Kristen Andrews has over 15 years of experience in design and art direction, including her current role as Creative Director for Hachette Nashville, and previous publishing experience as an Art Director for HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Her book cover designs have won awards from the American Advertising Federation and ECPA, garnered bestseller status, and been featured in international media. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, and studied graphic design at OTIS College of Art + Design. Originally from Chicago, Kristen lived in Los Angeles for 12 years before moving to Nashville in 2011. She enjoys running and being outdoors, listening to classic rock, and spending time with her husband, 2-year-old & 7-month-old daughters, and rescue dog Charley.

Matt Baehr is the Executive Director of the Book Manufacturers' Institute (BMI). He’s been the chief executive of the association since 2017. Matt has a long career in association management, primarily working with trade associations. He holds an undergraduate degree from the Catholic University in Washington, DC as well as graduate degrees from Ohio University in Athens, OH. He resides in Bradenton, FL where he enjoys soccer, cooking and spending time with his wife and 3 children.

Jevon Bolden is the founder and CEO of Embolden Media Group, a boutique publishing consulting firm that provides quality content development and literary services that help authors and publishers reach growing, diverse, and global audiences. Jevon is also the founder of a newly formed group called Christian Publishing Professionals of Color that seeks to provide support, career opportunities, and community for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) in Christian publishing. She also serves as a consultant to ECPA and serves on their committee for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).  As part of her work, Jevon is a book editor, writer, literary agent, and author of seven books, including her best seller, Pray Hear Write: 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting for Breakthrough in Your Writing, published by her team at Embolden Media Group. The books Jevon has written for other people or edited as herself have appeared on national best-sellers’ lists and have sold millions of copies around the world. Starting her seventeen-year career in traditional book publishing as a copyeditor, she moved quickly into senior acquisitions and senior editor roles with publishers for both adult and children’s titles.  Conference speaker, workshop facilitator, writing coach, and mentor, Jevon shares the best of what she knows with passionate, creative, and influential people who desire to publish great books that make a difference. After attending two years at Oakwood University, a Christian HBCU (historically black college and university), Jevon went on to obtained her bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in sociology, from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She now lives in sunny Central Florida with her family and Cocker Spaniels, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou.

Brooke Borneman is the Client Development Director at The NPD Group, a global research and data company. She is responsible for maximizing client engagement with NPD BookScan reporting tools and data. Brooke is a twenty-five year veteran of the publishing industry, where her career has spanned many roles including sales, marketing and new business development. She works with a wide range of clients including Disney Publishing Worldwide, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, 1517 Media, Baker Books, Broadman & Holman, Charisma Media, Crossway, David C. Cook, , Lexham Press, Loyola Press, HarperCollins Christian, Intervarsity Press, Tyndale House Publishers, Westminster John Knox and many others. Prior to joining NPD Books, Brooke worked at Random House, Dorchester Publishing, Diamond Book Distributors, Penguin Random House and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Kelsey Bowen is a Senior Acquisitions Editor at Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, where she acquires both fiction and nonfiction. She has a degree in creative writing and, when she’s not editing, she loves to read fiction with a strong cup of coffee close by. She is the Worship Director for her church, and sells her cakes and cupcakes to friends and family in the West Michigan area (find her on Instagram @kelseybooksandbakes). She currently lives with her husband Kyle, their daughters Peyton and Lauren, and their dog Izzo, in Allendale, MI.

Jeane Burgess is the founder and president of Tall Oak Media (formerly Wynn-Wynn Media), a full-service publicity agency focused on campaign management and consulting for authors and publishers. An industry veteran, Jeane got her start in 1989 as a sales rep for NavPress. This role, coupled with her love for books, led to a career-long passion for supporting authors, publishers, various types of media outlets, and the audiences they serve. This year Tall Oak Media celebrated 21 years of business, successfully building a legacy of excellence among a select group of publishers and hundreds of authors over the last two decades. Jeane is a proud small-town girl who loves supporting her community in every way possible, through school, church, local businesses, and civic groups. When not working, you’ll find her celebrating her Native American roots as part of the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma, where she is honored to serve on the enrollment committee.

