Hi, I’m Drew!

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, I'm the second of five children. When I was 5 years old, my family settled in Bonney Lake, Washington, the town where my father grew up. Today, all my siblings still live in the Seattle area, building their own families. I have four nieces and a nephew, and it has been a wonder watching them grow up in the same loving family I was fortunate enough to have.

I was blessed with a wonderful childhood, growing up in a small town surrounded by my siblings and 37 cousins who were always around. Family is deeply important to me, coming first above anything else in my life. As I grew up and my closest friends entered my life, I came to understand that family doesn’t require shared biology. My chosen family is just as dear to me and I will always be there for them.

I struggled with ADHD during a time when it was not well understood, which led to a lot of problems throughout my K-12 school years. Through some divine intervention, I entered community college when I was 20 years old, where I discovered my passion for education. My affection for children, combined with this passion for teaching, has consistently guided my life's path. I've spent the last 10 years working in public education. In 2021, I became the first member of my family to earn a master’s degree. As a teacher, nurturing young minds is one of my greatest joys.

I was married to my best friend, Meghan, for seven years. Our marriage ended in 2015, but she remains my closest friend. This is indicative of my relationships throughout my life. When I care about someone, that care never ends. Meghan has already claimed the title of ‘Best Aunt’ to our baby.

Today I work as a substitute teacher in Seattle, where I love meeting and helping new kids each day. I also volunteer as the Outreach Coordinator for Beloved Arise, the non-profit organization founded by Jun, where I work with groups around the country to better foster a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ youth of faith.

 

DREW’S FAVORITE THINGS

  • I have a deep love for learning, but my greatest passion is teaching. My personal mission statement is 'to create an environment which fosters a positive relationship with education'. This comes from my understanding of my own negative experiences as a child, and a desire to prevent my students from having similar experiences. I work with children to help them not only learn but to be life-long learners. One of my deepest joys is what I call the 'Ah-ha moments,' when a child reaches an understanding of a topic they’ve struggled with. These moments nourish me, and I cannot wait to experience this with my own child.

  • My artistic interests span a diverse range of mediums, from painting and sculpting to writing, glasswork, and woodworking. My creative spirit often leads me to explore new forms of expression, like crafting a miniature, functional catapult inspired by a Leonardo DaVinci blueprint. I look forward to nurturing my child's artistic curiosity and fostering a similar eagerness to explore and create.

  • I find solace and renewal in the embrace of nature, dedicating my free moments to hiking trails and camping. Our shared love for the outdoors includes kayaking in the Puget Sound, where we love exploring the diverse marine life in our backyard. I anticipate spending a lot of time outdoors with our child, with hopes they will inherit the same appreciation for the natural world.

Hi, I’m Jun!

I was born in the Philippines. My Mom named me “Jun” because I was born in June, and she gave me the middle name “Love” because she wanted me to know that I was born out of love. When I was about 20 years old, I discovered that my Mom became pregnant out of wedlock. Unfortunately, her boyfriend (my biological father) abandoned her. While she was pregnant, she asked my Dad to adopt me as his own.

As immigrants to the U.S., my family didn’t have much money, but we didn’t let that get in the way of pursuing our dreams. With help from scholarships, loans, and part-time jobs, I was able to attend college at Biola University where I fell in love with the study of human communication. After graduating with a B.A. in Communication, I decided to pursue an M.A. in Communication, becoming the first in my family’s history to earn a graduate degree. Soon after, I was hired by Microsoft, and while working there, I earned a doctorate in communication from the University of Washington. In 2010, after doing corporate communications at Microsoft for 11 years, I decided to launch my communications agency, ZUM Communications which continues to be very successful.

I was married for 22 years and have two beautiful daughters - Olive (20) and Amelie (18). After my divorce in 2018, I met and fell in love with Drew. Our love gave me the courage to finally accept and embrace my sexuality as a gay man. Today, Drew and I attend an amazing Christian church in Seattle where we were married in 2022.

As a 50-year-old, I feel more excited about life than ever, especially the possibility of bringing a new baby into our family. In addition to leading my business, I also run a non-profit I founded in 2020 dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth of faith, and I serve as an Elder in my church. I believe my mission in life is to bring more love into the world. After all “Love” is my middle name!

JUN’S FAVORITE THINGS

  • Whether I’m singing, acting, speaking, or directing a show, my heart comes alive on stage! I love connecting with audiences and bringing more joy and hope into their lives. Music has always been a big part of life — from karaoke at Filipino family gatherings to performing at church and community events. I love to play the piano and write songs. I also enjoy producing live performances that combine music and storytelling in new and interesting ways. For my 50th birthday, I created a unique, sensory experience called “BLOOM” which was performed at Seattle’s iconic St. Mark’s Cathedral. More recently, I’ve discovered a love for another art form – stand up comedy!

  • Growing up overseas, I have a deep curiosity for the world, and it brings me joy to see more and more of it. So far, I’ve traveled to more than 150 cities and have taken my daughters to all seven continents – including Antarctica! I’m always down to try new food, see new art, try new experiences. But what I love most about traveling is getting to meet new people, learning about their lives, and seeing the world from their point of view. To me, the best kind of travel is when we get to blend in and forget we’re a tourist.

  • I consider myself a very relational person. I love being with people and cultivating deep, authentic relationships. Whether it’s chatting for hours at a coffee shop, having friends over for dinner, or going on a group hike – I believe friendship is built one conversation at a time. My friends and family know me as the guy who asks the “deep questions.” Some of my favorite memories are playing board games with my daughters. The games were fun, but spending hours talking about all kinds of things was what I cherish most.