OUR WRITERS
Meet the heart and soul of Mothering Spirit
→ Interested in joining us? Subscribe here to learn more about our work, including future opportunities to write for Mothering Spirit. We hope to open for submission in 2023, but till then, watch for our growing group of writers here!
VANESA ZULETA GOLDBERG
Vanesa has been working with young people in the Catholic Church for over 14 years. She received her Bachelors in Theology from Providence College and her Masters in Theology and Ministry from Boston College. She has worked as a Diocesan Director, Speaker, Worship leader, and Writer for several online and paper publications. She lives now in New York with her husband, their two dogs, and their newborn daughter, where she works as a Digital Communications Specialist. She is passionate about empowering young people, social justice, and living out the liberation message of the Gospel.
KAYLA CRAIG
Kayla Craig believes in the power of story. She writes nuanced and nurturing prayers for parents raising kids in turbulent times at Liturgies for Parents and is an experienced podcast producer.
She co-founded and hosts Upside Down Podcast, a place for ecumenical conversations on faith and justice. Her most recent published essays are in This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices (2019) and Rally: Litanies for Lovers of Jesus and Justice (2020).
Kayla and her husband Jonny live in Iowa, where they raise four young kids. She’s stubborn in hope and has a penchant for deep mugs of coffee, deeper laughs, and even deeper questions.
SARAH BAHIRAEI
Sarah hopped a plane to Turkey in 2014 with a one-way ticket in hand. She lives there with her husband, Afshin, and daughter, Esther. She writes about faith, immigration, and living in the in-between on her blog onefootonboth.com.
KIMBERLY IGLESIA
Kimberly Iglesia is a wife, mother, and student who resides in Brooklyn, New York. Through her writing she hopes to inspire the heart of every catholic and non-catholic to draw close to Jesus. She is a psychology major who one day hopes to offer counseling to all Christians struggling with mental health issues. She enjoys spending time in nature, drinking coffee, and encouraging others to wellness of mind, body, and soul.
KIRBY HOBERG
Kirby Hoberg mothers 4 young kids outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ponca of Oklahoma, working in acting, music, dance, and modeling. Her writing on parenting, Native, Catholicism is on Instagram @underthyroof. Arts on Instagram @kirbyhoberg. Twitter @kirbyhoberg.
RAKHI MCCORMICK
Rakhi McCormick is a first-generation Indian-American and convert from Hinduism who found her way into the Church and a career in ministry through a series of invitations, and more than a few leaps of faith – sometimes kicking and screaming. Having worked in a variety of ministries at the national, diocesan, and local level, Rakhi has discovered that her greatest passion is speaking light into darkness, wherever that might be found, and however the Holy Spirit leads. She has a heart for the underdog, the overlooked, and the broken. A devoted advocate for God’s mercy and justice, Rakhi uses these inspirations to shape her writing, speaking, and artwork. She is the owner of Rakstar Designs and currently resides in the Metro Detroit area with her husband and three children. When not playing wife, mother, or minister, you can find Rakhi singing, reading, scrolling Instagram, and making beautiful things (and messes) with coffee in hand.
RACHAEL STOWE
Rachael Stowe is a Catholic wife and mother of four. She is a lover of beauty, story, and simple living and has traveled the world with her family, often with a baby and backpack attached. After receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2020, Rachael felt called to write about seeing the face of God in the midst of a devastating illness. She writes especially for her young children, and shares some of her writing on her blog, www.whatifweflyblog.com.
RACHEL MARIE KANG
Rachel Marie Kang is a New York native, born and raised just outside New York City. She is a graduate of Nyack College (New York) with a degree in English with Creative Writing and Bible. She is founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art: The Pleasure and Purpose of Unleashing the Creativity within You. Rachel’s writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and (in)courage. She lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband and two children. Connect with her at rachelmariekang.com and on Instagram at @rachelmariekang.