Stephanie Chalk is a Senior Marketing Manager at HarperCollins Publishers on the HarperCollins Focus imprint. She did her undergraduate work at NYU where she majored in Economics. After beginning her career in operations, she returned to NYU for a graduate certificate in Marketing and Brand Management as she transitioned to marketing. She has worked in marketing for 12 years. She focuses on data driven marketing strategies based on industry benchmarking, KPI implementation, ROI, and SQL analysis.

Katherine Chappell is the Marketing Manager for trade and children’s books at Kregel Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has been in Christian publishing for over a decade. Katherine holds a BA in English Literature and Theatre from Cornerstone University and an MA in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University. She has also worked as an oral historian, a museum professional, and as a staff writer in radio, newspaper, and magazines. She lives in Grand Rapids with her two rescue cats, where she volunteers with Treetops Collective, 20 Liters, and other organizations that seek to strengthen communities both here and abroad.

Brenna Connor, Manager of Industry Insights, NPD Books, has been working with data and analytics for nearly a decade in roles including marketing, analysis, and product development. Her lifelong passion for books and reading combined with deep analytical expertise enables Brenna to provide actionable insights for publishers and retailers across the book market. Brenna joined The NPD Group in 2014 as part of the marketing department and moved to the NPD Books team in 2018. Prior to joining NPD she held marketing and program management positions. She holds a Bachelor degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Michael Covington is the VP of Publishing & Acquisitions for David C Cook where he oversees their Books business, setting editorial direction and acquisitions strategy. He is responsible for leading a team of high-performing publishing professionals who are passionate about equipping the Church with Christ-centered resources for making and teaching disciples. Michael and his wife Christina live in Colorado Springs with their two boys and three cats.

Eddie Cuevas serves as the Contracts and Subsidiary Rights Manager for Moody Publishers. Eddie has served in this role just over two years but began working for Moody Publishers in 2015 as a customer service representative. Eddie has a hand on all contracts that come through to Moody Publishers while also working closely with the Global Rights and Licensing Manager on the translation rights front. Eddie was born and raised in the inner city of Chicago where he still resides with his wife Lauren and 2-year-old son Trey. Eddie and his wife are both graduates of the Moody Bible Institute and continue to have a strong partnership with the Institute. Eddie will tell you that he is a devout Chicago sports fan (except for the Cubs), currently sings with a semi-professional chamber choir, and is heavily into modern board gaming…oh, and reads a book here and there of course.

Judy Dunagan is an acquisitions editor of women’s Bible studies and books at Moody Publishers. A wonder seeker of God and His Word, Judy is passionate about discipleship and making God’s Word and prayer come alive in everyday life. She is a speaker and Bible teacher and the author of “The Loudest Roar: Living in the Unshakable Victory of Christ.” Judy and her husband, Rick, live in Colorado and are the joyful grandparents of five grandchildren. Connect at: judydunagan.com.

Brock Eastman loves marketing and creating content! He is the Director of Digital Product Development at David C. Cook, focusing on engaging families and creating digital content to inspire kids to follow Jesus. He has worked in marketing and the publishing industry for 13 years. Brock was brand and marketing manager for Adventures in Odyssey and architected the Odyssey Adventure Club launch. Brock hosted Tyndale Kids’ virtual summer camp and is a frequent guest on the Adventures in Odyssey podcast. At Compassion International, he led experiential marketing teams (the big trucks) and helped initiate the Compassion and Tyndale publishing partnership. Brock is the author of several books for kids, including Bedtime on Noah’s Ark (Harvest House), forthcoming Edge of the Galaxy (Focus on the Family), and Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop (Tyndale Kids), accompanied by the Fizzlebop YouTube show. He writes feature stories and the Dr. Fizzlebop recurring column for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines. Brock loves playing games with his family, cooking with his wife, and reading stories to his four kids each night, who have also been co-authors on several of his projects. You can learn more at BrockEastman.com

