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Dr. Kristine Coons, DO, FACOI is a transgender intersex physician who specializes in internal medicine and works for Providence Health where she has worked for the past 12 years. She is a native Washingtonian and has lived here in Spokane with her wife and four children for the past 12 years. As part of her work with Providence Health, Dr. Coons serves as Project Lead for Intersex Care. This role is also supportive to LGBTQIA+ program within Providence. She was also recently elected to the board of directors of InterACT Advocacy, which is one of the largest intersex advocacy groups in the nation. Dr. Coons focuses her research and advocacy on improving communication and relationships between the LGBTQIA+ communities. This has been done through broadening our understanding of genetics and human development; through the field of cognitive linguistics. Part of this work has been to understand, discuss, and bridge the relationships between the intersex, gay, transgender, and queer communities

Dr. Coons has spoken at numerous universities, medical, and social organizations across the country. She has worked to help overturn hurtful legislation and discussed care and justice with several government officials. Her work has also extended across international borders to support organizations around the world, including Canada and Europe. Dr. Coons also teaches medical students and was awarded Preceptor of the Year for PNWU in 2022 and 2025.

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Dr. Ron Hardy has been a good friend of our family for 20 years. He works in women’s
health as an OB/GYN here in Spokane Washington. When I, Rhonda Monson, have
mental health clients who are pregnant and have anxiety or past trauma with birth and
delivery I always refer them to Dr. Hardy as I know they will be in good hands. I have
been thanked many times by these clients. He and his beautiful wife Jennifer are the
proud parents of 6 amazing adult children. He is also currently serving as stake
president for the Spokane Washington North Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints. Ron Hardy is one of the kindest men I know, and he is a very busy
man, we were honored to have him take the time to be a guest for our podcast.

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A Parent's Paradise Charities founder Doree Handford is a mother of six, childbirth educator, doula, speaker, and passionate advocate for families who believes parents were never meant to do this alone. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood — while also raising four children on the autism spectrum — she has dedicated her life to creating spaces where parents feel seen, supported, and empowered. Through her nonprofit work, public speaking, and community events like Mom Prom, Doree is leading a movement to break generational cycles of isolation and overwhelm by building stronger communities around parents. Her vision is not only to provide practical resources and respite care, but to help create a cultural shift where asking for support is normalized and families can truly thrive.

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Russell C. Gaede, PsyD, is a consultant, mediator, and therapist with over two decades of experience specializing in trauma and complex human behavior. Holding degrees in Administration of Justice, business, and Clinical Psychology, Dr. Russ blends academic rigor with practical, boots-on-the-ground experience. Having overcome significant personal hurdles—including a high school departure and a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome—he offers a unique perspective on human potential, rehabilitation, and what it means to walk with others. He is author of "Playing 20 Questions with your Fiancé".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmjjdzck6y8&t=1s

https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/profile/23392/russell-gaede

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Today we welcome Josh Taylor as our guest.

We met Josh over 17 years ago when our family was involved with Christian Youth Theater Spokane. Josh was an immediate light in all of our lives, greeting us with warm open arms and a big heart as soon as he met us. Among others at CYT, he welcomed us and made CYT feel like home. We were always so impressed by how outgoing and charismatic Josh was, but mostly by how well and how deeply he loved others. Josh is truly one of the kindest people that we have the privilege of knowing.

In our years with CYT, we once asked Beth, Josh’s wonderful mother, why and how Josh was the way that he was. She told us that it was a choice that he made, to be like Jesus. The way he welcomed everyone into his heart is proof of that conviction that he had from the time he was just a boy.

In his adult years, Josh has worked in ministry at Eastern Washington University in Cheney Washington working to fellowship and support young adults through the transformative time of their college years. His inspiration for this work came through his devotion to Jesus Christ, as well as his own experience as a young adult having similar support through those that came before him in this form of ministry. While he loves his work, he has found that his true overarching calling is to create gathering spaces for God’s children to come together in love and support.

In his work, he has shared the walk with many people of all different perspectives, and he feels that through these other perspectives, he now is able to see life through a variety of lenses, deepening faith, understanding, compassion, and appreciation for all people.

Josh is married to his sweetheart, Petra, and together, they are doing what they can to share the light of God, and be his hands whenever and wherever they are able. Josh believes that we are all able to do this work regardless of our career choices, occupation, or life path.

Josh continues to be a beautiful inspiration to us and others through how he chooses to live, and we are so excited for you to meet him through this episode.

