This Week's Guests

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Stefanie Zaenker
Strategic Director, The LIBRE Initative

Stefanie Zaenker is the Strategic Director of the LIBRE Initiative Georgia, a non-partisan non-profit organization focused on empowering the Latino community to achieve their American Dream. She was raised in Charlottesville, Virginia by a Guatemalan mother and German father, both immigrants, so she is first generation American and speaks both Spanish and German. After graduating from the College of William and Mary in Virginia she spent 16 years in the Washington DC metro area bartending and managing at the 9:30 Club in DC, and also touring the country as a heavy metal drummer with her band and other bands as a contracted musician.

She found her way into politics after a growing discontent with the direction our country was headed in and a serendipitous offer from a friend to work on his colleague’s Republican congressional campaign. After working on that campaign and others in Maryland which garnered national attention, and becoming ensconced in Maryland political organizations and groups, she decided to channel her newly found energy and enthusiasm for saving our country into a full-time career. A major life shift brought her to Georgia where she now works passionately alongside the Latino community to empower their families and businesses to prosper. In her free time she enjoys playing drums, outdoor adventures, reading, attending community events, and roasting coffee. 

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Ryan Stevenson
Christian Music Artist

Following a nine-year stint as a paramedic, pacific northwest native Ryan Stevenson signed an exclusive agreement with Gotee records in 2013 after capturing TobyMac’s attention by co-writing the No. 1 and Grammy® nominated single "Speak Life." His first recording for the label was the “Holding Nothing Back” EP in 2013. This was followed by 2015's full-length album “Fresh Start”, which featured the RIAA gold certified® single "Eye of the Storm." No. 1 for 16 total weeks in 2016, including nine weeks at Billboard's Christian airplay/audience, "Eye of the Storm" was also at the top for 14 consecutive weeks on Billboard's Christian AC chart, and listed as the No. 2 Billboard Christian AC song that same year. The song also won a Dove Award for Christian pop contemporary song of the year in 2017 and was nominated for two 2017 K-LOVE Fan Awards as well as a 2017 Billboard Music award for "Top Christian song." 

With five No. 1 singles (three as an artist and two as a co-writer), a Grammy® nomination, Billboard Music award nomination, a Dove award (2017), ASCAP honors and major tour bills with the likes of TobyMac, MercyMe, Newsboys, and Matt Maher, among others, Ryan Stevenson has already distinguished himself as a rare talent whose unique perspective guides his honest lyrics and sonic sensibilities. 

Stevenson released his first book, “Eye of the Storm: Experiencing God when you can't see Him” (Harvest House) in the summer of 2020. Paul Young, author of "The Shack," shares, "Ryan is deeply committed to the honesty of the journey. I am honored to be a witness to his courage and determination and his wholehearted pursuit of authentic truth-telling and creative craft.