Alumni Updates

Alumni Updates

1950s

Doris (Erickson ’51) Sturtz reports she is 91 years old and doing well. She still hears from Thelma Tate Cook and Wilma Larson Stroh. She spent most of her adult years in Alaska and now lives in Arizona, and says dealing with the heat is worth it to be closer to family.

1960s

Judy (Allender ’62) Leiviska is living in Indiana. She and Ralph ’63, who passed away in June, taught English as a Second Language for over 20 years and were involved in different ministries at Lakeview Church in Indianapolis.

1970s

Randell Turner '78

Randell Turner ’78, Ph.D., is an author, counselor, and a pioneer in the men’s and fatherhood movement. He has authored resources for the National Center for Fathering, National Fatherhood Initiative, Prison Fellowship, and Fatherhood.gov. He created Rescuing the Rogue, designed to equip men in forging intimate relationships to last a lifetime. He lives in Wisconsin and has two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Randy Royston ’79 celebrated 42 years as a licensed, ordained bishop with the last 26 years as the Senior Lead Pastor of New Hope Community Church Charlotte, MI. He recently authored a book (see p. 25). He’s worked with Michigan Right to Life as a Development Coordinator for 27 years, helping to raise over $13 million for the pro-life cause. Randy is married to Michele (48 years) with three children and eight grandchildren.

1980s

Steve Nickel '81

Steve Nickel ’81 transitioned out of 38 years of pastoral ministry in November 2019 to start BEST Life Ministry, committed to helping churches and their leaders Be Energetically and Strategically Transformed. He partners with church leadership to help develop effective disciple-making blueprints and cultivate disciple-reproducing cultures.

Chris '87 and Connie (Clover '84) Castilleja

Chris ’87 and Connie (Clover ’84) Castilleja are teachers at the ASK Academy. They met in Chorale at North Central and are living in Albuquerque, NM.

Dan Johnson ’89 was licensed as an AG pastor and pastored in Minnesota churches. He earned his master’s degree and has served as a chaplain at Mayo Clinic for nearly 20 years.

1990s

Jon '91 and Jennifer (Tims '94) Dahlager

Jon ’91 and Jennifer (Tims ’94) Dahlager serve as AGWM missionaries in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Krista (Textrum ’91) Herrera lives in Brighton, MI, where her husband, Chip, is Executive Pastor and she is the Groups and Connections Coordinator at Community Bible Church.

Heidi (Carcamo ’96) Paredes moved to Chicago 21 years ago as a Master’s Commission student under the umbrella of New Life Covenant Church. She later served as a missions coordinator and administrative assistant. She currently works for the Chicago Public Schools as a Special Education Classroom Assistant.

Jeremy Gates '98

Jeremy Gates ’98 was married to Melinda on April 25, 2021. They are living in Rosemount, MN.

Gregory Woodard '99

Gregory Woodard ’99, D.Min., serves as the Supervisory Command Chaplain of Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, NC. He completed a Doctor of Ministry in Ministry Leadership Coaching from Regent University School of Divinity. His dissertation topic was “A Faith- Based Curriculum for Increasing Emotional Awareness and Providing Pathways to Soul Care for Christian Navy Chaplains in Arduous Duty Assignments.”

2000s

Sarah Peterson-Lee '01

Sarah Peterson-Lee ’01 received her master’s degree in political studies from Regent University. She is currently involved in worldview training with the Colson Center in Colorado and is the homeschool mom of six beautiful boys.

Chris '01 and Hannah (Ramser '03) Bechtel

Chris ’01 and Hannah (Ramser ’03) Bechtel moved to South Jordan, UT (during COVID) to plant a church.

McKinley (Mac) '03 and Jenn (Pessin '01) Dwyer

McKinley (Mac) ’03 and Jenn (Pessin ’01) Dwyer moved to Cape Coral, FL, in 2019. Mac serves at Cape Christian Church as Executive Pastor and Executive Director of the newly launched Cape Christian Leadership College. Jenn serves as the Assistant Music Director.

