The SPU Voices Podcast

"In The Wings," with Fern Donaghy '22

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.

"Food is Fuel," with Paige Johnson '15, '22

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.

"A New Beginning," with President Deana Porterfield

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.

"How to Get Un-Stuck," with Cami Ostman '00

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 [https://www.thenarrativeproject.net/]: 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.

"Ask The Ones Who Know," with Alexia Estrada '20

Alexia Estrada, class of 2020, is the granddaughter of farm workers and director of operations at Semillero (Nursery) de Ideas [https://www.linkedin.com/company/semillero-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.