Alina Buzdugan is a trained social worker with an MA in Social and Cultural Anthropology and brings 30 years of nonprofit experience, including 21 years serving within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Colorado. Her journey also includes two years as a novice, devoted to discerning a possible calling to monastic life.

As a writer, Alina is deeply passionate about exploring Christian theology, the journey of healing, and the divine potential within each of us. Her work weaves together compassion, faith, and a wealth of life experienced gifts she generously shares with the Bible Chat community.

Alina served for 18 years at Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Greenwood Village, Colorado. During this time, she led thousands of liturgical services as a chanter and spent seven years as Youth Director, helping shape the spiritual growth of the church's young people through camps, basketball tournaments, and retreats. She also led ministries, trained volunteers, and played a key role in building a strong, faith-centered community. In addition, she facilitated spiritual retreats for adults at monasteries and taught classes on emotional intelligence and personal development.

Following her time at Saint Catherine, Alina served for one year as a Pastoral Assistant at Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, where she continued her parish ministry: training ministry leaders, teaching, and leading retreats.

Alina's heart for service reaches beyond the walls of the church. For five years, she worked with street children, homeless youth, and low-income families in both Romania and the United States, further deepening her lifelong commitment to uplifting marginalized communities.

Currently, Alina serves as the Content Strategist and Host of Bible Chat Podcast, while also leading U.S. and global philanthropy initiatives for the OpenSoul Foundation. In her role at Bible Chat, she ensures that all content reflects sound Christian values, integrates insights from psychology and neuroscience, and offers practical guidance on topics such as prayer, forgiveness, trauma-informed ministry, healing, and community life.

Alina believes that faith is most powerful when it is expressed through loving actions. She strives to engage with the world from a place of self-awareness, vulnerability, and humility, creating a space where others feel seen, heard, and valued. Alina's background in social work and cultural studies, combined with over 30 years of experience serving in non-profits, enables her to connect with people from all walks of life. Through her work, she fosters healing, understanding, and growth, empowering individuals and strengthening communities.

Alina's Favorite Quotes

• "God became man so that man can become god." St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation
• "Be responsible for the energy you bring into the room." Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
• "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." Wayne Dyer