Speakers

Who:
Rev. Seth Novak, ELCA SW Synod Native American Work Team

Bio: 
Pr. Seth Novak has served in the Southwestern Washington Synod since 2014, and is now the pastor of Key Peninsula Lutheran Church in Lakebay. He is also enrolled in a certification program to become a spiritual director. In addition to pastoring, he serves as the dean of the SWWA Tacoma Narrows Conference and chair of the SWWA Synod Native American Work Team. Seth was born and raised in Great Falls, MT, on land that has been home to the Niitsítapi (Blackfoot), Apsáalooke (Crow), Salish, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Michif Piyii (Métis) peoples. He earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of Idaho in Moscow and MDiv from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. Seth loves the Church and loves making it his job because it allows him to see up close and personally how God is at work transforming the world, and to be a part of that work. In his free time, Seth also enjoys beekeeping, putting on chemistry demonstrations, and homebrewing beer and cider. He lives in Gig Harbor with his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Ada.

Who:
Rev. Terry Kyllo, Executive Director of Paths to Understanding

Bio: 
The Rev. Terry Kyllo is a Lutheran Christian pastor who strives to recognize the unity of the human family. He is the founder of Neighbors in Faith – Answering Islamophobia, Building the Beloved Community (now a program of Paths to Understanding). Terry is the author of two books, has published in multiple publications, and been featured on radio and television shows. He has received a number of awards for his contributions to multi-faith leadership.

Who:
Rev. Jen Rude, University Pastor, PLU

Bio: 
The Rev. Jen Rude was named the University Pastor at Pacific Lutheran University in August, 2016.

Before coming to PLU Jen served as the program director for Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, a national support and advocacy organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer) pastors and seminarians. For eight years Jen served as an Outreach Minister with The Night Ministry in Chicago, where she provided pastoral care, crisis response and advocacy in an interfaith and multicultural setting for street-based young adults. In 2007, Jen was extraordinary ordained at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago and served there as Associate Pastor. After policy change at the national level removed barriers for partnered LGBTQ clergy, Jen was received onto the ELCA roster in 2011.

Jen received her Masters of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA and her B.A. in Religion with Gender Studies and Psychology minors from ELCA-affiliated Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Outside of work, Jen enjoys hiking, cooking, running, the Enneagram, reading about minimalism/simple living, tending to her composting worms and exploring Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest with her spouse Deb. In 2023 Jen completed a certification as a Liminal Guide (a cross between spiritual direction and coaching) with a focus on supporting individuals in transition.

As part of her role as University Pastor, Pastor Jen leads Monday, Wednesday and Friday chapel, creates and supports programming related to religious and spiritual diversity, offers pastoral care and vocational support, and seeks to accompany students, faculty and staff wherever they are on their faith or spiritual journey.

Who:
Cynthia Savini (Makah, Jamestown S’Klallam and Quileute), PLU Alumna and PLU Indigenous Community Advisory Board, UW Indigenous Education Advisory Board and WA State Native American Education Advisory Board

Bio: 
Cynthia A. Savini, M.Ed. of the Makah, Jamestown S’Klallam and Quileute tribes, is on the Pacific Lutheran University Indigenous Community Advisory Board, the University of Washington Indigenous Education Advisory Board and the Washington State Native American Education Advisory Board. An alumnus of Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, and City University, Bellevue, WA, she has taught all ages from infants to adults. Cynthia has worked in both the public and private sectors for the K-12 system, tribal schools and pharmaceutical companies as an educator, trainer and speaker. Cynthia has rich experience in child development and elementary education as well as deep knowledge of curriculum and instruction. She has been in educational leadership for 12 years. Prior experience includes coordinating early learning at the Muckleshoot Child Development Center and teaching Native American Culture at Chief Leschi Schools, as well as serving as director of early learning programs for tribal, state and federally funded programs in the Salish Sea region. Cynthia is an Indigenous healer and implements elements of her healing in her professional development offerings.