Connect with him on LinkedIn @BrockEastman or follow him on Instagram @Author_BrockEastman

Terumi Echols is currently the president and publisher of InterVarsity Press and a vice president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Previously, she served as director of finance and fulfillment operations at IVP and in several executive positions with Christianity Today International. She was a key member of IVP's development of the Every Voice Now initiative that was launched in 2020 to elevate voices of color in the publishing marketplace. She has been married for 33 years to her best friend, Darrell, and they live in Aurora, Illinois.

Christina Barland Edmondson is a higher education instructor, organizational consultant, and co-host of the Truth's Table podcast. She is the coauthor of Faithful Antiracism and has served in a variety of roles in higher education including as the Dean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University. She is also a certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator, public speaker, mental health therapist, and a consultant in the areas of ethics, equity, and Christian leadership development. Christina holds a PhD in counseling psychology from Tennessee State University, an MS degree in family therapy from the University of Rochester, and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Hampton University. Her writing has been seen and referenced in a variety of outlets including Essence.com, YourBlackWorld.com, and Gospel Today magazine.

Follow her on Twitter: @DrCEdmondson. Visit her website at christinaedmondson.com.

Brian Flagler is the Managing Partner of Flagler Law Group. Before founding Flagler Law Group, which specializes on publishing and intellectual property matters, Brian served as Vice President of Administration & General Counsel of Multnomah Publishers, where he led the human resources, information technology and operations departments, was responsible for all corporate legal matters for the company, and served as a member of Multnomah’s executive leadership team. Previously, Brian practiced intellectual property and corporate law in the Portland, Oregon office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and in the Atlanta, Georgia office of Troutman Sanders LLP. Brian also served as an adjunct instructor of intellectual property law at Clayton College & State University. He holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. Brian and his wife Amy have three sons and enjoy hiking the mountain trails and paddling the many rivers and lakes surrounding Asheville. Brian launched the firm in response to a sermon on John 15, feeling called to “bear fruit” through more than one Christian publishing organization. He would enjoy the opportunity to share the full story with you personally over a cup of coffee at the next conference or publishing industry event.

Tama Fortner is a bestselling writer and ghostwriter with more than fifty titles to her credit, including the ECPA Christian Book Award finalist Simply Christmas, along with winners Roar Like a Lion with Levi Lusko and How Great Is Our God with Louie Giglio. Her bestselling titles include Easter Is Coming! and Christmas Is Coming!. Tana began her writing career at the ripe old age of eight, aspiring to be like her favorite literary heroine, Jo from Little Women—even going so far as to set up a cardboard-box writing desk in the back of her childhood closet. With over twenty-five years of publishing experience as a writer, ghostwriter, and editor, she has been blessed to work with some of the biggest names in Christian publishing to create inspirational books for children, teens, and adults. Tama and her husband, Jeff, enjoy a crazy-busy, wonder-filled life in the hilly suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee—along with two kiddos who have grown up much too fast for their mama’s liking and a feisty little puppy who is convinced he is people too.

Bob Gaudet is Vice President of Marketing for Bibles at Zondervan. He began his publishing career in 2012 with the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. and joined the marketing team at Zondervan in 2016. Bob enjoys the constant innovation that today’s marketing necessitates and loves empowering his team to try new things. He is passionate about excellent books, because he believes in their power to inspire goodness and foster open-mindedness. He received a Master of Divinity from Virginia Beach Theological Seminary and resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and two children. bobgaudet.com

Deborah Sáenz Gonzalez is currently an associate acquisitions and developmental editor for NavPress. She has worked in book publishing for over a decade, spending eight years as a marketing manager for InterVarsity Press, followed by a couple years as a freelance book editor/collaborator. She received a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University and a certificate in manuscript editing from the University of Chicago. She is originally from the U.S.-Mexico border town of Laredo, Texas, and currently resides in San Antonio.

