In Person With Father Dave - Franciscan University Faith & Reason

2024 - 2025 | 1 Season

Actors and authors, astronauts and athletes. Join Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of Franciscan University of Steubenville, as he chats with Catholics from many walks of life about God’s unique call and the unexpected places following that call has taken them.

14. In Person with Montse Alvarado

In this lively, wide-ranging discussion, Father Dave and Montse Alvarado, the president and COO of EWTN News, talk about everything from where to find the best mole sauce to why the Sacrament of Confession is the best thing on the planet to why women don’t need to imitate men to give their unique gifts to the Church. They also dig into the issues of immigration, global news from a Catholic perspective, religious liberty, and so much more!

13. In Person with Mary Rice Hasson

Father Dave speaks with attorney and policy expert Mary Rice Hasson, the Kate O’Beirne Fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. A champion of parental rights, the dignity of women, and religious liberty, Mary gives insights into culture war court cases, why men and women aren’t competitors in a zero-sum game, how women shape culture, protecting your kids from the gender ideology agenda, and why her husband founded the Becket Fund. Listen and learn!

12. In Person with Kevin Stefanski

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Father Dave speak about all things faith, family, and football in this wide-ranging discussion. If you’ve ever wondered who Coach Stefanski’s favorite saint is, what football player he’d love to have coached, what coach he’d have liked to have played for, why he doesn’t pray for wins, or what he says to parents concerned about their kids’ safety on the field, you won’t want to miss this episode of In Person.

11. In Person with Heather Khym

Heather Khym and Father Dave sit down to chat about her ongoing story of salvation. From being consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus at 3 months old to her profoundly personal encounter with God at a Steubenville Youth Conference as a teen to inviting listeners into her rich discussions and relationships through her Abiding Together podcast, Heather shares the suffering and healings all along the way of ongoing conversion. She also talks about overcoming the lie that God was “unseeing, uncaring, and far away,” finding greater peace in place of anxiety and depression, the power of Scripture in the Christian life, and the realization that because God is in us, we are never truly alone.

10. In Person with Ryan Anderson

Dr. Ryan T. Anderson joins Father Dave at the Franciscan University Homeland Mission in Washington, D.C., to discuss the origins and consequences of the transgender movement (including why Amazon banned—then unbanned—Dr. Anderson’s book, When Harry Became Sally) and the real evil at the heart of this ideology. They also discuss the Person and Identity Project and the need to speak the truth about issues in a language today’s culture can understand. The two delved into the suffering of infertility, why IVF undermines the dignity of both the child and the marriage, and how better restorative reproductive medicine could help.

9. In Person with Nina Shea

Father Dave speaks with Nina Shea, a senior fellow and director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, who has spent 40 years working as a human rights lawyer to advance religious liberty. Their sobering conversation spans the globe as they touch on the persecution of Christians in the United States, Mexico, Iraq, Nigeria, China, and other countries; the paramount importance of freedom of speech in fighting attacks against religion; modern-day martyrs; and what we can do to shine light on those oppressed for their faith today.

8. In Person with Bishop Cozzens

On the morning after the election of Pope Leo XIV, Father Dave speaks with Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, sharing their first reactions to the news of this American-born pope, what his choice of the name “Leo” signifies, and Pope Leo’s initial words about carrying the cross. Bishop Cozzens also shares the story of his own vocation to the priesthood, life-long love for the Eucharist, and call to lead the National Eucharistic Revival and Congress, as he invites everyone to share the love of Christ with others daily.

7. In Person with Kevin Chilton

Father Dave chats with retired U.S. Air Force General Kevin P. Chilton about his witness as a Catholic U.S. Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut, and now as a Catholic business leader. General Chilton shares insights and stories on his passion for flight, leading by example, people who influenced his life, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, bringing the Eucharist to space, and more.

6. In Person with Arthur Brooks

Bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks joins Father Dave for a lively conversation about evangelization, how to disagree well, the mutual interlocking need people have for one another, and how to better love our enemies.

5. In Person with Katie Prejean McGrady

Wife, mom, author, radio show host and podcaster Katie Prejean McGrady talks about her faith and vocation journey in this humorous and inspiring interview with Father Dave. They share stories about 16-year-old Katie, crawfish boils vs. crawfish étouffée, Carlo Acutis, evangelizing, the National Eucharistic Congress, and being a Catholic wife and mom.

4. In Person with Leonard Leo

Leonard Leo speaks with Father Dave about how he lives out his faith as an advisor to U.S. Presidents, a defender of conservative judicial nominees, and a tireless promoter of many conservative causes and ventures.

