Advisory Council
Monty Wright is the Founder and President of BIOS and teaches a variety of BIOS classes. He received his B.A. from Trinity College, his M.Th. from Trinity Theological Seminary, and is currently a Ph.D candidate in Apologetics. He is ordained through the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Monty has a passion for equipping the next generation of leaders, from church planters to missionaries. He has pastored in three church plants, launched a global non-profit organization, developed a successful leadership program in use in churches in the U.S., as well as spoken all over the world. Currently, Monty serves as the Lead Pastor at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance and Executive Director/Founder of Planet Changer, a 501c3. He is also the chair of the BIOS Curriculum Development Team. He is happiest when engaged in a spiritual conversation while enjoying a great cup of coffee in any one of Seattle’s incredible coffee houses.
Susan received a B.A. in Political Economics from the University of Washington and specializes in creating organizational culture and team building—not just forming a group of people, but evaluating, placing and coaching individuals in positions for which they are intrinsically wired to perform well. Susan has honed these skills over the last 25 years as co-owner of a marketing company and as Director of Operations of a management company. She was trained and certified as a Speaker and Personality Communication Trainer in 2006 by Florence Littauer, author of the international bestselling book “Wired That Way.” Teaching these communication concepts to groups and individuals has become one of the most rewarding parts of her career.
Dr. Orton has received Masters’s degrees from both Western Seminary and Bethel Seminary, completed the residency for a Ph.D. at Dallas Theological Seminary, and received his Doctorate from George Fox University. Dr. Orton has been involved in education and ministry for over forty years and is the Headmaster of Summit Classical Christian School in Fall City.
Mark grew up in Southeast Alaska. His family lived in the little town of Craig and in the big city of Juneau, with the wild Alaskan backcountry as his backyard. Growing up Mark spent a lot of time outside fishing, camping, hiking, boating, kayaking, and cycling. After he graduated from Juneau Douglas High School he left home for the “lower 48.” Mark enrolled as a student at Pacific Lutheran University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Physics with a minor in Recreation. When he graduated from PLU, Mark had the intention to pursue further studies in physics and eventually seek a career in the field. Despite his best plans and ideas, he felt this strange call to ministry. His adventure took him to Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Mark has been the pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Bellevue, since 2016.
Kristin is the Associate Pastor at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church. After a highly successful career in sales and marketing, she was surprised by a call to vocational ministry in her early forties. Kristin serves as the Small Groups and Life Development Pastor for the church and is Women’s Pastor to over 400 women in the Snoqualmie Valley. Kristin has a B.A. in English Education with a background in Religions Studies. She is a Certified Precepts Ministries Teacher and is a graduate of the The Allender Center Lay Counseling Program. In her eleven years at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance, Kristin has coordinated hundreds of small groups, taught countless Bible studies, spoken at women’s retreats, planned events, and inspired many in their call to follow Jesus in ministry and in life. Kristin has a passion to see others step into an awareness of their own Story and the way that God has spoken into it, as well as coming to know Who God is. She is also the Chair of the BIOS Ministry Practicum Team.
Faculty & Staff
The Rev. Dr. Wesley C. Telyea is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and has served congregations in El Sobrante, CA, Berkeley, CA, Bellevue, WA, and Issaquah, WA. Dr. Telyea has taught and lectured on a number of topics including systematic theology, the history of Christian thought, and worship. He is also the author of “Your Theological Last Will and Testament”, and has been featured in publications such as Lutheran Forum, Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology, The Lutheran, L Magazine: Empowering ELCA Leaders for Vital Ministry, Currents in Theology and Mission, Sundays and Seasons Preaching, and Year B, 2015 and 2018 by Augsburg Fortress. His current academic research is focused on three main areas: Bowen Theory, Ecclesiology, and Leadership Development. His passion is to help people and organizations find clarity, confidence, and commitment to live out their vocational calls from God.
Dan is a long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest. Having grown up in Portland, OR, he now lives in the Snoqualmie, WA area with his wife, Melissa, and three children, Sabrina, Eva, and Ethan. Dan graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting & Finance from Seattle Pacific University and holds a Masters of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has worked in the finance industry since graduating from SPU in 2005 and has also served as both a Youth Pastor and Interim Senior Pastor in Issaquah, WA. Dan currently works as an Internal Audit Manager at a Seattle area Financial Services organization and teaches Theology, Biblical Studies, and Discipleship at BIOS. Outside of work and school, you might find Dan in his garage gym, at home roasting coffee, dodging legos, or watching princess movies and West Wing reruns.
Jon, his wife Sara, and son Noah, currently pastor Life Community Church in Snoqualmie, Washington. Working with other local pastors, Jon sees a vision of God on mission and at work in Snoqualmie, in Washington, and beyond. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, Jon constantly sees a vision for inter-denominational cooperation, local church partnerships, and innovation to bring about the Kingdom of God.
Feeling a call to ministry from an early age, Jon pursued ministry whole-heartedly. Jon received his B.A. in Philosophy & Religion and Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry and his M.A. in Missional Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University located in Nampa, Idaho. He has been on a journey to understand what ministry looks like centered around mission.
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