David B. Stoeltzing-Ghosh
Office Administrator
A Bit About Me:
Born in Kansas, and raised in Virginia, David studied flute performance at Liberty University and Lee University, obtaining Bachelors and Masters of Music degrees. Apart from listening to and performing music (often during St. James morning services), he greatly enjoys creative writing.
David moved to Washington State with his then fiancé and now husband Debajit in 2020, and the two of them enjoy hiking, traveling, exploring downtown Seattle, and watching as many Bollywood movies together as they can. The two began attending St. James in early 2021 just months before their wedding was officiated by Mother Joyce, a previous rector of St. James.
Peter Ostrander
Minister of Community Engagement/Outreach Coordinator
A Bit About Me
Peter has lived in Washington State for 27 years, raising his two grown children (Hannah 26 and Caleb 24) with his wife Tina. Tina is an instructor at Green River College in the BA Software Development program. He is a cradle Episcopalian who loves to garden, take long hikes, go birding, and spend time with his family and close friends. He has been the minister of Community Engagement for over 6 years and immensely enjoys the work St. James does through this office.
James Jelasic
Minister of Music
A Bit About Me:
Piano virtuoso, Fulbright Scholar and International Steinway Artist, James Jelasic was born into a noble family descended from Croatian aristocrats. He continues the rich musical heritage established by his maternal grandfather, Jan Nemec, a composer and playwright in Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s. In the family tradition, he began his piano studies at the age of six and, at age nineteen, had twice been featured as a concerto soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Jelasic is a native of Dearborn, Michigan, and received his early musical training at the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts, his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance on full scholarship from Eastern Michigan University, and his Master of Music degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has also done advanced studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and at Warwick University in Coventry, England. Mr. Jelasic’s master teachers include such distinguished artists as Gordon Green of the Royal Academy of Music in London, England; Eugene Bossart in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Martin Katz in Boulder, Colorado and Akron, Ohio; and Leonard Hokenson in Augsburg, Germany.
Mr. Jelasic resided for a year in Munich, Germany under the gracious patronage of the Richard Strauss Family. While there he performed extensively as both a soloist and accompanist and conducted advanced research into the interpretation of the German lied. He then moved to Paris, having been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholar grant to research the interpretation of the French mélodie with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Gérard Souzay. At that time, in recognition of Mr. Jelasic’s remarkable abilities as a performer and his demonstrated interest in the French culture, the Government of France sponsored his residency during the international summer music festival at the Maurice Ravel Academy in St. Jean-de-Luz, France. During his residency in Paris, Mr. Jelasic was also a guest lecturer at the American College in Paris/WICE and did extensive concert touring throughout France and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Jelasic has received critical international acclaim for his appearances with numerous symphony orchestras, as a solo pianist and as a collaborative performer in concert recitals. The BBC – Cornwall, Radio France – Paris, WGMS in Washington, D.C., KING-FM in Seattle and PBS Television have broadcast several of his performances live. Mr. Jelasic has performed for U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state, ambassadors, and royalty.
Mr. Jelasic has released several recordings on the Water’s Edge Records label including the complete Chopin Waltzes and a 2-CD set of the complete Chopin Nocturnes, as well as a recording of his society dance band entitled Enter Club Havana. His fourth release, Ich Liebe Dich, is an all-German recording of solo voice and piano literature with the American Tenor, Jon Lackey. In 2013, Mr. Jelasic’s recording of one of the Chopin Waltzes was included in the soundtrack of the French film, La Cage Dorée, directed by Ruben Alves and distributed worldwide by Pathé Films.
He has taught on the music faculty of Northern Virginia College. Currently residing in metropolitan Seattle, Mr. Jelasic maintains a full schedule as a classical soloist, piano tutor (both in-person and internationally on Zoom), accompanist/vocal coach, and recording artist. He also serves as Minister of Music at St. James Episcopal in Kent, Washington.
Debbie Danioth
Parish Nurse
A Bit About Me:
Debbie Danioth was born in Portland, OR and raised in Vancouver, WA, the youngest of three children. She went to college at WSU/Pullman, WA for their nursing program connected with Intercollegiate Nursing Education (ICNE) in Spokane, WA. She graduated with an RN, BSN degree and spent most of her nursing career as a Home Health nurse. She transitioned into being a Liaison for the Home Health/Hospice program at MultiCare Health systems during the last 15 years- working with case managers and social workers in medical facilities to set up these services for individuals. She has been married for 36 years and has two adult children, along with three grandchildren. She became a parishioner at St. James in 1987 and has been actively involved with various programs over the years (Sunday school, Jr/Sr High Youth, Outreach and Pastoral Care). The vestry sent her through the Parish Nurse course in 2001, Connected to the Health Ministries Network program and PLU. She has served ever since in this capacity, focusing on Health & Wellness within the St. James Parish and community. She retired from work in 2019 and has kept busy with family (from grandkids to aging parents), and her interests in walking, hiking, cycling, traveling and reading.