Royal Updates

Royal Updates cover marriage announcements, family/child updates, career promotions, retirements, and other personal milestones. Share your update by completing the form below! Please note that the Office of Alumni Relations reserves the right to select which Royal Updates are included on this webpage. Read the latest updates from your fellow Royals below!

1960s

John Burbank '63 retired in 1996 at age 62. The 26 years since have been filled with joy as he and his wife Lois have traveled and served in their local church, recently with Lois at the piano most every Sunday and John conducting the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of the month.

1970s

Terry Olson '75 retired from Orange County Government Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs which he started 23 years ago. He is continuing to lead the nonprofit FusionFest celebrating diverse cultures.

Keith Johnson '76 retired after 43 years as a DDS in Edina, Minnesota. Over the years, he traveled to Ukraine 18 times as a DDS in orphanages and also traveled to Costa Rica 18 times as a DDS at a shelter for kids. 

L Chhangte '79 completed translation of the New Testament into the Idu Mishmi language of Arunachal Pradesh, India in 2023 and is currently translating the Old Testament into the Idu Mishmi language and the Puroik language. L specializes in documenting under-researched Tibeto-Burman languages of India and Burma, developing literature (dictionaries, grammars) and training people.

Nancy (Upton) Nethercott '79 served with TEAM in Japan for 28 years and has continued in missions work with OM and YWAM, and now also with United Adoration. She encourages local churches around the world to create new songs, visual art, creative writing, and drama out of their unique context. 

1980s

Beth (Karsjens) Potter '81 recently retired after a rewarding career at NCR Corporation spanning just over 40 years. She looks forward to having more time to spend with family and travel across the US and internationally with her husband, Steve.  

Donna (Powell) Peterson '84 stepped away from work and is volunteering at church with worship team, VBS, helping with the youth, and bible study.

Ron Anderson '86 is Associate Vice President of Student Financial Services at Lipscomb University, an NCAA Division I School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Linda Busse '86 is now the office manager and bookkeeper NE WA-N ID Educational Training Trust.

John Ginsberg '89 was elected the Assistant Registrar for the Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution for 2024-2025.

1990s

Kari (Lindstrom) Johnson '90 recently retired after working for the State of Minnesota as a psychiatric nurse for the last 16 years. After having Lyme's Disease last year, she started her own business helping people with health and wellness. 

Jeffery Sajdak S'90 has been appointed as Co-Director of Calvin Seminary's Doctor of Ministry Program, in addition to serving as Dean of Students for the past 12 years.

Cameron Gulden '91 was recently appointed Assistant United States Trustee in Reno, Nevada, where he works for the U.S. Department of Justice as an attorney.

David Houvenagle S'91 has co-written the book "Emergency and Admission Assessments; A Handbook for Clinicians" published by Rowman and Littlefield and is set to come out November 2024.

Wendy (Elenbaas) Payne '92 has been a social worker at Evangelical Child and Family Agency for over 22 years. On October 1, 2022, she became their newest Executive Director.

Tracy Petersen '92 is currently the Assistant Director of Recreation & Facilities for the City of Edina. Her role is to oversee the city’s recreation programs, Senior Center, Edina Art Center, Centennial Lakes Park, Edinborough Park, Edina Aquatic Center, Braemar Golf Course/Dome and Braemar Ice Arena and Braemar Field. 

Christopher Jahraus '95 was named deputy editor in chief of a new international journal in radiation oncology. The journal, Contemporary Updates: Radiotherapy Innovation and Evidence (CURiE), is the official journal of the American College of Radiation Oncology.

Dan Roby '97 spent 15 years on YoungLife staff doing full time vocational ministry in Oregon, Sweden, Minnesota, and Utah. He's spent the last 15 years in tech/software, specifically in customer success building teams, coaching, mentoring, and helping customers with strategic initiatives.

2000s

James Settlage '00 is a surgical services assistant at Mercy Medical Center.

David Frisbie S'01 recently published his 43rd book and it was just been released in Brazil, in Portuguese. The book tells the stories of rescues from human trafficking from all over the world. 

Melissa (Schurman) Castillo '01 after graduating with a degree in elementary education, Melissa spent nine years teaching both in the United States and in the Dominican Republic. For the past thirteen years, she has worked in banking and currently manages five branches/departments. 

Karalynn (Starr) Tyler '02 is a middle school social studies teacher. She has taught grades 6, 7, and 8 and has worked on the curriculum writing committee for over a decade.

Andrea (Rens) Dugan '04 and her family returned to Colorado Springs, CO after serving in Indonesia, SE Asia, for 11 years. Her husband, Donovan, continues to serve with One Challenge while Andrea joined the administrative team at Colorado Springs Christian Schools.

