November 2019 – Great Coffee. Greater Good. – Brent Bromstrup

Featuring Brent Bromstrup
Founder, Top of the Lake Coffee

Brent Bromstrup is many things – pastor, speaker, entrepreneur, innovator.  As the founder of Top of the Lake Coffee, he leads an innovative social impact coffee business to address poverty.   Top of the Lake is working to leverage the economics of coffee to provide resources and support for businesses and community development organizations in coffee producing communities.  Top of the Lake has a two-fold vision: Great Coffee. Greater Good. 

Brent’s work at Top of the Lake was informed and supported by family and friends.  His wife introduced him to the issues facing communities in Guatemala.  After visiting the country and seeing first-hand the poverty and the strength of the communities, and especially the women there, he was inspired to make a difference.  His purpose was to design a business that gives back to coffee producing communities in Guatemala and other countries.  

Top of the Lake roastery is based in Berthoud, CO.  Top of the Lake is also a featured organization in the GLBL MRKT, a collaboration between G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice and Grace Place Church also in Berthoud. 

Much of Brent’s purpose and work are also inspired by his Christian faith and education.  Brent holds a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary and Bachelors in Biology from Seattle Pacific University.   His many years as a pastor and missions leader, has informed his work with Top of the Lake and in the communities.  

Prior to Top of the Lake, Brent served as a creative coordinator for Group Publishing, a globally recognized publisher of youth ministry materials.  

Brent also supported various missions teams in his role with Group Mission Trip as a Mission Trip Advisor.  He would oversee teams who connect with youth ministries to provide consultation on mission trips for Preteen, Jr. High, and High School students. The teams provided home repair and community service mission experiences within the continental United States.  Brent also served for several years as a Weekly Speaker for Covenant Heights Camp and continues to speak at his home church, LifeSpring.  

Brent’s innovative spirit combined with his faith and heart for missions have allowed him to create a business for a cause and a greater good.

October 2019 – Arts, Theater, and Impact – Derek Martin

Featuring Derek Martin
Director and Core Faculty, Theater, William Jessup University

Shakespeare said that all of life is a stage and that we are merely players.  If that is true, Derek Martin is developing opportunities for such players to make positive impacts in the arts and in society.  Derek is a professional actor, director, choreographer, producer and educator and has spent the last eighteen years working professionally in the Arts, Media and Entertainment. He holds both an MFA Acting/Directing from Regent University and a BFA Musical Theater from University of Hartford.  

Derek has translated his professional career and educational training in the arts and theater to preparing the next generation of artists and performers, particularly from a faith perspective.  Currently, he serves as the Director and Core Faculty for the Theater Program at William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA.  Previously, he was a professor of theatre and Chair of the BA in Theatre at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA.  

Derek bring his academic work to life through his active engagement in the arts and theater.  He is a member of Actors Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and Christians in Theatre Arts and has been a recognized actor/combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. Derek has worked professionally at numerous respected theatres around the country such as: Connecticut Repertory Theatre, The York Theatre Company (NYC), Virginia Stage Company, Virginia Musical Theatre, The Palace Theatre, The Musical Theatre of Connecticut, The Round Barn Theatre and many others performing in such shows as “SINGIN IN THE RAIN, THE MUSIC MAN, WEST SIDE STORY, THE SECRET GARDEN, HELLO DOLLY.”

Derek was the lead in the multiple-award winning short film, “THE NOBLE LIE”. He has choreographed Broadway’s Carol Jaudes in her one woman international tour of “And Sarah Laughed” and performed as “Chris” in the table-read cast of CBN’s hit animated series, “SUPERBOOK!” Derek is also the Artistic Director and founder of the professional summer theatre company – THE AMERICANA THEATRE COMPANY in Plymouth, MA, where he spends every summer producing theatre with his wife, Jennifer (who also is a performer and faculty member at  WJU).

Through his theater and education experiences, Derek also brings a passion for justice and for Christian engagement in the arts and global concerns.  He serves as Board Director at G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice and has been active with G.L.O.B.A.L.’s CREATE Justice project with brings together artists and the pursuit of justice.  Most recently he served as Master of Ceremonies for G.L.O.B.A.L’s 5th Anniversary Celebration that featured many artists from Colorado and around the country.

Derek’s life and work is a reflection not only of his love of arts and theater, but his faith and commitment to making a positive impact for justice through the arts.