Leading Saints Podcast

Dan Duckworth is the founder and host of LeaderQuest, an elite leadership program that transforms managers and executives into dynamic changemakers. He speaks, teaches, and writes on leadership and leadership development, and provides one-on-one coaching to leaders aiming to drive transformational change. Dan has served as a board member for Leading Saints since 2019. To learn more, visit idylli.c...

Cynthia Collier grew up in Salt Lake City in a family that enjoyed the performing arts. She studied philosophy, English, and music at Brigham Young University, and has taught music and theater in schools. Over the past 25 years she has been involved in writing and directing live productions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Savior of the World at the Conference Center...

Watch Part 1: What About Our Culture is Holding Us Back? | An Interview with Ryan Gottfredson Ryan Gottfredson, Ph. D. is a cutting-edge leadership development author, researcher, and consultant. He helps organizations vertically develop their leaders primarily through a focus on mindsets. Ryan is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of Success Mindsets: The Key to Unlocking G...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in April 2020. Professor Susan R. Madsen is the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Dr. Madsen is considered one of the top global scholars and thought leaders on the topic of women and leadership and has authored or edited nine books and published hundreds of art...

Ryan Gottfredson, Ph. D. is a cutting-edge leadership development author, researcher, and consultant. He helps organizations vertically develop their leaders primarily through a focus on mindsets. Ryan is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of Success Mindsets: The Key to Unlocking Greater Success in Your Life, Work, & Leadership and The Elevated Leader: Leveling Up Your...

Christian McOmber is the founder of Missionary Universe—a non-profit organization that empowers youth to learn missionary skills early so they can support their local communities and prepare for full-time missionary service. He works in advertising as a creative director. Christian’s writing has come to life in the form of Super Bowl commercials, experiential activations, and more, for brands like...

In this episode, Kurt Francom, executive director of Leading Saints, shares his thoughts on how leaders can handle the question that always seems to come up: “How can I motivate people?” Links Watch the Motivating Saints Virtual Conference with a 14-day pass to the Core Leader Library Subscribe to the Leading Saints Newsletter How LaVell Edwards Influenced His Team to be a Team of Leaders | An Int...

Garth Pedersen grew up in Elk Grove, California, and Mesa, Arizona, and served a mission to Brazil. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is a small business owner. Garth has served as a ward clerk, Sunday School president, bishopric counselor, elders quorum president, and Primary worker (his favorite calling, along with being a dad). He and his wife have three daughters and two sons, and...

If you want to join us for the Leading Saints Experience on the BYU Cruise do the following: Visit https://byucruise.com/ Register using promo: LEADINGSAINTS This is an experience within an experience. You will have access to all the BYU Cruise entertainment and also a unique Leading Saints experience as well (including the live podcast interview with Coach Sitake).

Stephan Taeger is an assistant professor in Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University. He received a PhD from BYU in Instructional Design and Technology in 2018. Stephan’s research focuses on homiletics (the study of preaching), narrative instruction, and ancient scripture. He is also an author and co-host of the RVVL podcast with David Butler. Links Religious Educator: “Using Elements of Narr...

David Geens is a convert of 13 years, currently serving a “five year mission” as a bishop in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, Belgium. He previously served as a branch missionary leader, branch presidency counselor, elders quorum president, high counselor, and national communications director. A computer engineer and entrepreneur, David is active now as a business angel. He and his wife Isab...

Brad Lowder is a senior vice president at FamilySearch International. He has experience across media, marketing, advertising, and communications industries, and is an accomplished television producer and screenwriter. Prior to working for FamilySearch, Brad’s career included working in newspaper, radio, and satellite broadcasting where he produced live sporting events. He was also managing partner...

This is a rebroadcast. The original episode aired in November 2019. Mark Mathews was born in Houston, Texas. He served a mission in Guatemala and met his wife at Brigham Young University. He later earned a Ph. D. in Education from Utah State University and has been involved with Seminaries and Institutes for 20 years. Mark has been a favorite attraction teaching at BYU Education Week for many inte...