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Hey friends! Welcome to I’ll Walk with You, this is Rhonda Monson, one of your hosts.
To introduce you to our next guest I want to tell you about an experience I had.
I had heard from several different people about a restaurant here in Spokane
Washington called Feast World Kitchen, a restaurant that helps local refugees and
immigrants which definitely speaks to my heart. So, my husband and I, and a dear
friend decided to go have lunch there.
The food was great and the service was fantastic, but little did I know how much this lunch date would touch my heart. I loved seeing the diversity and hearing about the good that this restaurant does to help others. And we had the opportunity of meeting our guest for this episode of I’ll Walk with You, Ross Carper, one of the Co-Founders of Feast World Kitchen. When I asked Ross if he would be willing to be a guest on our podcast, he graciously accepted my invitation.
In this episode you will hear about all the good work that Ross and others are doing to bless the lives of others here in Spokane. We also talk about scriptures that teach us to love one another and much more.
Feast World Kitchen is a non-profit organization and restaurant that empowers refugee and immigrant community members through a variety of programs. Ross currently serves as Feast’s Director of Development and Community Care. Ross is a social entrepreneur who is always involved in a variety of community building initiatives in Spokane’s lower south hill neighborhood. Ross and his wife Autumn are also busy raising their three beautiful daughters: Caroline, Iris, and Mira.
It was an absolute joy talking with Ross and getting to hear more of his story and the work he is doing to bless the lives of others. Thank you again Ross for being our guest and thank you listeners for joining us. We think you are going to love this episode.

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Hello, this is Dakota from I’ll Walk With You. It is my honor to introduce to you our guests for this episode, Colleen and Gregory Butler. We have known the Butlers for over 15 years now, and we have always been impressed by them and their beautiful family.

Colleen and Greg are an interracial couple, married for 46 years, parents to 4 beautiful children, and grandparents to 11 grandchildren with one on the way and 3 great grand also with one on the way.

Retired social workers, both Colleen and Greg have a vibrant passion for helping others, and making a change wherever they find themselves. They both have incredible stories about the impact that their work has had on their own lives as well as the lives of others.

Their story together is one of great love, mutual respect, compassion, and incredible resilience. It is beautiful to hear their perspective on what is truly important in life, and to see their view and love of people, and how they have learned to accept others and to not live in fear, but in love.

I found their story inspiring in many ways, but one of the greatest impressions left on me was how they have faced some great trials, yet when asked about them, they are talked about nearly as non-issues, a clear indicator to me that they have individually and as companions chosen to rise above those challenges and to not dwell upon them.

Colleen and Greg are beautiful people, and I am so incredibly pleased to have had them on the podcast as guests, and I am even more delighted to have them as members of my community. Speaking with them has strengthened my hope for a better future , and has displayed a wonderful example of how we can be more unified in a world where division happens so easily.

I know that you will love them as much as we do. Thank you so much for joining us today.

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Hello listeners! Welcome back to I’ll Walk with You. This is Rhonda Monson and I have the privilege of introducing our guest for this episode, someone I have admired and looked up to my entire life, my oldest brother, Mike Merchant.

Mike has done and continues to do so many incredible things, he is the Senior Vice
President for The Arbinger Institute (Arbinger.com). The Board Chair for Anasazi
Foundation (Anasazi.org), a non-profit and nationally accredited behavioral health care provider for youth, young adults and their families.

Since 1993, Mike has consulted and facilitated internationally with senior leaders of corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies on the topics of leadership
development and influence, change management, conflict resolution, and improving personal and organization performance. He has chaired numerous councils and committees on best practices for the treatment of adolescents in the care of behavioral healthcare providers. Mike is an expert in strategic communications, and in 2004 developed the communication component at the heart of the Emmy-nominated “Take Time to Talk” substance abuse awareness and prevention campaign currently used by the Partnership for Drug Free America. He is the founder of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council, the past president of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (natsap.org), and recipient of the 2017 NATSAP Leadership Award. Mike coaches NGO leaders worldwide on measuring, improving, and reporting social impact and facilitated the Forever Young Foundation Nonprofit Institute (foreveryoung.org).

He is also a former bishop for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Mike is a graduate of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management where he was named the 2016 Outstanding Professional. He and his wife Gaylene are the
proud parents of seven red headed amazingly talented children and 16 beautiful
grandchildren. As I said before I have admired Mike all my life. He is 8 years older than me and moved out to go to school and serve a mission for our church when I was just 8 years old. I have always wished that we were closer as he is so busy doing all he can to make a difference in this world.

I greatly enjoyed having this conversation with him.

My greatest take away from this conversation was the question, “What would love have me do?” A great question to ask ourselves when faced with possibly difficult situations.

Thank you for listening to this episode of I’ll Walk with You with our guest, my big
brother, Mike Merchant.