Allie (Kamrud '04) Hewitt

Allie (Kamrud ’04) Hewitt lives in Carver, MN, and works as the inhouse substitute teacher at a highperforming charter school, Cologne Academy. She and her husband, Mitch, have two children.

Brooke (Lane ’06) Altschul and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their second daughter, Grace Brooklyn, on March 23, 2021.

Jon ’06 and Marissa (Baker ’06) Paulsen are fulfilling a lifelong dream, serving as AGWM missionaries in Burundi, Africa.

2010s

Brittany (Terrien ’11) Davies received her master’s degree in social work and has LICSW credentials in Minnesota. She works at Fraser as the program manager for school-based services at Edina Public Schools. She and her husband, Jesse Davies ’09, have an 11-month-old daughter.

Charity Parker

Charity (Lovato ’11) Parker and her husband, Caleb, welcomed their first child, Annora Grace, this summer. Charity works full time as a dispatcher for a local Police Department, where her husband is a patrol officer and assistant range master.

Lonni (Pechacek ’12) Elliott lives in Arkansas with her husband, Cody, and three sons, on campus, at the only AG children’s home and family services agency in the country. She supervises a program called SafeCare, serving young families in the communities to help keep their children from entering the foster care system. They welcomed their third son on April 5, 2021.

Jeremy ’11 and Chelsea (Olson ’14) Matvey welcomed their third child, Elijah Adam, on Feb. 4, 2021. He joins Esther and Ila.

Tim Puch

Tim Puch ’15 is working at The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist. He works with high-school-aged blind or visually impaired students, teaching independent travel and living skills. He also works with vision- and hearingimpaired students, and he is the cosponsor of the school ski club.

Ravin (Scott ’16) Bhoir served as a youth programming manager of Teen Thrive in Minneapolis. She is married and currently stays home with her infant daughter.

Amber Hagemeister ’16 was in Central Asia learning the native language before she returned to the U.S. in June to begin support-raising for the long term. She hopes to be back in Central Asia in 2022 and continue to learn the language, live with a local family, and eventually establish a preschool and woman’s community center in the region.

Ashley (Reed '16) Morrison

Ashley (Reed ’16) Morrison and her husband, Phillip, welcomed Trinity J’Ann on June 6, 2021.

Amanda (Whitcomb ’18) Bogaczyk transitioned out of full-time church ministry and into an administrative support role with the College of Fine Arts at NCU. She married Josh Bogaczyk in December 2020, and they welcomed their first baby, Eleanor, on Oct. 18.

Andrew Greaves '18

Andrew Greaves ’18 received his Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary in September 2021. He is completing his second unit of CPE at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Danelle Pageler '18

Danelle Pageler ’18 moved to Spain in May and is a missionary associate with AGWM, serving immigrants and refugees in Madrid.

2020s

Noah Newbauer ’20 is serving as Communications Director at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville, MN.

Candace (Smith ’21) Ball moved to North Dallas in June, taking advantage of home-schooling and remote work to make the move.

Olusola Eniolawun '21

Olusola Eniolawun ’21 is serving as clergy at Covenant Life Baptist Church in Benin, EDO, Nigeria.

In Memory

North Central University extends condolences to the families of these NCU community members who have passed away.

Mavis “Ileane” (Crawford) Hendrick ’46, of Longview, WA, on June 19, 2021

Ralph Leiviska ’63, of Indianapolis, IN, on June 12, 2020

Daniel Peters ’73, of Surprise, AZ, on Aug. 28, 2021

Charles “Mike” Borden ’74, of Brownsburg, IN, on Jan. 7, 2021

Charles Chivers ’75, of Waupaca, WI, on Sept. 9, 2021

James Peters ’78, of Orlando, FL, on Sept. 20, 2021

Gary Wileman ’85, of Aberdeen, SD on Sept. 24, 2021

Jason Spinks ’99, of Worthington, OH, on Aug. 18, 2021