Thank you for a great 2025 Celebration of Faith!

What an incredible evening,

On October 11th, the Central Washington Catholic Foundation brought together supporters from across the Diocese and beyond.

Doug Rich, our Master of Ceremonies, did an incredible job running the show! Not only were we able to celebrate the 150-year legacy of the Sisters of Providence in Central Washington, but we also witnessed the stories and accomplishments of our seven Champions of Catholic Education Award recipients.

View the photo gallery!

sisters of providence logo 2025

With special guests from the Sisters of Providence on the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of St. Joseph Academy in Yakima, WA.

Keynote Speakers

Peugh, Kristine

Kristine Peugh

Principal at Christ the King School
Richland, WA

Josie Ramac

Sister Josie Ramac, S.P.

Sisters of Providence

2025 Champions of Catholic Education

These are the champions we honored this year!

Peugh, Kristine

Kristine Peugh

Outstanding Leadership Award

Josie Ramac

Sister Josie Ramac, S.P.

Sisters of Providence
Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart S.P. Award

G White - faculty photo

Gloria White

St. John Baptist De La Salle Educator Award

Socorro Cervantes

Socorro Cervantes

St. John Baptist De La Salle Educator Award

Keith and Liz

Liz and Keith Henry

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Religious Education Award

Lisa Jacobs 2025

Lisa Jacobs

St. Thomas Aquinas Community Award

Meal Prepared by Shawn Niles, 'The Fat Pastor'

Fat Pastor 1

Shawn Niles

'The Fat Pastor'

Again, this year, we offered a raffle and a variety of “Holy Spirits” and mocktails at the event. Celebrity Chef Shawn Niles, The Fat Pastor, served a fall-themed dinner, cooked on-site, highlighting the bounty of the Yakima Valley.

The Fat Pastor started as a hobby for Yakima entrepreneur, Shawn Niles.
Shawn has an impressive knowledge base of global cuisine. Having lived and traveled in various parts of the world, he has learned very organically from various chefs over the last 15 years.
In May of 2017, he was featured on Chef Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef. There, he was ranked as one of the top 40 home chefs in America. In 2022, he spent a week in Modena, Italy at the home of Chef Massimo Bottura, ranked the number one chef in the world with the number one restaurant in the world multiple times.
Shawn began several different projects under the umbrella of Fat Pastor; Urban Kitchen, a free business and culinary school for at-risk students; and Bite Club, the nation's premier underground members only dining club.
Shawn and the team have placed in the top 30 chefs in the world 3 years in a row at the World Food Championships, and was also featured on Netflix's Best Leftovers Ever. In addition to Fat Pastor, Shawn is also producing two television shows with the MD Network.