JESS ROZGA-DEBONI
Jessica Rozga-DeBoni has spent the last 12 years supporting women as a doula and mentor, which builds on her decade of experience as a social worker in the fields of addiction and after-school education. Currently she seeks out the incongruous, gets excited easily, plants more flowers than food, and home educates her three kids. She lives as a joyful neighbor in Manistee, MI with her husband where she visits the shore of Lake Michigan daily.
GINA DADAGLO
Gina Dadaglo is a wife and mother, living near Paris, France with her husband and two small kids. She is a convert to Catholicism, and is driven by the desire to make space for a wider range of voices and experiences within the Church. If she could have coffee with someone in heaven she'd pick Dorothy Day, although she'd be a little intimidated.
STINA KIELSMEIER-COOK
Stina is a writer from Minneapolis where she raises kids, maxes out her library card, and is usually late for church. She is the author of Blessed Are the Nones: Mixed Faith Marriage and My Search for Spiritual Community, a spiritual memoir about interfaith marriage, monasticism, and deconversion. Connect with Stina at stinakc.com.
CAMERON BELLM
Cameron Bellm is a Seattle-based writer and contemplative in action. She combines her love of language with a deeply rooted spirituality to compose poems, prayers, essays, and devotionals linking our modern lives with our ancient faith. She is the author of the Spirit & Verse column at Jesuits.org and A Consoling Embrace: Prayers for a Time of Pandemic. You can find more of her writing on Instagram at @cameronbellm and on her website, cameronbellm.com.
KARIANNA FREY
Karianna Frey is a Catholic wife and mother, and an educator, author, and speaker, based out of Minnesota. Growing up Baptist, she developed a deep love for the Lord, which grew as she learned more about the Catholic Church and the gift of her Sacraments. She enjoys sharing about her journey into the Catholic Church, how our values help refine who we are, the power that prayer can have on your life, and how each and every person is created in the image and likeness of God with a specific role in His Church. She is the author of Serviam Non Serviam, The Virtuous Path, The 90-Day Morning Devotional, and The Catholic Devotional for First-Time Moms, all available on Amazon. She is the editor of We are Beloved: 30 days with Thea Bowman, and a contributing author of The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers, both available from Ave Maria Press. Connect with Karianna on Instagram at @kariannafrey or by visiting www.kariannafrey.com.
KIMBERLY KNOWLE-ZELLER
Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is a writer, pastor, wife, mother of two, and the co-author of The Beauty of Motherhood: Grace-Filled Devotions for the Early Years (Morehouse Publishing, March 2023). She lives with her family in Cole Camp, Missouri. When she’s not at the park with her children, walking around town, or tending to the garden, you can find her with a pen and paper. Or a good book and a cup of coffee. She believes in the power of words, unearthing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and encouraging others to follow their passions. Connect with her online at kimberlyknowlezeller.com, on Instagram (@kknowlezeller), or sign up for her monthly newsletter.
ALISSA MOLINA
Alissa Molina is a writer, publisher, speaker and founder of From Here Media, a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage the love of God, Neighbor and Self through print, online and in-person offerings. While her formal studies include a degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Education, she credits her vocation as a wife and mother, her decade of work in youth ministry, and her community advocacy as vitally important places of spiritual formation. Alissa has presented at DCYC, Theology on Tap, The Parable Retreat, and the FemCatholic Summit and has been featured on The Katie McGrady Show.
KATIE CASSADY
Katie Cassady is a wife and mom to three girls in Denver, CO. A beekeeper and avid gardener, she believes stewardship, Catholic Social Teaching, and the practice of Sabbath, hold untold potential for the Church and the world. She holds a Masters degree in Pastoral Ministry and published Sunday Fun as a tool to help families intentionally integrate the practice of Sabbath. She blogs at Blessed Is She and unexpectedhoney.
HOLLY FORSETH
Holly Forseth is a high school theology teacher and writer. She earned her B.S. from the University of Notre Dame and her Master of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. Holly has held many roles in life, but her favorite is loving people for who they are. She and her husband live in Arizona with their two teenage boys.
SARAH ROSE
Sarah Rose is a wife and mother living in Cleveland, OH. She loves Ignatian Spirituality and is passionate about faith, social justice, and the intersection of the two. She earned her B.A. from John Carroll University and her Master of Divinity from The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, listening to audiobooks, and finding God in all things.