Patnacia Goodman is a nonfiction acquisitions editor at Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Growing up as an avid reader, she pursued a B.A. in English Literature and Writing from Bethel University. Patnacia makes her home in Minneapolis, and when she isn't reading, she spends her time trying to enjoy all four seasons (yes, even the Minnesota winters).

Ashley Marivittori Gorman serves as an associate publisher at B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources. She holds an MDiv from Southeastern Theological Seminary and has been trained under The Charles Simeon Trust. Her passions are biblical literacy, women’s discipleship, foster care, theology, books, and teaching the Bible. Ashley and her husband, Cole, live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their daughter, Charlie. You can find her writing in various Lifeway Women Bible studies, in books like World on Fire, and in digital venues like The Gospel Coalition, Lifeway Voices, the ERLC, Relevant, and Intersect Project.

Tim Green graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2002, and he has been designing books and brands ever since. His work has been recognized by the AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers, Print Magazine, the National Advertising Federation, New York Book Show, Graphis and Chuck Norris (true story). Tim is the creative director at Faceout Studio, where he enjoys daily inspiration from his peers and the variety of work coming from publishers large and small. He is also the co-owner and creative director of Molt Brands, a newly minted design business specializing in brand identity. When he is not at his desk designing, he is most likely to be found at home, with his lovely wife and 3 children. If he’s not with them, it’s a safe bet you’ll find him at a coffee shop, probably designing something. Be sure to say “hi” for me.

Kyle Hatfield is a Senior Acquisitions Editor at Harvest House Publishers. Over the past several years, he has acquired bestselling titles like Risen Motherhood, Courageous World Changers, and the Baby Believer series. He is also a part of the creative team behind the award-winning series, Bible Infographics for Kids. Before working in publishing, he received a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Religion and served as a pastor for six years. The son of a Taiwanese immigrant, Kyle lives in Eugene, Oregon with his wife and their three daughters.

Laura Helweg is a children's book editor at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Before coming to HCCP, Laura worked in educational publishing, both as an editor and as a writer. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature and has a professional certificate in editing from the University of California at Berkeley. Laura enjoys cozy mysteries and historical nonfiction, yoga, and hunting for skinks and snails in her backyard with her young daughter.

Linda Howard is Associate Publisher for Children and Youth at Tyndale House Publishers. She brings an extensive background working with children and children’s products to her role including teaching, marketing, and product development for several brands. Linda currently leads the kids’ team, developing overall strategy for Tyndale Children and Youth, acquiring projects, and overseeing product development of all books. She has also worked in the marketing arena and built strong relationships with several of Tyndale’s publishing partners. She oversees the Compassion International Publishing partnership and has worked with best-selling authors Ann Voskamp, Mike Nawrocki, Amy Parker, Dandi Daly Mackall, and more. Linda’s enthusiasm and passion for bringing children to a deeper understanding of Christ is what drives her work. Helping authors to publish and shape products that start children on a path to spiritual maturity is a responsibility she takes seriously, and she is grateful for the opportunity to serve families in this way.

Victor Samuel Huckabee is a multi-disciplined Creative Director with deep experience in graphic design and a unique style of illustration. Currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee, Victor spent his formative years studying digital communications in Switzerland. Since kickstarting his professional career in Nashville, he has worked with a wide variety of artists & organizations and has become a respected leader in the field of graphic design. From creatively raising funds for access to HIV/AIDS treatments and clean water wells in Africa to working with an international travel guide brand, to inspiring a world of characters for Dreamworks Animation, Victor currently works as Creative Director for 5by5 Agency and has devoted his life to creativity and doing good in the world.