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:
Jerad Koepp (Wukchumni), Washington State Educator of the Year, Native Student Program Specialist North Thurston Public Schools

Bio: 
Jerad Koepp, Wukchumni, serves on PLU’s Indigenous Community Advisory Network, is the Native Student Program Specialist for North Thurston Public Schools, the 2022 Washington State teacher of the year, and the first Native American educator to earn the distinction in the state. He is a leader in Native education, policy, and government to government relationships. As an educator, trainer, presenter, consultant, and advocate, Jerad also created and supports his district’s dual-credited high school Native Studies program.

Who:
Hweqwidi (Hanford) McCloud (Nisqually), Nisqually Tribal Council member, artist and cultural educator

Bio: 
Hweqwidi (Hanford) McCloud (Nisqually), has served as Government Affairs Specialist, Nisqually Tribal Council member, Leshi Heritage Foundation Director, and Nisqually Canoe Family leader. The son of Joyce McCloud (Nisqually) and Don McCloud Jr. (Puyallup), Hanford is an artist, cultural educator, master weaver and carver, and a leader in innovative education that brings young people outside and into the natural world, exemplified in his leadership as Canoe Journey coordinator.

Who:
Dr. Amy McFarland, (Puyallup) World Cup 2026 Director for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Educational Consultant and Culture Educator at Chief Leschi Schools

Bio: 
Dr. McFarland is currently serving as the Director of World Cup 2026 for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. In this role she is able to use her years of experience in the educational community to bring together various communities and tribal departments in creation of multiple legacy projects that highlight the stories of the Puyallup people – past, present and future.

Dr. McFarland has served the educational community in a variety of roles for the last thirty years. Prior to her current role, she served as Superintendent for Chief Leschi Schools, Executive Director for Tacoma Public Schools and Chief Academic Officer for Puyallup School District. She also served as principal, teacher, human resources director and para- educator.

In each of these roles, she has remained committed to service of the youth and their advancement towards post-secondary achievements.

She has been an active supporter of the Western Washington Native American Education Consortium, YWCA, Elizabeth Wesley Scholarship Foundation as well as facilitating, presenting and keynote speaker for teachers and administrators in the State of Washington.  In addition to these areas of support to the community, she has also served as an adjunct professor for Washington State University’s Principal Program and served on the United Way of Pierce County’s Board.  She received Administrator of the Year Award in 2000, Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001 and the Barbara L. Jackson Scholar recipient in 2011.

Dr. McFarland obtained her associates from Pierce College; she went on to complete her bachelors and masters from the University of Puget Sound and her doctorate of education from Washington State University. Go Cougs!

As a member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Dr. McFarland is proud to serve her community and making a difference for the future of the youth.

Who:
Jennifer Vasilez (Puyallup), Kapowsin Elementary School Principal

Bio: 
Dr. Jennifer Vasilez is a member of the Puyallup tribe, with ancestry from many other local Indigenous communities. A descendant of David and Annie Squally who have deep ties to this land and community. A member of PLU’s Indigenous Community Advisory Network, Jennifer is an educator who has served as a teacher and school administrator since 2011. She also has served as a case manager for youth exiting foster care and as a homeless prevention specialist for teens in Skagit County. Jennifer is also a wife and mother of two. She is deeply committed to her tribal community and serving the next generation. She received her M.Ed. from Western Washington University and her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership as part of UW Tacoma’s innovative partnership with Muckleshoot Tribal College. She is the former principal of Chief Leschi Elementary School, and currently serves as Principal of Kapowsin Elementary School.

Who:
Dr. Romey Haberle, Associate Professor of Biology, PLU

Bio: 

Who:
Dr. Michael Behrens, Professor of Biology, PLU

Bio: 
My teaching activities focus primarily on ecology and animal diversity. This includes general ecology and the ecology of marine and freshwater systems. My teaching in the area of animal diversity includes general coverage for lower division students and invertebrate zoology. I have the pleasure of teaching both in the Pacific Northwest and the Caribbean.

