Episodes

Dan Duckworth speaks, teaches, and writes on leadership, power, and systemic change. His forthcoming book, The Leader in Chains (spring 2026), challenges conventional ideas and calls for a radical rethinking of leadership—and how it is developed. You can read his Zion Leadership essays at danduckworth.substack.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. Links LeadingSaints.org/Zion DanDuckworth.Substack.com Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Highlights In this episode, Dan...

Angela Sturgeon has served in a variety of callings, including Sunday School teacher, Young Women first counselor, Relief Society counselor and secretary, Relief Society president, Primary Activity Days leader, and in Scouts. She most recently served as the stake Primary secretary and now as stake Primary president. Angela earned an associate’s degree in History and Political Science from Orange Coast College and after many years of balancing work, family, and part-time study, will be graduatin...

Kurt Francom reads this Brigham Young University devotional given by Elder Boyd K. Packer in 1996. Listen to the podcast episode about this devotional and its influence on leadership culture in the Church. Links Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Highlights 00:02:00 – The Importance of Teaching Basics 00:03:30 – The Foundation of Knowledge and Testimony 00:05:00 – Understanding the Unwritten Order of Things 00:06:30 – The Role of the Presiding Officer in Meeting...

Kurt Francom, Executive Director of Leading Saints, shares his thoughts on the unwritten order of things—a term popularized by Elder Boyd K. Packer in a BYU devotional in October 1996. This phrase has influenced leadership culture in the Church, often being used as a trump card to justify certain practices or norms that are not explicitly documented in church handbooks. Listen to a reading of the original devotional. Links Is Aspiring Wrong? Church Doctrine, Policy, & Leadership | An Intervie...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in September 2021. Michael A. Goodman has worked for the Church Educational System since 1989 and was the manager of CES College Curriculum before joining the Brigham Young University Church History and Doctrine department in 2007. He is a professor of Religious Education and serves as the RSC’s Associate Publications Director and the Editor of the Religious Educator journal. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with Public Relations, ...

Jeff Strong worked nearly 30 years in the consumer products industry as a senior executive at Procter & Gamble and global president and chief customer officer at Johnson & Johnson. He then taught in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University and worked as an advisor to the Church before serving as a mission leader in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission. Jeff has since spent several years doing research on why people are leaving the Church. While not a professional researcher, his c...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in March 2020. John Bytheway has a master’s degree in Religious Education and is a popular speaker, author of more than two dozen books and CDs, and the co-host of the world-renowned Follow Him podcast with Hank Smith. He has taught the Book of Mormon at Brigham Young University and at the BYU Salt Lake Center. John served as bishop of the Salt Lake Winder 10th Ward, and currently serves as a member of the Young Men General Advisory Council. Lin...

Patrick Sedivy is the Founder and CEO of Cumorah Academy, a non-profit private school dedicated to empowering individuals to follow Jesus Christ and positively impact their lives, careers, and communities. His commitment to service and leadership is rooted in his faith and family background—his parents defected from communist Czechoslovakia in 1969 in search of religious freedom, and he later served as a missionary in the Czech Republic. Patrick and his wife, Allyse, share a passion for inspirin...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in March 2018. Adam McHugh is an author, former hospice chaplain, spiritual director, and minister, and now a wine tour guide and sommelier. The author of Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture, he is an ordained Presbyterian minister, having earned a Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology in Greek New Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also the author of The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiv...

Scott Rasband worked 15 years in medical device sales and leadership before transitioning to Chick-fil-A, and has spent the last 10 years operating the Chick-fil-A in Spanish Fork, Utah. In the Church, Scott has served as a Young Men president, elders quorum president, bishopric counselor, and bishop. He is the father of five and currently serves as the bishop of a Young Single Adult ward. Links Read the transcript of this podcast Highlights Scott Rasband wears two significant hats: he is bot...

Listen to the original interview. Brenda Angle is an author and a certified faith-based life coach and speaker who has also trained and certified 200 other faith-based life coaches. She has served as president of United Families for Arizona and as an NGO lobbyist at the United Nations. In her humanitarian work, she has served as vice president of Hearts and Hands for Humanity, vice president director of philanthropy for Legacy Giving Fund, and has traveled to Tanzania, Africa for eight years. At...