3. In Person with Bishop Caggiano

Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, talks to Father Dave about growing up Italian Catholic in Brooklyn, loving our enemies, remodeling projects (he’s a DIYer), unique evangelization opportunities, the Sacrament of Confirmation, and his prayer for greater unity in the Church.

2. In Person with Matt Birk

Super Bowl champion-turned-entrepreneur Matt Birk discusses the Catholic faith, football, family, adoption, Catholic education, and other highlights of his life story with Father Dave.

1. In Person with Jonathan Roumie

Jonathan Roumie chats with Father Dave about how he lives the faith through his artistic talents, what playing Jesus has taught him about prayer and the Eucharist, how he deals with fame, the movie character he’d most like to play, and more.

Montse Alvarado

Montse Alvarado serves as the president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, Inc. Previously the founding host of EWTN News in Depth, she now oversees global news media platforms that create content in many languages with holdings that include Catholic News Agency, the National Catholic Register, ChurchPop, and a lineup of television and radio news programming. Before joining EWTN, Montse spent 14 years at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty where she was named COO and executive director in February 2017. Her tenure at Becket oversaw 12 Supreme Court religious liberty victories including those protecting the Little Sisters of the Poor, the rights of religious groups to choose their leaders, and civil rights of Jewish schools and synagogues. Born in Mexico City, Montse has a master’s from George Washington University and bachelor’s from Florida International University. She has been published in major news outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal and serves on boards for the Patients’ Rights Action Fund, the GIVEN Institute, the Acton Institute, and Benedictine College among others.

Mary Rice Hasson

Mary Rice Hasson, JD, is The Kate O’Beirne Fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where she cofounded and directs the Person and Identity Project, which equips parents and faith-based institutions to promote the truth about the human person and counter gender ideology. A policy expert, Mary keynoted three times for the Holy See during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and now serves as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth and the Committee on Religious Liberty. She is the co-author of several books on education and writes frequently for national media and academic publications. Mary is also a visiting fellow at the Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life at Franciscan University of Steubenville and cofounder of the Catholic Women’s Forum. Married to Seamus Hasson, a founder of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, they have seven adult children and seven grandchildren. Mary was featured on the episode In Person with Mary Rice Hasson.

Kevin Stefanski

Kevin Stefanski became the 18th full-time head coach in Cleveland Browns history in 2020. Since then, he has led the Browns to two postseason appearances and two 11-win seasons. He has won the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award twice. As a player, he served as team captain his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. In 2024, Kevin and his family launched the Keepers Foundation, which focuses on serving underprivileged children in Northeast Ohio. Kevin and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter and two sons. Kevin was interview for In Person with Kevin Stefanski on Faith and Reason.

Heather Khym

Special Guest

Heather Khym is the cohost of the internationally acclaimed Abiding Together podcast and serves as the Assistant Director of Evangelization at Franciscan University. She is the author of Abide: A Pathway to Transformative Healing and Intimacy in Jesus and the award-winning Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation. Along with her husband, Jake, she cofounded Life Restoration Ministries, where she serves as Director of Vision and Ministry. She is also the co-executive Director of the Celtic Cross Foundation, where she passionately advocates for the underprivileged. With over 25 years of experience as a speaker and retreat leader, Heather has led conferences and workshops across North America. She studied theology and catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville and brings a deep passion for evangelization, discipleship, and creating environments for transformative encounters with God. Heather lives in Steubenville, Ohio, with her husband and their three young adult children. Heather has been featured on many of our Faith and Reason programs, including In Person with Heather Khym, "Healed and Transformed" on Franciscan University Presents, and this episode of Legends From the Hill.

Dr. Ryan T. Anderson

Ryan Anderson, PhD, a longtime friend of Franciscan University and former visiting fellow at Franciscan’s Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life, leads the Ethics and Public Policy Center as its president. He has written or co-authored five books, including Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing and When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment. He holds a doctorate in political philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and his research has been cited by two U.S. Supreme Court justices in two Supreme Court cases. Anderson and his wife have five young children. Dr. Ryan Anderson has been featured on the In Person episode In Person with Ryan Anderson.

Nina Shea

Nina Shea, a human rights lawyer for 40 years, is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute. She works extensively for the advancement of individual religious freedom and other human rights in U.S. foreign policy as it confronts an ascendant Islamic extremism and other authoritarian regimes. She advocates in defense of those persecuted for their religious beliefs and identities and on behalf of diplomatic measures to end religious repression and violence abroad, whether from state actors or extremist groups. Nina Shea has been featured on the In Person episode In Person with Nina Shea.

