Rhonda Rhea- - Emcee

Rhonda Rhea is a pastor’s wife and mother of five living near the St. Louis area. She is a radio personality and a humor columnist for publications in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. She has written the books Amusing Grace (Cook, 2003), Turkey Soup for the Soul—Tastes Just Like Chicken (Cook, 2004) and Who Put the Cat in the Fridge (Cook, 2005). Her new Christmas book, I’m Dreaming of Some White Chocolate (Baker, 2006), will be released just in time for the holidays. Watch for High Heels in High Places coming in 2007.

Bonnie Keen -- Special Music

Shannon Woodward - Blogging

Shannon is a pastor's wife and the author of A Whisper in Winter: Stories of Hearing God's Voice in Every Season of Life (New Hope, 2004) and Inconceivable: Finding Peace in the Midst of Infertility (Cook, August 2006). Born and raised in the Northwest, this author shares the insight she gleans from hearing God's voice in ordinary moments by blogging about life on her small farm

(www.windscraps.blogspot.com) and writing a column for <a Christian Women Online.

Carol Kent -- Prayer

Devotional
Carol Kent is a nationally known speaker and popular author who combines humor, encouragement, and inspiration in her presentations. A former radio show CO-host, she is president of Speak Up Speaker Services and founder of Speak Up Seminars. Her books include Becoming a Woman of Influence, Tame Your Fears, and many others.

Cindy Secrest McDowell - Awards

Author/Speaker Cindy Secrest McDowell is a respected national conference speaker and author who has written for more than 50 different magazines and published four books ~ Quilts From Heaven, Amazed By Grace, Women’s Spiritual Passages and A Southern-Style Christmas ~ earning Mount Hermon's 1993 "Writer of the Year" award. Cindy holds degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Furman University and also studied at Wheaton Graduate School of Communication. She was on the editorial and communication staff for the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization's Thailand '80 and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn's Amsterdam '83. She enjoys emceeing at Vision New England's annual "Congress" in Boston which draws 10,000 attendees. See www.EncouragingWords.net

Linda Evans Shepherd - Welcome & Media Panel

If you want to laugh and draw closer to God--and each other-you will love Linda Evans Shepherd! She is an award-winning storyteller with a dramatic testimony. Linda has faced and overcome many challenges in life by getting to know God on a deeper level. She has written 12 books, as the AWSA founder as well as the founder of Right to the Heart of Women. See also www.sheppro.com

Martha Bolton - Parodies

Martha Bolton was a staff writer for Bob Hope for over fifteen years and is the author of 46 books. She has received both an Emmy nomination and a Dove nomination, and has been awarded three Angel awards. She's written for Phyllis Diller, Ann Jillian, Wayne Newton, Jeff Allen, Mark Lowry, and writes the popular Cafeteria Lady column for BRIO magazine. See www.marthabolton.com.

Susan Titus Osborn - Editors Panel & Book Proposals

Secrets of Effective Book Proposals

Learn how to read and understand the main clauses and subtle points in your book contract. Remember that a contract always benefits the publishing house! Learn the crucial principles in negotiating the best contract terms. This session will teach you how to obtain the best contract possible while remaining friends with your editor.

Eva Marie Everson -- Friday Introductions

Eva Marie Everson is a theological teacher and national speaker. Her work includes "Shadow of Dreams, a novel" and "One True Vow" as well as three others. She is a contributor to a number of noted works. She and husband Dennis live in Florida. They are parents and grandparents

Gail Hayes - Prayer

When looking for a speaker who ignites your spirit and creates an atmosphere of inspiration and contagious enthusiasm, you have but to look directly at Dr. Gail Hayes. Her up front, in your face, in your heart style helps others discover their identity, grasp their purpose, and fulfill their destiny!

Janet Holm McHenery -- Prayer Team

Janet is a speaker and author of 17 books, including PrayerWalk, Daily PrayerWalk, Prayer Changes Teens: How to Parent From Your Knees (WaterBrook, Aug. 2003), and Girlfriend Gatherings, as well as hundreds of articles. She loves to speak at prayerwalking events, retreats, or conferences about how God has changed her and others' lives through prayerwalking. Janet holds a journalism degree from UC Berkeley and has worked as a newspaper reporter, religion editor and city editor. She and her husband Craig and have four children; they enjoy small-town living in the California Sierra where he is a rancher and she is a high school English, journalism and creative writing teacher.