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 Elevated Leader, and Becoming Better. He is also a leadership professor at the College of Business and Economics at California State University-Fullerton. Links RyanGottfredson.com Personal mindset assessment Ve...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in August 2021. Jenny Reeder is a historian and writer, currently the nineteenth-century women’s history specialist at the Church History Department in the publications division, and was one of the first historians hired to specialize in women’s history. She holds a PhD in American history from George Mason University, specializing in women’s history, religious history, memory, and material culture. She also holds degrees from Brigham Young Unive...

Bill Luker served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was part of one of the first graduating classes in Computer Science from the University of Utah. He worked as a computer engineer/programmer for Sperry UNIVAC, Evans & Sutherland, and The Church. Bill has played the piano since age six and the organ since age 13, studying with two Tabernacle organists. He currently serves as a stake patriarch and assists the Tabernacle organists. He has previously served as a missionary in Ireland, a teacher, ward a...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in June 2021. Mike Houghtaling was raised in Bellevue, Washington, and Raleigh, North Carolina, and served in the Argentina Cordoba Mission. He and his family have lived in Georgia for over 30 years. Since entering recovery, he served as a bishop’s counselor, a high councilor, and at the time of this recording was serving as the bishop of the Fayetteville Georgia YSA Ward. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 37 years, most of th...

Brandon Doman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and graduated from Skyline High School. He was quarterback for Brigham Young University Football and then for the San Francisco 49ers. Brandon has since been BYU Football’s quarterbacks coach and currently offensive coordinator. He is also president and co-owner of Leap Innovations, developing and manufacturing trailer hitches, precast decorative concrete landscape products, outdoor basketball hoops, pickleball nets, and outdoor lighting. Brandon i...

Calvin Griffin was born in Northern Mississippi, where he grew up and attended high school and college. After graduation he became a franchisee of a successful national pizza chain in New Orleans, and also became engaged to Avemaria Champagne. President and Sister Griffin joined The Church one month apart from each other and have been faithful members for 37 years. They were both professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, and President Griffin worked as a senior category manager for a nationa...

Jennifer Rockwood is the first and only head coach for the Brigham Young University women’s soccer team, a position she has held since 1989 after graduating from BYU. Her teams have over 450 wins and made the NCAA tournament 25 times in 31 years. She talks about her career path and the leadership principles she has relied upon in leading young adult women athletes. This podcast was recorded with a live audience on the 2025 BYU Cruise. Links Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab c...

Amy Jo Schenewark holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Development and Training from Brigham Young University. She works as a 911 dispatcher and training officer. Amy has served as a ward Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary president, as a Seminary teacher, nursery leader, activity director, and counselor in stake Primary and Relief Society presidencies. She currently serves as a stake Relief Society president. Links Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Hi...

Rick Reynolds is one of America’s foremost authorities helping individuals and couples struggling with affairs and compulsive sexual behaviors, with over 30 years of experience and insight. He holds a master’s degree in Social Work and is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Rick’s company, Affair Recovery, offers anonymous online group support worldwide for those impacted by infidelity. Rick has authored numerous guides, curricula, and papers detailin...

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in April 2020. 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 Leadership Through Vertical Development....

Braeden Jensen is a Mental Health Counselor and previously worked as a full-time Seminary teacher. Spending seven years in a high school classroom opened his eyes to a number of things. It changed his ability to listen and sharpened his aptitude for empathy. The more he sat with and listened to students, the more he saw and felt how many people are hurting in very real ways. At the same time, Braeden considered how therapy had helped him find hope and healing. The puzzle pieces quickly came tog...

Kristy Wheelwright Taylor serves as the board secretary for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation and helps with transcription and writing on the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project. Her book, Prepare Me for Thy Use: Lessons from Wilford Woodruff’s Mission Years, will be published on May 12 by Deseret Book and BYU’s Religious Studies Center. Kristy has a masters degree in Humanities from Brigham Young University and has worked as an English Instructor at Purdue University, a copy editor, technical ...

Brian J. Willoughby, Ph.D. is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University and a research fellow at The Wheatley Institute. He received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from BYU and masters and doctoral degrees in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota. Brian’s research generally focuses on how adolescents, young adults, and adults move toward and form long-term committed relationships, and has been widely cited in the media. He is also the author of The ...