Melinda Schmidt

MELINDA SCHMIDT graduated from Moody Bible Institute and holds a B.S. in Broadcasting-Bible from Calvary Bible College. She has served with Moody Radio since 1980 in various hosting capacities. She is now a co-host of the radio talk show for women, Midday Connection (www.middayconnection.org) . Melinda has served as an editor and contributing author to Come to Our Table: A Midday Connection Cookbook, Daily Seeds from Women who Walk in Faith, and Tending the Soul. Married to Dave, they are parents of two young adults, Kelly and Kevin.

Katherine Elizabeth Clark

Kevan Chandler

KEVAN CHANDLER is the founder of a nonprofit organization called We Carry Kevan, and speaks worldwide about friendship and disability. He and his wife, Katie, enjoy doing everything together, including growing vegetables and reading to each other.

Marla Alupoaicei

Author and speakerMARLA ALUPOAICEI (Dallas Theological Seminary) serves as the Director for Leap of Faith Ministries, an intercultural marriage support ministry in Frisco, Texas. Marla has authored or co-authored over twenty books and Bible study guides, including Taking the Intercultural Leap, Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca, and In the Flow: Spiritual Insights for Living a More Creative Life, as well as numerous nonfiction articles and poems. Marla has fifteen-plus years of ministry, teaching, and speaking experience with a variety of organizations. Currently she works as a staff writer for East-West Ministries, a grace-based church planting organization in Addison, Texas. Marla and her husband, Catalin, whom she met while on a missions trip to Romania in 1998, have been married for 7 years and currently reside in Texas.

Arthur E. Smith

ARTHUR E. SMITH, father of five, was born in London, England. Smith received the diploma of Fellow College of Violinists (F.C.V.) of London and after he moved to Canada, became a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, serving as violinist with the organization for ten years. Most of his time has been spent in Bible teaching in Canada and U.S. His 40 years of evangelism include work among the men of lumber camps and gold and silver mines of northern Ontario.

Francena H. Arnold

FRANCENA H. ARNOLD was a schoolteacher, talented storyteller, mother of four children, and author of ten novels. Her first, Not My Will, was originally written "just for the eyes of the family" and has since sold more than 500,000 copies. Her other novels include Then Am I Strong, Three Shall Be One, Brother Beloved, Straight Down Crook Lane, The Road Winds On, Fruit for Tomorrow, and Light in My Window. Raised in rural Illinois, Francena lived with her husband, Frank, in the Chicago area.

Joy Downs

JOY DOWNS is a 1979 graduate of Indiana University in Journalism. After graduation, she joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ where she served as a radio writer and producer and helped direct the Communication Center, a communication training facility of Campus Crusade. Joy and her husband, Tim, have spoken at FamilyLife Marriage and Parenting Conferences. Together they have co-authored two books entitled The Seven Conflicts: Resolving the Most Common Disagreements in Marriage and Fight Fair!: Winning at Conflict without Losing at Love. Joy lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her husband and three children.

Paul Gould

PAUL GOULD is married to Ethel and has four wonderful kids–Austin, Madeleine, Travis, and Joshua. Paul has a Masters in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Purdue University. He works on the Executive Team of a Christian ministry to university Professors called Faculty Commons. He is also an adjunct professor teaching the History of Ideas a the College of Southeastern, the undergraduate college of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Dave Hataj

DAVE HATAJ is the second-generation president and owner of Edgerton Gear, Inc., a Wisconsin-based custom gear manufacturer. As a journeyman machinist by age twenty-one, he then earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of California-Irvine. He completed his Master's Degree from Regent College in Vancouver, BC. His graduate work focused on Systems Theory in a Family Business context. In 2014 he earned a Doctorate of Transformational Leadership from Bakke Graduate University, developing a curriculum called Craftsman with Character. The course introduces high school students to the trades and manufacturing as an excellent career path, while developing character and soft skills.

Jonathan Leeman

JONATHAN LEEMAN is the editorial director of 9Marks, which involves him in editing the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal. He has written a number of books on the church, including Reverberation, and he teaches theology at several seminaries. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC and serves as an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.9Marks.org.

Felicia Middlebrooks

FELICIA MIDDLEBROOKS (B.A., Purdue University) is one of the top media personalities in Chicago, anchoring the award-winning Morning Drive program on CBS Radio/WBBM Newsradio 780. She is the first woman and first African American to co-anchor Morning Drive. She is co-author of Called: "Hello, My Name is Mrs. Jefferson, I Understand Your Plane is Being Hijacked?" She also contributed to Our Voices. Felicia lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Margaret McSweeney

MARGARET McSWEENEY lives with her husband, David, and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master’s degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Margaret is the editor of Pearl Girls, author of A Mother’s Heart Knows and co-author of Go Back and Be Happy. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She has served on the board of directors for WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger) for over six years.

Ruthie Delk

RUTHIE DELK'S passion is to help women embrace the Gospel in such a way that it captures their hearts and not just their minds. She enjoys teaching, watching movies, drinking sweet tea, riding her bike and eating any assortment of cheap chocolate. Ruthie grew up in Europe as a missionary kid and met her husband David while at Furman University, where she graduated with a degree in Special Education. She and David have been married for 24 years and live in Orlando, Florida where he is President of Man in the Mirror. They have three children.

Kathy Koch, PhD

DR. KATHY KOCH (pronounced “cook”) is the founder of Celebrate Kids, Inc., where she uses her expertise in educational psychology to help parents inspire children in their unique strengths and to thrive in their identity. She is a prolific author and sought after speaker, known for addressing contemporary challenges in parenting and education with practical, faith-integrated strategies through books and nationwide speaking engagements. Her work emphasizes the integration of Christian principles, aiming to foster character growth, identity formation, and spiritual development in children. You can learn more and access her podcasts, books, and more at www.CelebrateKids.com.

Doug Logan

DOUG LOGAN serves as Lead Pastor of Epiphany Camden. Doug and his wife Angel have been married since 1996 and have been blessed with three sons, Bernie, Aharon, and Avery. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Doug served at both 10th Presbyterian and Epiphany Fellowship in a 2-year Church Plant Residency program before planting EFC. He also served as Vice President of Relational Connectivity and is a Board Member of Thriving, a Urban Church Planting Network. Doug has served in the inner city for nearly a decade as a pastor of Calvary Bible Church of Kensington and at Epiphany Fellowship in North Philly. He is currently completing his Masters at Capital Seminary.