Noel Castellanos

NOEL CASTELLANOS has worked in full-time ministry in urban communities since 1982. He has served in youth ministry, church planting, and community development in San Francisco, San Jose, and Chicago. Noel is a highly sought after speaker, motivator, and mentor to young leaders throughout the USA, and has a deep passion to serve and invest in the lives of emerging leaders. After serving on the Board of the Christian Community Development Association for many years, he has established the new CCDA Institute, which is working to equip emerging church leaders in the philosophy of Christian Community Development, and currently serves as the CEO of CCDA. He and his wife, Marianne, have three children, and make their home in the barrio of La Villita in Chicago.

Melissa Hannigan

MELISSA HANNIGAN holds a Master of Arts degree in counseling from Midwestern Theological Seminary. Before becoming a full-time homeschool mom, Melissa has worked with teen girls to overcome abuse, addictions, and trauma. She is passionate about helping people discover God’s best for their lives. Melissa is married to John, they reside in Jacksonville, FL, and they are the parents of four children.

Laura Dingman

LAURA DINGMAN spends most of her time creating and leading worship experiences that help connect people with the story of God. She has served in vocational ministry as the Creative Arts Director at The Creek, a large church in Indianapolis, for over a decade. She loves to show people where their story intersects with God's story. She enjoys belting Broadway, laughing hysterically, reading great books, and living life with her favorite two people in the whole world, her husband, Matt, and her spunky daughter, Abigail. She is the author of Life Rhythms: Learning to Live in God-Centered Time and I Am Found: Quitting the Game of Hide and Seek with God, Ourselves, and Others. You can learn more about her journey and connect with her at www.lauradingman.com.

Todd Nettleton

TODD NETTLETON is the Chief of Media Relations and Message Integration for the Voice of the Martyrs—USA and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He serves as a voice for persecuted Christians, inspiring Christians with the faithfulness of Christ's followers in 70+ nations where they face persecution for wearing His name. During more than 20 years serving at VOM, Todd has travelled the world and conducted face-to-face interviews with hundreds of Christians who've endured persecution in more than 30 nations. He is a graduate of Bartlesville Wesleyan College (now Oklahoma Wesleyan University) and has done postgraduate study at the University of Oklahoma. Todd and his wife, Charlotte, have two sons and two daughters-in-law. In his spare time he enjoys reading, music, travel and sports, including serving as commissioner of a fantasy football league.

Brad Rhoads

BRAD AND MARILYN RHOADS founded Grace Marriage in 2015 to help churches and couples prioritize marriage. Prior to this, Brad was a practicing attorney for 22 years. He served as a marriage pastor at their local church, where he noted the nationwide absence of an intentional, ongoing strategy to keep couples on a trajectory of growth. Marilyn holds a masters in social work and worked at Counseling Associates before choosing to stay home with their children. In 2015, Brad left the practice of law to pursue marriage ministry full-time. The Rhoads currently lead Grace Marriage, author curriculum together, speak at conferences, and work with individual couples. They are the proud parents of five amazing kids and live in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Marilyn Rhoads

BRAD AND MARILYN RHOADS founded Grace Marriage in 2015 to help churches and couples prioritize marriage. Prior to this, Brad was a practicing attorney for 22 years. He served as a marriage pastor at their local church, where he noted the nationwide absence of an intentional, ongoing strategy to keep couples on a trajectory of growth. Marilyn holds a masters in social work and worked at Counseling Associates before choosing to stay home with their children. In 2015, Brad left the practice of law to pursue marriage ministry full-time. The Rhoads currently lead Grace Marriage, author curriculum together, speak at conferences, and work with individual couples. They are the proud parents of five amazing kids and live in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Erik M. Peterson

ERIK M. PETERSON has been a designer and art director of book covers and interiors for over twenty years. From time to time he works on other types of design projects but always come back to books. More recently he’s worked on large-scale visual storytelling projects such as Little Pilgrim’s Progress: Illustrated Edition (in collaboration with illustrator Joe Sutphin) and The Pursuit of God: A 31-Day Experience (a thoughtful, illustrative layout of A. W. Tozer’s classic work, designed for slow, meditative reading).

R. G. LeTourneau

ROBERT GILMORE LETOURNEAU (1888-1969) rose to eminence in the competitive world of manufacturing and construction. Although his competitors thought him insane, history has proved that his inventive genius was decades ahead of its time. Mr. LeTourneau is known as the man who gave 90 percent of his income to Christian causes around the world. His combination of enterprise and Christian commitment led to his sponsoring many works involving missions and education, including LeTourneau College, a Christian liberal arts and technical school in Longview, Texas. Mr. LeTourneau is author of Mover of Men and Mountains.

Jill Garner

JILL GARNER is an accomplished speaker, advocate, and founder of Manners of the Heart, a nonprofit reawakening respect in our society for the sake of the next generation. She is the author of the award-winning Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World, Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World, and Manners of the Heart, an elementary school curriculum that helps children see beyond themselves to become all God created them to be. Her work is endorsed by Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Dr. Kevin Leman, and many others.When Jill is not writing, you will find her digging into in-depth word studies in Scripture, baking a batch of her famous Double Delight Chocolate Chip Cookies, counting down to Christmas, planning the next great adventure, and occasionally casting a fly rod. Her greatest joy is time spent with her husband, grown children, and seven beloved grandchildren.

Anita Lustrea

ANITA LUSTREA has been with Moody Radio for nearly 30 years. The past 14 as executive producer and host of Midday Connection, an NRB award winning radio program. Besides speaking and writing, Anita's other loves include her husband Mike and college aged son John. Anita has co-edited and contributed to Tending the Soul: 90Days of Spiritual Nourishment (Moody Publishers 2011) and authored What Women Tell Me: Finding Freedom From the Secrets We Keep (Zondervan 2010). If you want to start a conversation with Anita that might go on for a long while, ask her about her beloved Maine! Anita hails from the coastal town of Blue Hill, but soon after headed to The County, Aroostook County, that is, and with Shades of Mercy, she hopes to put Aroostook County on the map.

Cindy Easley

CINDY EASLEY was born in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Social Rehabilitation. Author of What's Submission Got to Do with It?, Cindy is a nationally known speaker with the Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference. Cindy and her husband, Michael, former President of Moody Bible Institute and Teaching Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Nashville, Tennessee, have three daughters and one son.

Lisa Tatlock

LISA TATLOCK (B.S. Christian Heritage College; M.S., University of Nevada-Reno; Ed.D., Nova Southeastern University) is an associate professor of Home Economics at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California. She has taught at the college level since 1988. Lisa is co-author of Becoming a Woman Who Pleases God: A Guide to Developing Your Biblical Potential and Designing a Lifestyle that Pleases God: A Practical Guide. During her childhood she lived in places as varied as Japan and Tasmania. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Lisa is a full-time mother to two young boys. She enjoys historic costume and clothing design. She and her husband, Mark, live with their children in Valencia, California.

Bob Gresh

BOB GRESH is the co-founder of True Girl (formerly Secret Keeper Girl) and Born to Be Brave, which provide live events for tweens and their parents in up to 100 cities per year, reaching over 400,000. A long-time marketing consultant, his passion is using his business experience to teach tweens and teens to live in confidence and Truth. His faith-based entrepreneurial ventures include Grace Prep High School, a new model of Christian education in Central Pennsylvania as well as the nationwide Christian touring ministries. He is the author of Who Moved The Goalpost: Seven Secrets to Sexual Integrity. He lives on a hobby farm in State College, Pennsylvania with his wife, Dannah, and over 20 animals.

J. Brian Tucker