LETICIA OCHOA ADAMS
Leticia Ochoa Adams, award-nominated author of Our Lady of Hot Messes: Getting Real with God in Dive Bars and Confessionals, is a woman who knows what it feels like to be burned out, destroyed, completely emptied; full of nothing but loss. After her son’s death by suicide, she found her way back to hope while still honoring her grief, attending to the business of living on and finding joy even in the midst of immense loss and ceaseless tragedy, both personal and global. Through pain, we can feel our way to a sacred space, an honesty, where God can meet us, and from there to a place of healing and compassion, both for ourselves and for the larger world.
JESSICA MATHISEN
Jessica Mathisen lives just outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and three kids (two through biology and one through adoption). She is a former elementary school teacher and a lover of people. Her passion is to communicate God's love to others through writing and relationships. Her most favorite things are hanging with her family, eating chips and salsa, and reading good books.
HOLLY FORSETH
Anna Bonnema is an open-armed Catholic and a lover of words and nature. Anna is a wife to a man with a contagious laugh and a mom to amazing young-adult triplets. Though she calls herself an introvert, she loves to gather around the table or the fire. Anna is a certified spiritual director and loves walking alongside women in all life stages. Anna published her first devotional last spring and it can be found HERE.
Fueled by tea, lattes, and dog snuggles, Anna loves small celebrations and glitter. Fill your favorite mug and join her on Instagram @annabonnema.
TASHA JUN
Tasha Jun is a melancholy dreamer, a biracial Korean American storyteller, wife to Matt, and mama to three little warriors: two wild boys and one little lady. As long as she can remember, she’s lived and stood in places where cultures collide. Writing has always been the way God has led her towards home and the hope of shalom. Tasha's first book is forthcoming in 2023, Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging. Find more of her writing on Instagram at at tashajun.com.
CLARISSA MOLL
Clarissa Moll is an award-winning writer who helps bereaved people find flourishing after loss. She is the author of the bestselling book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving after Loss, and her writing appears in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest, and more. She cohosts Christianity Today’s Surprised by Grief podcast, holds a master’s degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and is a frequent guest on podcasts and radio shows. Find her on Instagram at @mollclarissa or at clarissamoll.com.
JUSTINA KOPP
Justina Kopp lives in the Twin Cities, MN with her husband, Matthew, their quadruplet six year olds: Cora, Raphael, Theodore, and Benedict. She is a 2013 graduate of the University of St. Thomas - MN where she studied Catholic Studies and Biology. Currently, Justina is pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
LAURA JOHNSON
Laura Johnson is a pastor, mother, wife, friend, and writer, though not always in that order. An ordained United Methodist pastor serving the Raleigh, NC area, she loves inspiring people to connect with God in their everyday lives through her preaching, teaching, and writing. She cherishes time with her pastor husband and their two daughters, who regularly give her glimpses of the Kingdom of God. You can find her writing online at www.revlaurajohnson.com or on social media @revlaurajohnson.
META HERRICK CARLSON
Meta Herrick Carlson (she/her/hers) is a pastor and poet. Her ministry is rooted in a love for meaningful ritual, accessible language, and healthy communities. Meta laughs at her own jokes and packs extra snacks just in case. She and her husband Matt have three kids who are loud, sticky, and fiercely loved. For information about her books, visit www.metaherrickcarlson.com.
SHAUNA'H FUEGEN
Shauna’h Fuegen is a cradle Catholic, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) woman, wife, and working mother of three young boys. She guides Catholic women through making time and space for God, even in the busiest of seasons. You can find her at Fiat Sanctum writing about prayer routines, everyday holiness, and life as a Secular Franciscan. Follow along with Shauna’h on Instagram @fiatsanctum.
MARINA GROSS-HOY
Marina Gross-Hoy is a Museum Studies PhD candidate, writer, and mother based in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Marina's writing explores what looking at artwork can teach us about seeing the art of our ordinary lives. Her newsletter, The Museum Gaze, examines how observing life with the same attentive gaze we use in museums can open us up to wonder, compassion, and empowerment. You can find more at her website, marinagrosshoy.com or on Instagram at @marinagrosshoy.