Tiffany (Streeter) Simon GS'05 co-created and manages 20 faith-based child care centers in the Twin Cities and central Iowa.

After 33 years in ministry in Nebraska and Iowa, Richard Moore S'06 retired and moved closer to family in the Council Bluffs, Iowa / Omaha, Nebraska area. He continues to provide pulpit supply at area churches and serves on the board of directors for the Ecumenical Institute, a Midwest leader in CPE training.

Terry Johnston S'07 retired from Village Baptist in Alexis, IL, in 2017. In addition to mentoring his three grandsons, he mentors seminary students at Kyrios Seminary, leads a Church Boom Group, and facilitates REPLENISH retreats. He and his wife, Lynda, work at Hill Ranch Oasis B&B four months a year. Terry also serves on the Bethel National Alumni Board.

Katy (Kiger) Zitzmann '07 and her family recently moved to South Africa to work as missionaries. Katy currently helps with the Hope Program which educates in the sanctity of human life, job skills, and family leadership. They also offer safe housing, counseling and support services for at-risk pregnant women.

Austin Bleess '07 was honored as a 2024 Public Official Of The Year by the University of Houston Masters of Public Administration Program in April 2024. Austin was honored as a Most Admired CEO by the Houston Business Journal in July 2024. 

Benoit Duhamel '08 has been working at Elite DNA for one year as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As a Christian counselor, the company often refers people to him that request Christian counseling.

After years of waiting and praying and failed attempts at adoption and fostering, Julia Moore '09 welcomed Clyde Patterson (an adopted embryo) on June 5, 2024. 

2010s

Sylvia Slominski was born to Kari (Peterson) Slominski '10 and Jordan Slominski on January 26, 2024. She has Down Syndrome and spent a month in the NICU, but has been home and doing well for a few months. Praise God for this little miracle girl!

Aaron Crosby '12 joined the faculty at Columbus State University as a lecturer in the Theatre Department and Faculty Lighting/Sound Designer.

Greg Stewart '13 recently transitioned from a small animation agency to a role at BibleProject as Lead Animator. He majored in Biblical and Theological Studies with a minor in Spanish and Ancient Greek but taught himself animation. He is excited to be using his skills to further God’s Kingdom!

Cody Wilde '15 was promoted to Senior Vice President, Correctional Programs at Prison Fellowship Ministries, the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners and their families.

Bryce Johnson '16 and Karina were married at Mill City Church on August 26, 2023.

Spencer Seiler '17 graduated with his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of California Santa Cruz and cofounded Open Culture, a California life science startup founded on the technology he derived in graduate school.

Alanna (Couillard) Greaves '18 recently moved to Washington state.

Aniss Reko '18 and her family recently moved to Finland.

Pablo Cachon CAPS'18 is the lead pastor at Clovis Evangelical Free Church in Clovis, California. 

Tyler Buzzard '19 and Hannah (Douglas) Buzzard '19 moved from Minnesota to Oshkosh, Wisconsin where Tyler was accepted into the doctorate of nurse anesthesia program. Hannah now works at Aurora Children’s Health and UW Children's Health.

2020s

James D'Angelo CAPS'20 is a resident advisor at Hope Gospel Missions where he ministers to men coming out of addiction, homelessness, trauma, prison and life-changes, to fruitful reintegration into society. He also teaches Character First, a class focusing on biblical character traits and life application.

Josiah Hoagland SEM '20 currently serves as a chaplain director, at St. Joseph's Health and serves as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves where he serves the 934th Air Lift Wing in Ft. Snelling. He also serves as a pulpit supply preacher in area churches.

Jacob Roane '21 and Cali (Pearcy) Roane '21 were married on February 4, 2024.

Anna (Martens) Fiallos '21 moved to Honduras full time as a missionary teacher at a rural high school. She got married in December 2023 to a Honduran and has a new step-daughter.

Jordan Diaz '22 and Morgan (Meissner) Diaz '21 were married in August 2023. Jordan works at American National Bank and Morgan works as a special education teacher and coach at Marantha Christian Academy.

Nathan Hoff '22 and Kaitlyn (Guggenberger) Hoff '22 were married on July 14, 2024.

Hannah Kaelberer '22 celebrated her one year anniversary as Marketing Coordinator for Sodexo at Bethel University.

Madyson Wills GS'23 made a job change from intensive outpatient to outpatient work with individuals, couples and families.

Sarah Hunnicutt GS'24 started a new job at an International Baccalaureate School in Maryland.