Trevor Farnes is the author of The Conquer Code and the CEO and Co-Founder of MTN OPS, an energy and nutritional product company focused on the outdoor industry, in Fruit Heights, Utah. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Full Sail University. Trevor’s focus and mission at MTN OPS is that of improving the lives of individuals and families through transformational products and a community buil...

ToriAnn Perkey has served as ward or stake choir director, as well as ward or stake music coordinator for most of her adult life in the Church. She has also served as a Primary counselor and a Young Women secretary. ToriAnn earned a bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies with History and Editing minors from Brigham Young University. In addition to raising four kids and homeschooling them for their...

Rich Hanks is an author, investor, and adviser to both start-ups and established businesses. He has served as a board director of numerous profit and non-profit companies and organizations, and as a mission president in Birmingham, Alabama. His book, To Be a Friend of Christ, draws on previously unavailable primary sources—journals, correspondence, notebooks, and recordings—to share the first and...

Mark Castillo was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and baptized at age 10. He attended Brigham Young University, served a mission in Venezuela, and has had a career in business and human resources. Mark lives in Highland, Utah, with his wife and three sons, and currently serves as a Sunday School president. Links Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community. Read the transcript of this podcast Ge...

BJ Allen is an associate professor of Marketing at Brigham Young University. He received a bachelor’s degree from BYU and a PhD in Business Administration from University of Texas-San Antonio. He is the author of two textbooks and gives sales and marketing trainings to corporations. BJ is also the author of the newly-released book, The Compensating Power of Christ, which is about how Jesus makes r...

Jay Timms is an organizational psychologist who blends over two decades of professional speaking experience with extensive hands-on executive leadership experience. Jay has provided leadership training, consulted for, and been a keynote speaker for Fortune 500 companies and improved the performance of businesses, teams, and individuals in a wide range of industries. He is an expert in engaging lea...

Beth Zeleny has pretty much done whatever church callings needed to be done: teaching in Primary, Young Women, Relief Society, early morning Seminary, Gospel Doctrine, and Gospel Principles; serving in Relief Society, Primary, and Young Women ward and stake presidencies; serving as a temple ordinance worker, Relief Society compassionate service leader, and provident living specialist. Just when sh...

Dr. Brett Stewart is a conductor, composer, pianist, and vocalist. He has taught music to youth and adults for nearly three decades and—together with his brother—founded Millennial Choirs & Orchestras. He is also a composer-in-residence for MCO, having composed and arranged well over one hundred works for the organization, including the full-length oratorio Messiah in America, and the full-len...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in March 2020. DeAnna Murphy is a former stake Relief Society president in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Chief People and Culture Officer for Thrivin, with a twenty-seven-year international career as an organizational psychologist, expert learning and development practitioner, and executive coach. She is also an internationally-known keynote spea...

Meagan Kohler is a Latter-day Saint convert and has a double BA in Philosophy and French from Brigham Young University. She writes for the Latter-day Saint Voices column at Deseret News, but her main (and favorite) gig is taking care of her husband and four boys. Meagan has served as a secretary in the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, and has taught both Sunday School and Relief Society....

Rebecca Woolf was raised in Provo, Utah, the daughter of John and Shawna Edwards, with four brothers. She met her husband Landon at Brigham Young University. After graduation they lived in four different states as Landon studied and trained to become a pediatric anesthesiologist, and Becca studied and trained to become a mother of four incredible boys. They have now settled in Spokane, Washington....

Robert Ferrell recently returned from serving with his wife Lori Ann as mission leaders in the Peru Lima Central Mission. Prior to that service he was a dental surgeon/periodontist for 25 years in Ogden, Utah. He is currently a partner at [ACCEPTED], a full-service mental health clinic, and president of “Awaken”, a humanitarian foundation providing service at home and around the world for business...