My research interests include ecology and biogeography, primarily in aquatic systems. Much of my past research has focused on interactions between herbivores and algae in marine systems. This has included studies of geographical gradients of herbivorous fish diversity and how temperature effects on physiology may play a role in driving this pattern and the effects of fisheries and disease on sea urchins and kelp forest ecology. My current research projects include studies of the community ecology of rocky shores of Puget Sound, disease ecology, and the ecology of early life history stages of oysters. These projects involve undergraduate student researchers at PLU and collaborators from the University of Washington and Harbor WildWatch.

Who:
Dr. Troy Storfjell, Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, PLU

Bio: 
Troy Storfjell (Sámi) specializes in Sámi and Indigenous studies, where his work is largely guided by Indigenist criticism and decolonize methodologies. In his scholarship Troy works to create a place for Indigenous intellectual and philosophical traditions within the academy, bringing Sámi ways of knowing to bear on such topics as settler colonial literature, multicultural diversity and trans-Indigenous film studies. In his teaching Troy strives for a student-centered approach and for classrooms that can become collaborative learning communities. He teaches in Norwegian and Scandinavian Area Studies, as well as in Environmental Studies, Global Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Before coming to PLU in 2005, Troy taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder, at Augustana College (Sioux Falls), at the University of Washington and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also earned his masters and doctoral degrees.

Who:
Lace Smith, Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications, PLU

Bio: 
As Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Lace M. Smith leads the MarCom department. Smith’s teams include the design group, content development, web design, and customer service. Smith is responsible for developing and implementing a content strategy integrating website, social media, and digital campaigns with print and external communications. This strategy aims to raise the visibility of PLU and inspire connection with prospective students and their families, current students, alumni, donors, influencers/thought leaders, and community members.

Smith joined Student Involvement & Leadership at PLU in 2005. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the University of Puget Sound and an MBA from PLU.

Smith most recently served as the Executive Director of Content Development at PLU and was directly responsible for curating adaptive and sharable content that can be centrally managed and delivered through evolving media sets.

Who:
Simon Sung, Executive Creative Director, PLU

Bio: 
Simon Sung graduated in 1990 from the University of Washington. During his tenure in the design field he has worked for various clients including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Crown, Disney, Chronicle Books, Starbucks, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Who:
Daniel Lee, Vice President, Division of University Relations, PLU

Bio: 
Until 2014, Dan served as Vice President of External Relations for Lutheran World Relief, an international relief and development organization with programs in 35 countries, serving more than 7 million people. As the chief fundraising, donor relations and constituent engagement executive, Dan set the strategic direction of all external-facing efforts and guided LWR through three years of record-setting growth.

Prior to his role as Vice President, Dan led LWR’s annual giving program and spearheaded the first comprehensive re-branding and website redevelopment process in more than 10 years. As Senior Director of Marketing for LWR, Dan implemented numerous fundraising and communications initiatives, including the creation of LWR’s highly-successful alternative giving program.

Dan received his B.A. in Communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Who:
Dr. Joanna Gregson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Sociology, PLU

Bio: 
As Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Joanna Gregson, Ph.D. leads the academic division and collaborates with, supports, and advises the President’s Council and President Allan Belton on strategic planning for the academic division, including advising on new academic initiatives, faculty affairs, and advancing the academic mission and intellectual positioning of PLU.

Gregson joined the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at PLU in 1998. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Western Washington University, and her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2012.

As a faculty member, Gregson has taught and conducted research in the areas of deviance, gender, and qualitative research methods. Over the span of her career, she has published on such topics as teenage mothers, incarcerated mothers, and divorced women. Since 2010 she has been conducting participant observation research with the authors of romance novels, examining the gendered aspects of the career and how women experience writing what has been described as the most popular, least respected literary genre.

At PLU, Gregson has a long record of faculty governance and leadership experience. She has served on and chaired the Campus Life Committee, the Rank and Tenure Committee, and the Governance Committee, and has served as Chair of the Faculty, Vice Chair of the Faculty, and Faculty Secretary. Her service record also includes chairing the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.

Gregson was honored with the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2005, the Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring in 2011, and the PLU Mortar Board Society “Top Prof” award in 2017.

Who:
Allan Belton, President, PLU

Bio: 
Allan Belton was appointed by the Pacific Lutheran University Board of Regents to serve as the University’s 14th President as of April 3, 2019.