MILLER VOIGT
Miller is a writer based in Asheville, NC where she lives with her high school sweetheart and their two kids. She began writing short-form essays and poetry after giving birth to her oldest child four years ago. Writing has connected her with others and helped her process motherhood, womanhood, and personhood. She loves reading, thrifting, and a good coral lipstick.
COLLEEN CONNELL MITCHELL
Colleen Connell Mitchell is the author of Who Does He Say You Are? and When We Were Eve. In addition to her work as a writer and speaker, she is a mom to five grown and nearly grown children and works as a social worker in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Colleen is a champion of the hearts of women and relentlessly seeks the divine spark in everyone she meets and everything she does.
AMBER HAINES
Amber C. Haines is a soulful writer and a blogger. Her first book, Wild in the Hollow: On Chasing Desire and Finding the Broken Way Home was published by Revell in 2015. Her second book, The Mother Letters: Sharing the Laughter, Joy, Struggles, And Hope, was co-curated with husband Seth Haines (Revell, 2016).
LAUREN NIZOL
Lauren Nizol dreamed of being a writer when her oldest (now thirteen) of three sons was a baby. After her return to teaching a year later, it took some time before she began to write again. Aside from being a wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend, Lauren is also a high school teacher and literacy interventionist, and an eighth grade catechist. For Lauren, writing always brings her clarity and presence. In the summers, she can be found outside with her family, preferably near water, blue skies and trees.
CLAIRE MCKEEVER-BURGETT
Claire K. McKeever-Burgett serves as an Assistant Theology Editor for The Other Journal and is the Director of Communications and Employee Relations for the Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center. Former host of the award-winning Academy Podcast, Claire is ordained clergy, leader of contemplative spirituality offerings, mother, certified birth and postpartum doula, yoga, dance, and martial arts instructor, partner, lover, volunteer basketball coach, and friend. Her first and forthcoming book with Chalice Press centers ten stories of women from the Gospels in their words, with their own names, interwoven with her personal story of growing up as a woman with a vision and a voice in a conservative, Southern Baptist, male-dominated world. Claire lives in Nashville, TN with her partner, Adam, and their two children, Wade and Liv.
SAMANTHA AGUINALDO-WETTERHOLM
Dr. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is married to her college sweetheart and lives on a little island in the San Francisco Bay with her four children. She is the current associate director of a dental community health clinic, enjoys hosting neighborhood happy hours, has a high competitive streak, and sometimes writes about the things that matter. She’s quick to poke fun at herself and enjoys a good small group cry session.
JENNI HO-HUAN
Jenni Ho-Huan is a city pastor leading small communities towards bountiful faith-filled living. Her favourite job of all time is being mom to her two children and one cat. She has written six books included When God Shapes a w.i.f.e and Simple Tips for Happy Kids. You can find her at www.toreally.live
ERIN STRYBIS
Erin Strybis is a Chicago-based writer, mama of two and coauthor of The Beauty of Motherhood: Grace-Filled Devotions for the Early Years. Her stories have appeared in The Washington Post, Coffee + Crumbs, Living Lutheran, The Everymom and elsewhere. She also writes Nourish, a monthly Substack to help you be kinder to yourself and others. When she's not chasing her kids or writing, Erin enjoys practicing yoga, singing at church or curling up with a good book. Connect with her on Instagram (@erinstrybis) and at erinstrybis.com, where you can subscribe to Nourish and order The Beauty of Motherhood.
STEPHANIE DUNCAN SMITH
Stephanie Duncan Smith is an executive editor at Baker Books, where she takes great joy in coaching and championing authors to bring the best out of their message. She’s worked in publishing for over 13 years, developing bestselling and award-winning writers, and personally pens SLANT LETTER, an email newsletter for writers looking to deepen their craft and tend to the soul of their work.
