Founder of Roots to Fruits Wellness and co-founder of Hazelnut Catholic, Jessica Bedortha is the kind of woman who can pour you a cup of coffee, help you uproot what’s holding you back, and leave you laughing all in the same breath. With her signature blend of Southern charm, sharp wit, and Christ-centered hospitality, she’s on a mission to help men and women flourish—mind, body, and soul. As a certified Metanoia Catholic coach, integrative health expert, retreat host, and mom of three, Jessica guides others to experience real transformation—renewed minds, restored hearts, and lives aligned with God’s design.

At the heart of Jessica’s work is a profound belief: healing is part of Christ’s promise to restore us to the fullness of life, renewing the beauty of the imago Dei within us through His grace. Whether facilitating retreats, speaking to communities around the world, or walking one-on-one with those seeking renewal, she creates spaces where the Holy Spirit moves freely, restoring what’s been wounded and awakening hearts to God’s tender, transformative love.

Jessica’s presence is both a refuge and a catalyst—a place where souls feel safe to be seen and spirits are stirred toward hope. She doesn’t just teach about healing; she holds space for it, inviting others to encounter the Divine Physician in ways that are deeply personal, profoundly sacred, and beautifully real.

Dr. Katie Jo LaRiviere is an associate professor of literature, and the Associate Dean of the Propaedeutic Stage at Mount Angel Seminary. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Oregon as a dissertation fellow with the Oregon Humanities Center. Her scholarly research and current book project, The Medieval Person: Theological Self and Personhood in Late Medieval English Literature, investigates the intersection of theology and identity in the Middle Ages. As an academic dean at Mount Angel Seminary, she oversees the intellectual formation of all first-year seminarians. She teaches a literature curriculum spanning ancient to contemporary poetry, prose, and other media, as well as interdisciplinary courses in philosophy and theology in the college and Doctor of Ministry programs. Katie Jo is the winner of five career teaching awards, which recognize her ability to connect with students and to deeply engage them in both academic and personal growth. 

Katie Jo has scholarly publications in literature, writing pedagogy, and disability studies. She has presented research at several conferences, including the annual gatherings of the Medieval Association of the Pacific up and down the West coast and in Canada, as well as the International Medieval Congress in Leeds, UK. She was recently honored to give the Inaugural Address for Mount Angel Seminary’s 24-25 academic year, and she looks forward to keynoting the Annual Summer Conference for Catholics at the University of Portland. Still, as a mom of three, her favorite moments are the quiet ones at home or out in the Oregon wilderness with her children.

As co-founder of Hazelnut Catholic, Katie Jo is grateful to proclaim God’s love for the human person beyond the seminary.