associate Director of the Career Resource Center.

Dr. Royce-Davis earned a Certificate in Student Affairs Law & Policy from NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education in 2013; a PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling from Syracuse University in 2001; an M.A. in Counselor Education from San Jose State University in 1994; and a B.S. in Special Education with an emphasis in Community and Mental Health Counseling from Indiana University in 1990.

Among her notable accomplishments, Joanna directs the graduate program in Student Affairs at the University of the Pacific. She has also served as lead or co-designer for multiple strategies focused on undergraduate student success, including the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Student Success essay; First Year Experience signature programs, including MOVE (Mountains Oceans Valley Experience), which received the 2012 NASPA National Gold award; and the Retention Action Network.

In 2013, Dr. Royce-Davis received the Podesto Award for Excellence in Student Life, Mentoring, and Counseling, and in 2012 she was awarded the Cavanaugh Distinguished Service Award from the University of the Pacific. In 2009, she received the NASPA Region IV Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Service as a Dean, and in 2006 she was named a Pacific Woman of Distinction. She also received the Martin Luther King, Jr., Opening Doors award in 2005.

Who:
Ms. Victoria Schultz, Class of 2024, Major: English- Creative Writing and Double Minor in Theatre and Publishing/Printing Arts

Bio: 

Who:
Mr. Brandon Ducusin, Class of 2024, Pronouns: he/him/his
Major: Social Work and double minors in NonProfit Leadership and Art

Bio: 
My name is Brandon Ducusin and I am a senior Social Work student attending PLU. I have a double minor in Art and Nonprofit Leadership and am excited to be graduating in the spring of 2024. I am a founding member of the art club, the Collective, as well as the Art Director of Impact.

Brandon Ducusin

Who:
Dr. Marit A. Trelstad, PLU Chair of Lutheran Studies and Professor of Constructive and Lutheran Theologies at PLU

Bio: 
Marit Trelstad is Professor of Constructive and Lutheran Theology at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Her scholarly work combines feminist, process and Lutheran theologies and has focused on Christology, theological anthropology, the doctrine of God, and science and religion (including economics, geoengineering and ecology). As a contributor and editor, she published Cross Examinations: Readings on the Meaning of the Cross Today (Fortress, 2006) and contributed to Transformative Lutheran Theologies (Fortress, 2010) and Lutherrenaissance: Past and Present (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2015) along with several other journals and books.

Who:
Dr. Vanessa Tucker, PLU Associate Professor of Education

Bio: 
Vanessa Tucker received her dual certification to teach from Western Washington University in 1995. She began her career working with children with Emotional and Behavior Disorders and moved into classrooms serving students with high support needs. She got her M.Ed. from the University of Washington, Seattle in Low Incidence Disabilities in 2003 followed by her a Ph.D. in Low Incidence Disabilities and Applied Behavior Analysis from UW in 2009. She moved from the classroom into a specialist position in 2004 and coordinated the autism programs in Tacoma Public Schools for 7 years. She left in 2010 to join the University of Washington, Tacoma as a full time lecturer where she coordinated the Teacher Certification Program. She joined PLU in 2012 as an assistant professor. When she isn’t working, she is busy chasing after three children and working in the garden.

Dr. Tucker works primarily with children and adults who experience extensive and complex disabilities and support needs, including Anxiety as a comorbid mental health diagnosis. She works to implement behavioral strategies in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals and assisted living facilities.

Who:
Dr. David Ward, PLU Dean of Health Professions and Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at PLU

Bio: 
David Ward became Dean of the College of Health Professions in 2022 and is a Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). He arrived at PLU in 2005 and became Chair of the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy in 2009. In addition to these roles, he has served in various leadership positions at PLU (including Budget Advisory Committee and Faculty Affairs Committee) and as a volunteer within the field of MFT and the community.

Dr. Ward continues to actively practice as a marriage and family therapist and is active in public speaking on topics related to mental health and strengthening relationships. His research has focused on the power of hope to affect change. He developed the Ward Hope Scale that measures hope related to specific goal attainment and incorporates the importance of relationships in the measurement of hope.

Who:
Dr. Tamara Williams, Executive Director of the PLU Wang Center and Professor of Hispanic and Latino Studies

Bio: 
Tamara R. Williams is a Professor of Hispanic Studies currently serving as the Executive Director of the Wang Center for Global and Community Engaged Education. She coordinated the bilingual edition of Ernesto Cardenal’s El estrecho dudoso/The Doubtful Strait (Indiana University Press 1995); is co-editor of Literatura a Ciencia Cierta: Homenaje a Cedomil Goic (Cuesta 2011), of Los oficios del nómada: Fabio Morábito ante la crítica (UNAM 2015), and of the forthcoming Women Photographers and Mexican Modernity (Routledge Press). She is currently developing a manuscript that explores the elegiac dimensions of twenty-first century Mexican long poems that give expression to the individual and collective suffering of the protracted War on Drugs and the related perils of late-stage capitalism, including the phenomenon of gendered violence and the unfolding catastrophe of the Anthropocene. She pioneered PLU’s first J-term Study Away Spanish immersion course in Costa Rica (now offered in Uruguay and Puerto Rico) and is co-founder, with Professor John Lear (UPS) of PLU’s Fall Semester Program in Oaxaca, Mexico. At PLU, she has been a tireless advocate for global education. She is in the process of completing the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program https://mmtcp.soundstrue.com/, a two-year online program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.