She received her masters in theology from Western Theology Seminary, where she was the two-time winner of the Frederick Buechner Excellence in Writing award. In all her work, she believes writing can be a profound practice of spiritual formation, and that the editorial process, at its best, is a pastoral process.
Stephanie lives with her husband, Zach, and their toddler daughter on the east coast. You can find her on Instagram at @stephduncansmith.
ASHLEY HOLSTON
Ashley Holston was born and raised in Northern Virginia, and she now resides in Maryland with her college sweetheart husband, as well as their 4 kids—2 boys, 2 girls, and a tiebreaker baby on the way! She is a homeschooling mama who, when not teaching or shuttling kids to activities, loves to read, write, spend time with family and friends, and participate in the life of her local church. You can follow Ashley’s musings on faith, motherhood, and everyday living on her blog, on the way home, as well as on her Instagram page, @ashleydholston.
ELIZABETH BERGET
Elizabeth Berget is a mama to three who has always done her best thinking while writing—from her angsty teenage journals until now. She’s lived in Africa and Asia but is really just a country mouse with a Minneapolis zip code. She primarily writes about the image of God as seen in motherhood, mining theological gems from the everyday trenches of diapers and dishes. She has been previously published on Coffee+Crumbs, The Joyful Life, and in other publications. Connect with her on Instagram (@elizabeth_a_berget) or at elizabethberget.substack.com, where you can subscribe to her Substack, Back of the Flock.
REBECCA SMYTH
Rebecca Smyth is a Northern Irish storyteller, wife and unlikely mum of three sons. After becoming a mother at eighteen, and at a time of feeling totally lost, she found her words. She says writing is now her way of seeing God in her life and she hopes that maybe, through her stories, you might see him in yours too. In this season she is happiest on a slow Saturday morning with coffee, copious amounts of pastries and snuggles with her boys. Oh, and a book. Always a book.
KELLY MANTOAN
Kelly Mantoan is the author of Better Than OK; Finding Joy As A Special Needs Parent, and the founder of Accepting the Gift, a national ministry for Catholic parents of children with disabilities. When she's not encouraging or advocating for special needs parents, she enjoys reading, thrift shopping, and occasionally blogging at This Ain't the Lyceum. Kelly is a happily married Catholic convert with five children who loves living near the Jersey shore.
HILARY YANCEY
Hilary Yancey is a writer, philosopher and bookshop manager living in Waco, Texas. In both her philosophical and personal writing, she explores questions of faith, suffering, disability, and embodiment. Her first book, Forgiving God: A Story of Faith was published in 2018 and chronicles her journey with her son’s pregnancy and early diagnosis with complex medical needs. When she isn’t writing, she is reading, helping readers find the next perfect book at Fabled Bookshop, and chasing her three children. You can find her writing on hilaryyancey.substack.com, and on Instagram at @hilaryyancey
HANNAH NAPIER ROSENBERG
Hannah Napier Rosenberg writes semi-to-very autobiographical poetry and prose and loves writing as a way to connect to others through shared experiences. She is particularly interested in using words to find magic in the ordinary. You can find her on Instagram @hannahrowrites, online at hannahrowrites.com and get in touch via email at hannah@hannahrowrites.com.
HEATHER FAASE
Heather Faase was raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A deep and spiritual soul, Heather attended College of St. Benedict in Minnesota where she received a Bachelors of Arts in Theology before attending St. John’s University where she was awarded a Masters in Systematic Theology. The Benedictine tradition of these universities instilled in Heather her focus on compassion, community, and hospitality.
In 2017, Heather left her professional career aside giving favor to her wonderlust and the desire to raise her three daughters as global citizens. Still called by the mountains, Heather and her family moved to Zug, Switzerland where her family grew with the birth of her son who later passed away in 2018. After living in Zug for four years Heather and family moved to Brussels, Belgium where she currently resides.
Heather cares deeply for humanity with a particular interest in building bridges between faiths and between communities. She is a loving mother, caring friend, contemplative Catholic, and community leader maintaining presence in circles across the globe.
