Leading Saints is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon) be better prepared to lead.
Here are 4 ways Leading Saints accomplishes the above mission statement:
1. Connect Latter-day Saint Leaders
2. Enhance Leadership Ability
3. Present Leadership Scholarship & Research
4. Celebrate Divine Guidance
Ryan Addams was an active duty Air Force Pilot for ten years before he started his current job as an airline pilot, and continued as a pilot in the Air Force Reserve until his retirement in 2018. He served in the Chile Santiago South mission and graduated from Brigham Young University in International Relations and Aerospace Studies. He has served as a branch president, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor, and is currently serving for the second time as a bishop. Ryan and his wife Kristina live in the Phoenix, Arizona area with their two sons. In this podcast, Kurt and Ryan discuss how Ryan leads as a bishop while traveling frequently as an airline pilot.
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This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in November 2018. Anthony Sweat is an Associate Professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University, and previously taught Seminary and Institute for 13 years. With an early interest in art he obtained a BFA from the University of Utah before pursuing religious education, earning an M.Ed in curriculum and instruction and a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction from Utah State University. His sustained interest and skill in art provides him an avenue of expression that he often blends into his teaching of religion, especially by painting previously-undepicted church history scenes. Dr. Sweat is the author of several books and a regular speaker at Latter-day Saint events and conferences. He and his wife Cindy are the parents of seven children.
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Keith Erekson is an award-winning author, teacher, and public historian who has published on topics including politics, hoaxes, Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, and Church history. He enjoys speaking at Latter-day Saint conferences and events, including BYU Education Week and RootsTech. Keith grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, served a mission in Brazil, and earned advanced degrees in history and business. For seven years he directed the Church History Library, overseeing expanded online research access and enriched public exhibits, and now works for the Church History Department in efforts to encourage outreach and historical engagement. In this podcast, Kurt and Keith dive into concepts in Keith’s book, Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Myths.
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In this solo episode, Kurt Francom discusses five reasons behind the development of negative culture within the church, and what we can each do to recognize it and take action to stimulate positive culture.
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Most of Vicki Clason’s life has been spent in the tiny town of Auberry, located in the foothills near Fresno, California. Vicki loves the natural beauty and close-knit community of her foothill home where she and her husband together raised five children. Her love of community inspired Vicki to run for the local school board where she served for five years before becoming employed as a high school teacher for the same district. She is now retired and spending more time with her 11 grandchildren (with another due soon). Vicki was serving as Relief Society president when the devastating 2020 Creek Fire altered her beloved community forever. A year later, Vicki continues to serve the Auberry Ward members they rebuild and recover to create some beauty where there once was ashes. In this podcast, Vicki shares her experience as a Relief Society president during a time when 97% of her ward had to be evacuated, giving tips and advice to prepare for such crises.
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"I remember standing on a hot, dusty hiking trail at girls camp when I was 14 years old and having the profound impression that I got to decide whether I was going to be miserable or not. It was so empowering." Many years later, as a certified life coach, Heather Rackham is the host of the Latter-day Life Coaches podcast and director of Latter-day Saint Life Coach Directory, ldslifecoaches.com. That 14 year old girl had no idea she would get to spend much of her life helping others found the coaches and tools to empower themselves in the same way: choosing who you want to be, on purpose. Heather has served as ward Relief Society president, stake Young Women president, Cub Scouts and achievement day leader, Primary teacher, nursery leader and various other callings, but her favorite calling has been the Primary music chorister.
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Brooke Hellewell Reynolds grew up in Laguna Niguel, California. She studied graphic design at Brigham Young University and moved to New York City a few days after graduation. Brooke spent 10 years in New York, art directing magazines at Martha Stewart, meeting her husband John in the Manhattan singles ward, and began working as a freelance designer after the birth of her first child. After a particularly dreary New York winter, she convinced her husband to move back to California where she has been working from home (in more ways than one) ever since. Brooke has served in stake Relief Society and Primary presidencies and currently serves as the Social Media Director in the Laguna Niguel, California stake. Though she cried when she was first called to work on social media (true story) she has since realized the great power of these inspired tools. She and her husband John have four children. In this podcast Brooke takes us through how she runs her stake’s social media pages and give us ideas on how to unify our own stakes, wards, and communities using social media.
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This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in April 2018. DeAnna Murphy serves as the Chief Development Officer at People Acuity, the premier career pathing and talent development company based in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area. An internationally-known keynote speaker, Top 100 Global Coaching Leader, and author, her experience leading organizational leadership efforts worldwide informs her advice for leadership and teaching in the Church. She was born in Provo, Utah, but grew up in Canada and met her husband at Ricks College. They are the parents of three children and live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she has served as a stake Relief Society president.
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Kevin Tolley has worked for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for over twenty years. He taught release-time seminary in Utah for ten years and has spent the remainder of his career teaching Institute in Southern California. He earned a BA degree from Brigham Young University in Near Eastern Studies with a minor in Hebrew, an MA degree from the University of Notre Dame in Theology, and a PhD degree in Hebrew Bible at Claremont School of Theology. After serving a full-time mission in the California, San Bernardino mission, Kevin met and married his wife RaShelle in the Toronto Canada Temple and they have five incredible children. He has served as an elders quorum president, in a bishopric, and is currently serving as a counselor in a stake presidency. In this interview, Kevin takes us through Church history and the calling of apostles and prophets.
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Jessica Johnson works in leadership development with the RBL Group. She holds an MBA from Brigham Young University and previously worked in management and marketing consulting, and in television sports.
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