About Busted Halo

Father Dave Dwyer, CSP, is a Paulist priest and Executive Director of Busted Halo Ministries. He is the publisher of BustedHalo.com which has been honored with top awards from the Catholic Press Association and the Associated Church Press, and the host of “The Busted Halo Show with Father Dave,” a call-in radio talk show airing five nights a week on SiriusXM radio on which he answers questions of faith for over thirty million subscribers (6-8 p.m. Eastern time on The Catholic Channel, ch.129). On the same channel, he co-hosts the weekly show, “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan” with New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan, which also airs on EWTN and other Catholic television networks. Fr. Dave is also the host of the “Sacraments 101” video series on YouTube and one of the creators of “Young Adult Ministry in a Box”, a digital resource for starting up ministry to those in their 20s & 30s. He has been the recipient of the Catholic Media Association’s inaugural Gabriel Award for Personal Achievement (2021), as well as The Catholic University of America’s Alumni Achievement Award for his innovation in Catholic media, and a Telly Award for best television host. He has offered commentary on NBC Nightly News, “Fox & Friends,” CNN, The New York Times, ABC News, “The Today Show,” “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” among others. Father Dave served in campus ministry at the Universities of Colorado and Texas, and worked with the Archdiocese for the Military Services to develop a multi-media young adult peer ministry program. Prior to being ordained, he produced and directed TV programs for MTV, HBO and Comedy Central. He holds a Masters of Divinity from the Catholic University of America and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication from Syracuse University. @FatherDaveDwyer

Jennifer Sawyer is Editor-in-Chief of Busted Halo. She previously produced video for TV and the web, working for the “The Martha Stewart Show,” ABC, Cooking Channel, and Yahoo. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America, has written for “Good Morning America,” and has contributed articles to Metro, DailyWorth (now HerMoney), America Magazine, Acorns, Flickr, and Fordham Magazine, among others. Jen is a member of Apostolist, the Young Adult Ministry at The Church of St. Paul the Apostle, and a graduate of Fordham University, where she continues to serve on the board for the Curran Center for American Catholic Studies. She is an alum of the Jesuit Collaborative’s Contemplative Leaders in Action program, and serves as a retreat leader with Charis ministries. She’s a proud New Englander and enjoys traveling, cooking, dancing, and playing softball in her spare time. See more of Jen’s writing on her website Jensawyer.net.

Father Evan Cummings, CSP is a Paulist priest and Associate Director of Busted Halo Ministries. He got his start in media by volunteering for Davis County Channel 17, a local education access channel in his home state of Utah. There, he learned everything from craft services to show production. Throughout college and seminary, he helped to produce multiple podcasts and video projects for himself and the Paulist Fathers. Most recently, Fr. Evan was assigned to the St. Thomas More Newman Center at The Ohio State University where he helped serve the student, young adult, and resident communities. During the pandemic, Fr. Evan led the development of the livestreaming ministry at the St. Thomas More Newman Center, using his television knowledge to help produce a dynamic and engaging experience of the livestreamed Mass. In addition to a love of media, Fr. Evan also loves cooking, Magic the Gathering, and studying the language of Classical Ethiopic (Ge’ez). He holds a Masters of Divinity and Sacred Theology Baccalaureate from Catholic University of America and a Bachelor of Science degree in Philosophy from Utah State University.

Mary Kate is Digital Content Editor at Busted Halo. She previously worked at Edelman, a public relations firm, where she supported marketing campaigns for national food clients like Kellogg’s, Unilever Foods, and Ajinomoto. Before that, Mary Kate wore many hats as an account executive at d exposito & Partners, editorial and social media assistant at BreakThru Radio, and a promotions assistant at SiriusXM radio and WRXP 101.9FM. Media is Mary Kate’s passion, and so is Young Adult Ministry. She is a graduate of Fordham University, which led her to become a parishioner at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle and an active member of Apostolist, their ministry for adults in their 20s and 30s. Mary Kate is from New Jersey and is a self-proclaimed “defender of the Garden State.” In her spare time, she enjoys running, rock climbing, listening to podcasts, and going to concerts and live shows.

Brett Siddell is an on-air personality and co-host of “The Busted Halo Show” on SiriusXM, which he also produced for nine years. He has been an award-winning stand-up comedian for more than a decade. He is an actor (star of Super Bowl ad Happy Grad and several films including Tribeca Film Fest award-winner Stand Clear of the Closing Doors), a voice-over artist (voice of Diet Mountain Dew), and live event host for both companies and charities (Camp Sundown, Our Haven Communities, Shea’s Youth Basketball Association). He was the host of the 2012 TEDxBrooklyn Conference at Brooklyn Bowl to rave reviews from both local and national TED organizers. His website is www.BrettSiddell.com – check out all dates and performances there!

Krista LePard is an on-air personality and producer of “The Busted Halo Show” on SiriusXM. She interned for the show in 2011 before graduating from Syracuse University, and her career came full circle a decade later when she returned as producer! Krista’s background is in sports television, including jobs producing at ESPN and Golf Channel. She also has a deep passion for music ministry at her parish, and loves to serve as singer and accompanist. Krista is a proud northeast Ohioan, and you can probably find her at a Cleveland sports game with her husband and young daughter.

Alethea Melanson is Busted Halo’s Communications and Development Associate. She is a social media and fundraising professional hailing from Western Massachusetts. She previously managed social media and created content for The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts during the height of the pandemic, and was part of senior program staff at Western Mass CORE, an educational equity initiative that works with students who are incarcerated or otherwise impacted by the criminal legal system. She holds a BA in Art History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a minor in Latin Classics, a certificate in nonprofit social media management from the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, and has also worked in restaurants for nearly 15 years. Outside of her professional life, Alethea enjoys cooking, thrifting, taking morning walks, and some light gaming.