Bob Hutchins is a digital marketing executive who works with 5by5 Agency as the VP of Digital Marketing in Nashville, Tenn. He founded and was the CMO of the nationally recognized digital agency, BuzzPlant for 17 years. Having spent the last two decades in the digital marketing, linear platforms, consumer psychology, and social media advertising world, Bob has been responsible for creating and executing numerous campaigns and strategies for Hollywood blockbusters, and several Fortune 500 brands. This experience gave him a front row seat to observe and learn how the online world, when using the right type of content, can cause people to engage and react in almost any way you want them to. He has a Masters degree in psychology -- after all, marketing is nothing more than behavioral psychology and math – and loves to write, teach & communicate about the intersection of digital media, culture, & psychology with a restorative worldview. Instagram @bwhutchins Twitter: @BobHutchins

Amy and her golden doodle, Jeff, are passionate about helping young people believe that they have everything they need inside to face whatever is coming their way. As co-director of groups at Daystar, Amy brings passion and leadership to our group counseling efforts; she believes strongly in the power of peer conversations among adolescents. Amy holds a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca University. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) and Nashville Psychotherapy Institute. Jeff is a PetPartners certified pet therapist who loves snacks, particularly the peanut butter crackers from the Daystar kitchen.

Samuel James is associate acquisitions editor for Crossway Books. He is the author of two forthcoming books, Does It Matter What I Believe (Crossway, 2023) and Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age (Crossway, 2023). He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife Emily and three children.

Jeff Johnson is the Chief Administrative Officer of Tyndale House Publishers where he has served for over 35 years. Over his time at Tyndale, he has had roles within operations, human resources, facilities management, managing the publishing process, along with executive management. Jeff is finishing up his second term as a member of the ECPA Board and chairs the ECPA Research Committee. He is married and has two adult children. He is also a graduate of Baylor University.

Matt Lehman is a designer and illustrator who helps brands both large and small transform complex ideas into beautifully simple visuals. He began his career in 2001 at a small but mighty firm in Nashville by the name of Anderson Design Group. In 2007, he joined CMT / MTV Networks focusing on show identities and the network rebrand in 2009. In 2010 he formed Matt Lehman Studio working for brands such as ESPN, Nike, Delta, PepsiCo, Esquire, GQ, Nickelodeon and NASA to name a few. His work primarily involves branding, illustration, icon development, and the occasional book cover.

Dan Lynch is the owner and President of Brentwood Press, and a seasoned publishing and entertainment media executive with a 30+ year proven track record of successes in the fields of product development, team building, marketing, social networking, and on-budget project management. Dan has served for over 20 years in kids and teen publishing on the Tommy Nelson (VP Marketing/Branding and Executive Producer) and B&H Kids (Publisher, Executive Producer) teams.  Dan also worked as a VP of Marketing in the Christian music industry with labels including Benson and Word Records. Some of the brands Dan has managed and built include Max Lucado’s Hermie and Friends, Sheila Walsh’s Gigi God’s Little Princess, Bibleman, Read and Share Bible Stories, Big Picture Interactive Bible, Teen to Teen and Bible for Me: Bible Stories and Prayers.

Shannon Marchese is VP and Publisher of Tommy Nelson, the children’s imprint for Thomas Nelson. With more than 20 years of experience in producing and promoting Christian books, Marchese most recently served as executive editor at the Christian publishing imprints within Penguin Random House, WaterBrook & Multnomah and Convergent. In this role she led the growth of their children’s publishing division, as well as the acquisition and editorial direction for many of their top authors. Before working in editorial, Marchese spent seven years in publicity, making her a dynamic and strategic communicator. She originally hails from Ohio, but she and her family call Colorado Springs home.