Prior to that he was the Acting President, and before that he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, responsible for the University’s administrative functions including Business Operations & Finance, Human Resources, Facilities & Construction Management, Information Technology, and Risk Management. Allan joined PLU in 2015 as the University’s Chief Financial Officer.

Prior to joining PLU, Allan enjoyed a 25-year career with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he served most recently as Managing Director and Chief Operations Officer for global treasury management. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration and an M.B.A. from Washington State University.

Allan is married to Melinda Krotz Belton, PLU Class of 1991; they live in Gig Harbor with their three children.

Who:
Cynthia Iyall, (Nisqually) Leschi Descendant and Center Administrator for Nisqually’s Equine Assisted Services

Bio:
Cynthia Iyall has spent the last 30 years working in Indian Country.

A Tumwater High School graduate and Oklahoma University graduate with a
Master’s degree in Indian Law helped guide many of her goals within Nisqually
Tribal Government.

She has served 12 years on Tribal Council completing a term as 5th Council
member and then serving 9 consecutive years as Nisqually Tribal
Chairwoman. During her terms many economic projects were completed
that provided a sturdy foundation for today’s tribal economy as well as
creating much needed tribal policy and law to help further the government’s
services well into the future.

She currently is the Center Administrator for Equine Assisted Services at
Nisqually Tribe working with a team to bring back horse medicine to the tribal
members in a variety of ways including equine counseling, and youth
programming.

Cynthia has a great passion for ensuring Nisqually history is available for all
Washingtonians and leads a nonprofit called Leschi Learning Legacy. This is
where she supports students in Medicine Creek Nation by helping to support
their education costs. It is also where she has developed Nisqually
curriculum that is historically and culturally correct and is sharing it with all willing to hear our story.

Who:
Annette Bullchild, Nisqually Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Bio: 

Who:
Chris Gerber, Cecilia Carpenter portrait artist

Bio: 
Christopher Gerber is a muralist, painter, sculptor, and Ecovention artist that has been creating public art with the Nisqually Youth program for over 2 decades. For the past 2 years he has been working with Nisqually elders and Cecilia Carpenter’s research to create a memorial sculpture of brothers Leschi and Quiemuth. The portrait he is currently working on of Cecilia Carpenter is what Christopher calls a “Contextual Portrait” designed to be more than just a headshot, but to go beyond the face and illustrate the cultural and familial connections that inspired her great work. More of Christopher Gerber’s work with A.W.E. Can be seen at artistswithecology.org

Who:
Suzanne Crawford-O’Brien, Professor of Religion and Culture

Bio: 
Suzanne Crawford O’Brien’s area of specialization is Religion and Culture, with emphases in Native American religious traditions, and comparative studies of minority religious communities in North America, including religion and healthcare, gender and ethnicity, and religion and popular culture. Her research interests address questions of healing, place, and ecology, and how religious belief and practice can work to promote ecological and social justice in Ireland and in North America. Most recently, she published Religion and Culture in Native America (Rowman and Littlefield, 2020) an introductory textbook intended for undergraduate classrooms and general readers, written in collaboration with her mentor Dr. Inés Talamantez. Other publications include chapters in Native Foodways: Indigenous North American Religious Traditions and Foods (SUNY 2021), Coming Full Circle: Spirituality and Wellness Among Native Communities in Western Washington (University of Nebraska Press, 2014), Religion and Healing in Native America: Pathways for Renewal (Praeger, 2008), Native American Religious Traditions (Prentice Hall and Laurence King, 2007), and the three-volume American Indian Religious Traditions: An Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO, 2005).

Publications in scholarly journals include “Talking Place: Ritual and Reciprocity at Holy Wells and Mass Stones in the Republic of Ireland,” (Journal of Ritual Studies); “Well, Water, Rock: Holy Wells, Mass Rocks, and Reconciling Identity in the Republic of Ireland,” (Journal of Religion and Material Culture); and “Gone to the Spirits: A Transgender Prophet on the Columbia Plateau,” (Journal of Theology and Sexuality).