Bishop Cozzens

Bishop Andrew Cozzens became the bishop of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, in 2021. As chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, he leads the National Eucharistic Revival, whose 2024 National Eucharistic Congress drew 60,000 participants. He serves as chair of the board for NET Ministries, St. Paul’s Outreach, the Institute for Priestly Formation, and the Seminary Formation Council and is a member of Franciscan University’s Episcopal Advisory Board. Bishop Cozzens has also ministered at the University’s Steubenville Youth Conferences and Adult Conferences. Bishop Andrew Cozzens has been featured in both the Franciscan University Presents episode The Gift of the Eucharist and the In Person episode In Person with Bishop Cozzens.

Kevin Chilton

Now president of Chilton & Associates, LLC, General Kevin Chilton retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011 as commander of the U.S. Strategic Command. During his 34-year career in the Air Force and NASA, he served as a fighter pilot, astronaut aboard three space shuttle missions, and assistant vice chief of Staff of the Air Force among other roles. He and his wife, retired General Catherine A. Chilton, have four children. They both serve on the Franciscan University Leadership Institute Advisory Board. Kevin Chilton has been featured in the In Person episode In Person with Kevin Chilton.

Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a popular columnist at The Atlantic, and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, coauthored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. Arthur Brooks has been featured on the In Person episode In Person with Arthur Brooks.

Katie Prejean McGrady

Katie Prejean McGrady is a wife, mom, host of three podcasts, and daily radio show host of The Katie McGrady Show on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM 129. Katie has spoken at many of Franciscan University’s Steubenville Conferences for teens and adults, the National Eucharistic Congress, and events around the world. She writes regularly for national Catholic publications and is the author of four books. She makes her home in Louisiana with her husband and daughters. Katie Prejean McGrady has been featured on the In Person episode In Person with Katie Prejean McGrady.

Leonard Leo

Leonard A. Leo is the chairman of CRC advisors and chairman and trustee of Marble Freedom Trust. He also serves as the co-chairman of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, for which he received the 2009 Bradley Prize for advancing freedom and the rule of law. Also chairman of the Teneo Network, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Leonard Leo has been featured on the episode In Person with Leonard Leo.

Bishop Caggiano

Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is a noted catechist who serves on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and its Subcommittee on the Catechism. He’s also a member of Franciscan University’s Episcopal Advisory Board and received an honorary degree from Franciscan in 2024. Under his leadership, Bridgeport launched a diocesan-wide synod for renewal and pastoral planning, a leadership institute, guilds for health care workers and professionals, and other initiatives to revitalize liturgical life and engage youth. Bishop Frank Caggiano has been featured in both the Franciscan University Presents episode Evangelizing Catechesis and the In Person episode In Person with Bishop Caggiano.

Matt Birk

Super Bowl champion Matt Birk played football for Harvard University then for the Minnesota Vikings, where he was named Man of the Year six times and selected six times for the NFL Pro Bowl. He joined the Baltimore Ravens where he was part of the team to win Super Bowl XLVII. Author of All-Pro Wisdom: The 7 Choices That Lead to Greatness, Matt now speaks professionally about leadership and teamwork. Matt Birk has been featured in the In Person episode In Person with Matt Birk.

Jonathan Roumie

Actor, producer, director, and voice-over artist Jonathan Roumie was born and raised in New York City and graduated from The School of Visual Arts with a degree in filmmaking. He is best-known for his award-winning role as Jesus in The Chosen, the critically-acclaimed, streaming TV series about the life of Christ. Jonathan also serves as lead narrator and strategic advisor for the Hallow app. Jonathon Roumie has been featured on the In Person series, in the episode titled "In Person with Jonathon Roumie".

Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR ’89

Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, became president of Franciscan University of Steubenville on May 21, 2019. The well-known Catholic speaker and author graduated from Franciscan University with his BA in theology in 1989, then earned an MDiv, MA in theology, doctorate in education, and executive juris doctorate. A solemnly professed member of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Province of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance, Father Pivonka was ordained to the priesthood in 1996. Father Pivonka held leadership positions at Franciscan University from 1996-2008 including as vice president for Mission and Planning. For his province, he directed Post-Novitiate Formation (2008-2012) and Franciscan Pathways ministry (2012-2019). He has hosted multiple video series including The Wild Goose on the Holy Spirit, Sign of Contradiction on St. Francis of Assisi, Metanoia on conversion, and in 2024, 10th Hour Production’s My father’s Father on God the Father. He has written seven books, including Living Metanoia: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in Christ (OSV, 2021) and his most recent, Joyful Sons and Daughters: Embracing the Father’s Love (Word Among Us, 2024). Father Pivonka also hosts Franciscan University Presents on EWTN and the In Person, In Focus, and the My father's Father series on Faith and Reason.