ALESSANDRA HARRIS
Alessandra Harris is a writer, author, wife, and mother of four. She earned degrees in comparative religious studies and Middle East studies. Her fourth book, In the Shadow of Freedom: An Enduring Call for Racial Justice, is forthcoming from Orbis Books in spring 2024.
JENNIFER MAGNANO
Jennifer Magnano is a mother, writer and Ayurvedic postpartum (doula) specialist. Working for the betterment of mothering and caregiving bodies, she honors the wild, holy work of our Becoming as VP of a doula collective in Arizona, founder of a global collaborative called The Postpartum Institute, and author of the weekly-ish contemplative Substack publication Dear Soul Tender. With personal experience of the chaos and complexity to exist throughout the caregiving years, Jennifer’s ongoing work is that humanity knows peace. The kind that begins within and echoes throughout generations to come. You can find her work at jennifermagnano.com or on social media @thebarefootpreacher.
ANNE MARIE BRANNIGAN
Anne Marie Brannigan is an office worker by day and poet in all the other betweens. She graduated with a degree in English from Georgia Regents University (now Augusta University) in 2013. Her writings have been featured in Sandhills Literary Magazine, The Lamp Magazine, and Common Horizon. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia.
SARAH HOYOUNG KU
Sarah Hoyoung Ku is a mother of five based out of Silicon Valley. Connect with her on Instagram (@asiancatholicwoman) and subscribe to her Substack (asiancatholicwoman.substack.
KATHRYN WHITAKER
Kathryn Whitaker is the author of Live Big, Love Bigger, an award-winning book about living an intentional, hell yes, kind of life. She's a sixth-generation Texan who was raised as an evangelical Protestant and then converted to Catholicism on the eve of her wedding. On social media and her blog, Kathryn shares her honest take on family life and living the Gospel, all while drinking Dr Pepper and cheering on the Texas Aggies. She has appeared in USA Today, EWTN, radio and TV stations around the country and is a frequent guest/sometimes host on The Catholic Channel on SiriusXM. Kathryn and her husband, Scott, live with their six children in Austin, Texas.
RACHEL BARGA SIMPSON
Rachel Barga Simpson hails from small-town Ohio and currently lives in Nashville with her husband and three children. She is taking a break from pediatric speech-language pathology to raise her kids, keeping her mind and heart alive by writing in the meantime. She shares poetry on Instagram @fromtheredshed and essays at www.pardontheexpression.blogspot.com. If you’re a mother reading this (whether a mother in body or in spirit), she hopes you know how wonderfully remarkable you are.
SHANNON K EVANS
Shannon K. Evans is the spirituality and culture editor at the National Catholic Reporter and the author of the books Feminist Prayers for My Daughter: Powerful Petitions for Every Stage of Her Life and Rewilding Motherhood: Your Path to an Empowered Feminine Spirituality. With interest in ecofeminism, contemplative practice, and social change, Shannon leads workshops and retreats across the country that spark curiosity and compassion. She has partnered with the Jesuits of Canada and the U.S. and is a frequent contributor to Franciscan Media. Having previously lived in Indonesia for two years, Shannon loves to travel, but is happiest at home on the Iowa prairie with her family and beloved chickens.
MEGAN HOGG
Megan lives in North Carolina with her husband and two sons, one of whom came to them through foster care. She often writes completed tasks on her to-do list just so she can check them off. She believes some of God's greatest gifts are family, sunshine, and dark chocolate. You can find her writing sporadically on her Substack, A Continual Feast.
Our Founder
Laura Kelly Fanucci
Laura Kelly Fanucci is an author, speaker, and founder of Mothering Spirit, where she first started writing about parenting and spirituality in 2010. She earned her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her Master of Divinity from Saint John's School of Theology. Laura has authored seven books, including Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting and Grieving Together: A Couple's Journey through Miscarriage.
Laura’s work has been featured on the Hallow and Ritual apps, and in popular outlets including NPR’s Morning Edition, On Being, and the Kelly Clarkson Show. She writes frequently for online and print publications including Catholic News Service, Grotto Network, and Give Us This Day. She and her husband live in Minnesota with their children.