Leadership Team
Angell & Judy Shieh
Angell Shieh
I grew up a very ambitious kid. As the oldest son of Taiwanese immigrants, I felt the need to prove that my parents’ sacrifice was not in vain. I graduated first in my competitive high school and went to MIT, where I experienced a profound sense of emptiness. That’s when I had a chance to re-examine my faith and found that the significance and security that I was striving for in God’s forgiveness of my sins on the cross, and my identity as His beloved child. This filled me with joy and gratitude and transformed the vision of my life. Now, rather than live for achievement or success, I wanted as many college students as possible to hear this message!
I went on to get an MD/PhD at UCSF and become a pediatrician, but my passion has always been sharing the gospel. I helped plant churches in San Francisco and San Diego, experiencing the joy of sharing God’s love and seeing it transform lives. Eventually I quit being a doctor and worked full-time to plant a church in Pittsburgh. Some may see that as a demotion. But instead of saving physical lives that then pass away, now I save lives for all of eternity - and it’s been such a privilege.
Fun Facts: I’ve never drunk coffee before, and I’ve never snoozed an alarm clock.
Judy Shieh
I grew up moving around a lot because my stepdad was in the Air Force. We went to church on Sundays, but I never had a personal relationship with Christ until college, and the irony was I wasn’t seeking God. I went to UC Berkeley looking for freedom and autonomy with the life mission of “To Thine Own Self Be True.” God found me through a group of Christians sold out for the gospel. I was surprised by how relevant the Bible was to me personally, overwhelmed by the gospel-centered community of the church and, after September 11, also humbled by the brevity of life. Shortly after that tragedy, at a winter retreat my sophomore year, I surrendered my life to Jesus, and since then I’ve been on this same mission to share the gospel with college students.
I worked a few years as an attorney, but my real passion has always been sharing the gospel with college students. My husband Angell and I have served on different campuses: University of San Francisco, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Angell and I are blessed with two daughters, Teresa and Taylor. Along this journey God has been teaching me to let go of my own desires for freedom and autonomy, and has blessed me with not only my own salvation, a wonderful family, but the household of God, and I’m thankful that I get to serve Jesus with so many brothers and sisters in Christ who my kids call their aunties and uncles.