Dana Mauro has been with Anchor Distributors for five years, and currently serves as the Fulfillment Department Manager. Dana began her career at Anchor in the Customer Care department and quickly progressed to overseeing all internet accounts before moving into our consignment/fulfillment department. As a result of these experiences Dana has become very knowledgeable in many aspects of the publishing business. Her current focus is growing the department with new publishers while also maximizing efficiency in day to day operations. After earning two bachelor degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, Dana worked at Verizon Wireless for eight years prior to starting at Anchor. She was recently married in Myrtle Beach, SC, and has two children, a son and a daughter. In her spare time she enjoys trying new restaurants, swimming, and taking long walks with her husband and the family goldendoodle.

Ben McCoy is director of inventory and fulfillment operations at InterVarsity Press where he has worked since 2009. He is currently responsible for print production, product distribution, and customer care; previously at IVP he was involved with editorial operations and content production. Ben’s undergraduate degree is from North Carolina State University and he has completed graduate programs at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Duke University. Ben lives in North Carolina with his wife, two children, and their energetic Australian Shepherd.

Susan McPherson is an Author Acquisitions Editor for David C Cook and their new imprint for women, Esther Press. She is passionate about equipping women with books and resources that encourage them to grow as courageous disciples of Jesus. She represents David C Cook with partners Integrity Music and Compassion on The FAITHFUL Project, which brings together some of today’s most influential authors and artists to celebrate God’s faithfulness as seen through the eyes of women. She loves Jesus, coffee, the Hallmark channel, college football, and her life in the Nashville, Tennessee area. She has been married to her hubby for 30 years and they adore their three grown children. https://susanmcpherson.com/ IG: @susan.mcpherson3

Trillia Newbell is the author of several books including 52 Weeks in the Word, A Great Cloud of Witnesses, Sacred Endurance, If God is For Us, Fear and Faith, and the children's books, The Big Wide Welcome, Creative God, Colorful Us and God's Very Good Idea. When she isn't writing, she's encouraging and supporting other writers as the Acquisitions Director at Moody Publishers. Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern; they reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee.

Stephanie Osborne is director of operations at Harvest House Publishers where she has worked for 32 years. She has a wide variety of publishing experience including the areas of customer service, 3PL product distribution, IT, AR/Collections/Credit, vendor contracts, and facilities management.  She lives in Eugene Oregon with her husband, is a mother of three and 2 very active grandchildren.

Edwina Perkins is the managing editor for Harambee Press, an imprint of End Game Press. She also serves as assistant director of Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and is the coordinator for Mentoring Moments and the manager for Sensitivity Between the Lines, both with Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. As a longtime member of Word Weavers International, she now serves as a member of the advisory board. Edwina is an award-winning writer, experienced teacher, speaker, freelance editor, and a sensitivity reader. She is also a freelance writer for Guideposts. One of her passions is to address the need for sensitivity and diversity in the publishing industry and serves on the ECPA DEI committee.

José Reyes: Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Turkey, New Mexico, Utah and Florida, José Reyes is a Savannah College of Art and Design alumnus and the Founder and Executive Creative Director of Metaleap Creative, where for 20 years, he has led award-winning brand launches, magazine redesigns and digital efforts on behalf of Metaleap’s clients. He is a current board member for the Society of Publication Designers, a New York non-profit serving the design community, and also served as a co-chair for its 2020 Publication Design Awards. He has spoken at the SCAD Commencement Ceremony (alongside Oprah Winfrey), the City and Regional Magazine Association Conference, HOW Design Live, the Evangelical Press Association Annual Convention, The University of Florida Ligature Design Symposium, Auburn University, and other venues about design, creativity, mentoring and the art of cultivating deep relationships. He’s obsessed with Jazz from 1959, negroni’s, the NYT’s Spelling Bee puzzle, troublemakers, and true stories that involve disastrous failures.