Jill Rigby - Media Panel

Jill is the author of Manners of the Heart® and Manners of the Heart at Home® , a manners and etiquette series for elementary school children, that teaches the principles of respectfulness toward others and the "rules of etiquette." She conducts workshops and seminars across the country for schools, civic organizations and parents’ groups, secular and Christian. She is the host of “Heart to Home—finding the heart of your home,” a television broadcast that helps viewers make their house a home.

Mary Byers - Media Panel

Mary Byers has been speaking professionally since 1988 and is the author
of How to Say No...and Live to Tell About It. In addition to writing,
Mary is a corporate trainer and specializes in providing media training
to executives. She uses the knowledge she shares to prepare for her own
broadcast and print interviews to help promote her books. Mary lives
with her family in Illinois.

Karen O Connor - Emcee

When Karen speaks, men and women—especially seniors––listen and laugh! They know what she's talking about when she asks, "Where would life be without the cordless phone ringing faintly from where we left it in the fridge?! Or the time we looked across the table at our best friend and forgot her name! Or the special moments we shared with a grandchild, or the day we drove into the driveway, panicky when we didn't see our car parked in its usual place––only to remember that we're IN it!

Karen O'Connor, award-winning author of more than 50 books, and a popular speaker at conferences, retreats, banquets, and seniors' groups, brings hope, humility, and plenty of humor everywhere she speaks.

Teresa Griggs - Worship

With a warm smile and an encouraging word, Teresa Griggs bears a true testimony of how the Lord will bring His comfort and peace as you seek Him through the storms of your life. Learning to depend on the Lord's strength and wisdom through the tragic and sudden loss of her nine-year-old daughter, Mallory, Teresa gives all the "Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 1 Corinthians 1:3-4. It is her earnest desire to bring comfort to others by pointing them to the one true source of love and compassion, our heavenly Father.
Having been raised in a Christian home, Teresa's knowledge and thirst for the Word of God began at a very early age. She has taught ladies Bible studies for many years. She is a trained Precept Bible Study leader, has served in Bible Study Fellowship leadership. She is a member of AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Assoc.) and a graduate of CLASS (Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Seminar). She feels God has called her to tell others about His wonderful, amazing peace which truly does transcend all understanding.

Leslie Vernick - Panel on Counseling

Leslie Vernick, DCSW, LCSW, is a licensed counselor in private practice with more than twenty-five years experience. She is a guest lecturer at Westminster and Biblical Seminaries in the Philadelphia area and is one of the featured speakers on several of the American Association of Christian Counselors Video Teaching Series.

Leslie is the author of How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong (formerly The TRUTH Principle), How to Act Right When Your Spouse Acts Wrong and How to Find Selfless Joy in a Me-First World. She has also written numerous articles and has contributed to The Soul Care Bible, Competent Christian Counseling, Silver and Gold, Praying Through Life's Problems, and Intimate Moments with God.

Leslie and her husband, Howard, are active members in their local church and have two grown children.

Sharon Hoffman - Emcee

Much-in-demand as a speaker because of her engaging manner and warmth. Sharon Hoffman is founder of G.I.F.T.ed Women Ministries. With a passion for speaking about the challenges of being a woman, she shares her testimony and life experiences with a candor that is reaching out to multitudes across the country.

Everywhere she goes she inspires women to be the very best they can be! "Every woman is a gifted woman!" she believes. Sharon's topics emphasize marriage, parenting, friendships, family, and balancing busy schedules. Her personal compelling testimony of God's transforming power and her uncommon transparency is sure to add energy and excitement to your program.

.

.

Michele T. Huey

A former feature writer, Michele Huey writes a weekly newspaper column and produces a daily devotional radio program. Her writing has appeared in magazines and anthologies, and she has published three books of meditations. Named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers for three years in a row, she teaches high school English and journalism, as well as writing workshops. A speaker and writing mentor, she serves on the St. Davids Christian Writers Association board of directors and is a CLASS graduate.