Steubenville Northwest - Speakers
 Conference Home
Spiritus Ministries
Northwest
P.O. Box 7710
Olympia, WA
98507-7710

Phone: 360-789-1265

Fax: 360-934-5401

www.spiritusnw.org
Brian Kissinger
Brian graduated from Franciscan University in 2004. Brian's life has been anything but ordinary, as he first found fame when he made a cameo appearance in season three of the hit 80's sitcom, Mr. Belvedere. A native of Steubenville, Brian is the junior high youth minister and Life Teen music minister at St. Alexis Parish in Wexford, Pennsylvania. When he's not praying, Brian spends his time teaching reptiles to speak English.

 

 

Sean Forrest  
Sean is a musician, author, and youth minister who is devoted to sharing the light of Christ with everyone he meets. A former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church in 1995, Sean is grateful for his Baptist upbringing, but thrilled that God has led him home to the Catholic Church.

Sean is honest about his own sinfulness and conversion: “It scares me how I could be given so much by the Lord and still so easily sin against Him.” In 1995, he founded "Movin’ With the Spirit,” which proclaims God’s Word through retreats, music, talks, and prayer. Sean won “Best New Artist” at the 2001 United Catholic Music and Video Awards, and performed at the Christian Woodstock, “Inside Out Soul Festival," sharing the stage with P.O.D., Michael W. Smith, and Stephen Curtis Chapman. Sean’s motto is, “Be Catholic and live it big time!” Sean and his wife Julie, son Liam, and daughters Erin and Hannah, live in Columbia, Connecticut.

 

Tammy Evevard
Tammy spends whatever time she isn't using to shop for shoes to travel the country and share the amazing truth of how much our God loves us! Tammy has presented to countless audiences, large and small , and has been featured on television programs including, EWTN and CNN. Tammy is a dynamic, passionate speaker who captivates audiences with her enthusiastic style and story telling. She was recently a keynote speaker at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Tammy is currently vice president of Development for Life Teen; (lifeteen.com) and lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband, Mark, and their three children.

 

 

Kristen Harakal
 Kristen graduated from Franciscan University in 2001. She has spent the last few years on the beach sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the teens at St. Dominic's Parish in Panama City, FL. Kristen is trading her flip flops for hiking boots as she moves out west to go to school in Colorado this fall. She is excited to be serving with the Youth Conferences this summer, because it combines two of her passions: her love for Christ and her love for working with teens.

 

 

Jason Evert 
Jason earned a master's degree in Theology, and undergraduate degrees in Counseling and Theology, with a minor in Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is the author of the books If You Really Loved Me, Answering Jehovah's Witnesses, Love, Sex, and Babies, and Pure Love, which challenges young people to embrace the virtue of chastity. Jason speaks at seminars, participates in debates, and responds to thousands of questions about Catholicism from people around the world.

After giving chastity presentations solo for three years, Jason teamed up with Crystalina Padilla (25), who was trained as a chastity speaker by the Challenge Task Force on Chastity. They speak to over 100,000 teens each year in Catholic, Christian, and public high schools around the country. Both Jason and Crystalina are full-time apologists with Catholic Answers, the nation's largest lay-run apostolate for apologetics and evangelization.

After a year of speaking as an engaged couple, Jason and Crystalina married in June of 2003, and continue to share their inspirational testimonies with hundreds of thousands of teens and parents. In their highly popular chastity seminar, “Romance without Regret”, the duo provides compelling and uplifting reasons for embracing the virtue of chastity.

Together, Jason and Crystalina are on the Board of Advisors for the National Abstinence Clearinghouse, and are frequent guests on radio programs throughout the country. Their television appearances include Fox News, Donahue, BBC, WGN, and EWTN. Jason and Crystalina were given the 2003 Impact Award from the National Abstinence Clearinghouse in recognition of their success in working with teens.

 

Fr. Larry Richards
Fr. Larry is a gifted and captivating speaker, preacher, and retreat master, Fr. Larry Richards holds the answer to some of life's most profound questions. He speaks from experience as a pastor of an inner city parish, a high school chaplain, a counselor, and evangelist. Fr. Larry Richards has directed hundreds of retreats, parish missions and conferences for young and old alike. His inspirational talks and presentations, always authentic and enthusiastic, have changed the hearts, minds and lives of millions of listeners worldwide. Ordained to the priesthood on April 21, 1989 for the Diocese of Erie, Fr. Larry Richards has served as pastor of St. Joseph Church/Bread of Life Community in Erie since July 1, 2002. He continues the task of unifying two congregations into one community dedicated to Jesus through love, prayer and service. In addition, he is the Spiritual Director of the TEC (To Encounter Christ) Retreat Program for the Diocese of Erie.

 

 

Fr. John Amsberry
 Fr. John wanted to be wealthy and have a big family. God called Fr. John to be a priest and gave him a new definition of wealth and a big family. True wealth is having Christ, and the big family he now has is the some 7 billion people on planet earth. Fr. John loves being a priest and is sold out for Jesus. All across the land, he continues shoutin’ out with his life and words that Jesus embraces, loves, forgives, and saves sinners! That B Good News! Also, you need to know that he recently dunked on LeBron in a pick-up game. OK- that is not true, but that would be nice. You can reach Fr. John at www.uareloved.com.

 

 

John Beaulieu
John has served as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Outreach for Franciscan University for the past five years. He first responded to God’s call to minister to youth back in 1983 when he traveled with the National Evangelization Teams for two years. After graduating from Franciscan University in 1989 with a degree in counseling, John spent thirteen years ministering to youth at parishes in Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina. He has presented at local, diocesan, regional and national youth events including the NCYC and the NCCYM. In addition to youth, John ministers to parents and youth ministers through missions and retreats. John and his beautiful wife Lisa are blessed with four children: Andrew, Madeleine, Catherine, and JohnPaul.