Nikolle Reyes is the lead in her own overcoming-the-odds sports movie—without the sports. She’s the no-nonsense best friend you wish you had on speed-dial. She’s the get-it-done managing director any company would die to have on their roster. She earned her Master’s in molecular biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Goizueta Business School at Emory University. She worked in equity derivatives on Wall Street. (We still don’t know what “equity derivatives” means.) Now, managing the “business of the business” at Metaleap, she also proudly serves on the board of Plywood People, an Atlanta non-profit leading a community of start-ups doing good.

José and Nikolle have been married for 26 years, are the proud parents of twin 17-year-olds. By some miracle, they have not killed each other by doing all of life together.

Bill Rojack is the VP, National Division, for Midland. Since 1994, Bill has worked to source and develop paper products and service programs for many markets, with a concentration on publishers and book manufacturers. Bill’s personal interest in book papers and environmental stewardship drew him to early adoption of now popular trends. That interest has also provided Bill a unique opportunity to develop aggressive but achievable client procurement strategies in collaboration with global paper manufacturers and supply chain partners. While admittedly concerned by the quickening pace of change in the industry (paper, printing, publishing and retailing), Bill is energized by the many opportunities that such change presents. He is a self-described optimist, a dedicated husband and father of 4, and a tireless worker. He lives in Madison, NJ.

Carlisle Russell is a social media and influencer marketing strategist living in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who runs the social team for HCCP’s D2C channels. As a resourceful problem solver, she taught herself the ropes of internet marketing from the time she was old enough to code MySpace layouts and sell them for a small profit. Those early experiences led her to pursue a career as a digital marketing professional where she combines her love of connection with intentional communication, to help brands organically grow an engaged social media following that generates massive revenue. Over the past decade, Carlisle has mastered the art of content delivery through social media with an expertise in growing communities and increasing engagement. When not working in the digital marketing world, Carlisle enjoys spending time with her dog Hazel, trying out new restaurants around Nashville, and relaxing on the couch with a great documentary.

Chandler Saunders is a part of the Passion Creative Team, helping cast vision for Passion City Church, Passion Conferences, Passion Publishing, and sixstepsrecords. He studied Graphic Design at Savannah College of Art and Design. Since then, Chandler has worked in the design space just shy of a decade. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Jessica, and loves getting to build the church alongside some amazing people.

Dave Schroeder brings over fifteen years of experience in book and Bible publishing to WTA Media and EMF Publishing. In his role as Director of Publishing & Consumer Products, he leads the literary and consumer products licensing initiatives. He also serves as Publisher for K-LOVE Books, the main imprint for EMF Publishing. His authors include Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Ryan Smith, Bart Millard, Phil Wickham, the late Charlie Daniels, Susannah B. Lewis, Dorena Williamson, Anne Wilson, and the Kendrick Brothers (WAR ROOM, COURAGEOUS). Previously, he served as Vice President of Marketing at B&H Publishing Group / Lifeway and led the marketing and creative team while developing strategies for books, Bibles (CSB, NKJV, KJV), children’s books, academic, and Spanish language resources. During his tenure there, he implemented marketing campaigns for New York Times and other bestselling books by Lecrae, Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, Louie Giglio, and Andrew Peterson. In addition, he spent six years at Thomas Nelson Publishers / HarperCollins, leading the marketing for bestselling books by Max Lucado, William J. Bennett, Sheila Walsh, Eric Metaxas, and Denise Jackson (#1 New York Times bestseller). Prior to work in book publishing, he served at Swank Motion Pictures promoting films from Walt Disney Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Sony, Universal, Lionsgate, and IFC Films.

Torrey Sharp is the owner and principal of Faceout Studio a market-leading firm specializing in book design. The studio designs hundreds of books each year, working with the world’s top media companies, as well as mid–size publishers, university presses, and independent authors. Over the years, Faceout Studio’s design work has been recognized by Communication Arts, the AIGA, the AAUP, ECPA, the IBPA, Print magazine, Eye magazine, the New York Book Show, Graphis, and the American Advertising Federation. Faceout’s work has been showcased in a variety of trade and academic books on the topic of design, including Rockport, HarperCollins and Springer. Torrey earned his economics degree from Wheaton College, IL after spending most of his growing up years in Brazil. He has been in the publishing industry since 1996 and co-owns a branding firm, Molt Brands.

Ryan Whitaker Smith is a filmmaker and author from Nashville, Tennessee. His film projects include the romantic drama Surprised by Oxford, the indie thriller After, the documentary The Jesus Music, and a forthcoming adaptation of G. K. Chesterton's The Ball and The Cross. He is co-author, with Dan Wilt, of Sheltering Mercy and Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms, from Brazos Press. His book Winter Fire: Christmas with G.K. Chesterton will be released in August 2023 from Moody Publishers.

Ashley Spear is a Nashville native who has always had a love for the arts. After studying journalism in college, she began her career as a graphic designer in the music industry. Now, with more than a decade of experience, her expertise lies in a breadth of disciplines including branding, print design, illustration, and creative team leadership and collaboration. In her current role as Associate Creative Director at 5by5 Agency, Ashley leads the design team by fostering creativity and keeping client goals top-of-mind. When Ashley isn’t working or spending time with her family, she loves exploring new cities, trying out different restaurants and sour beers, and indulging her passion for mid-century modern design.

Joel Stombres currently serves as the Global Rights & Licensing Manager for Moody Publishers. With over thirty years of experience in the faith-based publishing marketplace, Joel has an extensive background in domestic and international publishing sales and has developed numerous digital and print advertising campaigns. Having served previously at David C. Cook, Christianity Today International, Salem Media Group, Outreach Media Group as well as a full-time staff member of Cru. He is a graduate of Judson University, the father of three grown children and currently resides with his wife Debra of forty years in St Charles, IL. In his spare time Joel is currently the front man in an 80’s Cover Band and has been known to hang out with sinners and tax collectors.

Justin Sullivan leads the supply chain industry through expertise in transportation management, inventory management, continuous improvement, and distribution center operations. As Senior Manager of the Distribution Center at Lifeway Christian Resources, he maintains responsibility for Lifeway’s Logistics Department. Justin lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and three kids. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University. He has been in the industry since 2007.

Mary Wiley is the author of Everyday Theology, an eight-week Bible study exploring essential doctrines and why they matter in our everyday lives. She holds a BA in Christian Studies and English from the University of Mobile and an MA in Theological Studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her husband, John, have three children and live in the Nashville area.

Dorena Williamson (dorenawilliamson.com) is the bestselling author of children’s books that adults need too. Her titles include ColorFull, The Celebration Place, Crowned with Glory, and Brown Baby Jesus. A veteran of cross-cultural ministry, Dorena is passionate about shaping perspectives with biblical truth and diverse representation. She is the co-planter of multiracial Strong Tower Bible Church in Nashville, and her writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Facts and Trends, and Crosswalk. She and her family live in Franklin, TN.

Rachael Wing is the Fiction Social Media Manager at Bethany House Publishers where she strategizes, creates, and connects through multiple platforms. Rachael has been in the Christian fiction industry for 10 years, starting out as an avid book blogger. Her passion lies in helping both publishers and authors tell their stories through engaging visual social content with a strategic goal to grow followings and drive sales. You can connect with her on Instagram @sincerely.rachael.

Jess Wolstenholm, M Ed is the Director of Education and Faith Formation at Minno, a children’s media company that exists to help kids and families experience Jesus every day. Editor of the award-winning Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids, and producer of the popular Raising Boys and Girls podcast, Jess writes, speaks, and creates with expertise in faith formation, curriculum/education, and parenting. After 25 years in children’s ministry leadership, Jess is using her passion and experience to develop content that provides age-appropriate, spiritual or educational growth for kids and families. Jess earned her Bachelor's degree in business from Belmont University and received her graduate degree from Liberty University. She lives outside Nashville, TN with her husband and two children, ages 11 and 14.