New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers had a successful writing career in the general market before becoming a Christian.  Following her conversion, she wrote Redeeming Love, a novel she considers her statement of faith, and has continued to write numerous other novels with Christian themes.  She was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame after receiving three RITA Awards for inspirational fiction and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Christian Writers Association. Her novels have been translated into over 30 languages, and she enjoys bestseller status in many countries.

Cindy Bond is a global leader and pioneer in the production, distribution, sales, marketing and finance of faith-inspired films.  In 1996, Bond co-founded Norann Entertainment and in 1998 Providence Entertainment which released the #1 independent film of 1999, THE OMEGA CODE.  In 2002, Bond and former Paramount Pictures President/MGM Co-Chairman Frank Yablans, co-founded Promenade Pictures. In 2008, Bond co-founded Mission Pictures International. In 2018 Bond alongside former Phoenix Pictures Vice President Doug McKay co-founded Faster Horse Pictures. With over 200 films to date, including I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, the #1 independent film of 2018, which Bond created and produced, Bond also produced REDEEMING LOVE which was released by Universal Pictures.

Lana King is a veteran entertainment industry executive and entrepreneur. Lana spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry as President and CEO of the Hallmark Channel, President of Network Distribution for the FOX Broadcasting Company, as well as, consulting in the areas of strategic planning, marketing and investments for entertainment executives and media companies.

She received a congressional award for her work as an advocate for adoption and foster care issues, and has been honored by numerous media outlets including Fortune Magazine Blacks in Business issue, Ebony Magazine, and Minorities in Business for her contributions to the television industry.

Nita Belles, MTh, is the Founder and President of IN OUR BACKYARD, a national anti-human trafficking nonprofit and is a leading national expert in anti-trafficking. Her book, In Our Backyard, is a best seller and known as the primer on human trafficking in the United States.

Since 2010, Nita’s anti-trafficking work surrounding the Super Bowl has been instrumental in holding traffickers and sex-buyers accountable and recovering victims/survivors in cooperation with top law enforcement. She has founded many national programs to prevent human trafficking, including Freedom Stickers, Convenience Stores Against Trafficking, Teens Against Trafficking and others, resulting in recoveries across the nation.

Nita was nominated for National Liberator of the Year and has received Paul Harris Fellow recognition for her outstanding work by Rotary International. Her work has been featured on CNN, Fox Files, Focus on the Family (Top 10 in 2018), USA Today, BBC and others.

Paul Lauer is a production and marketing expert best known as the founder and CEO of Hollywood agency Motive Entertainment (MotiveEntertainment.biz) and CEO of FaithX, a content funding and streaming platform. Lauer has designed and managed highly successful marketing campaigns, including the award-winning campaign for Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ ($1 billion worldwide), and over 40 other feature films (including Chronicles of Narnia, Polar Express, Rocky Balboa, Heaven is for Real, The Shack, and Just Mercy), top-rated TV programs (Mark Burnett/Roma Downey’s Bible miniseries which was the #1 program on TV); and three best-selling books, including “Michael Vey” (#1 NY Times Bestseller). Lauer’s strategies are based on connecting with consumers at a deeper, cause-based level. His work has been called “a textbook study in both high-profile and below-the-radar marketing” by Ad Age, which named Lauer a Top 50 Marketer of the year. As a publisher/editor, Lauer launched the award-winning YOU! Magazine (worldwide in six languages), the syndicated insert Youth Beat (1,000,000 circulation). He also produced the World Youth Day Music Festival (100,000 attendees in Denver, CO), and held C-level positions with tech start-ups like webBASIS. Lauer has guest hosted radio and TV shows, and appeared on CNN, Fox, and MSNBC, and in over 50 publications/websites, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Wall St. Journal.

Leah Rivers is a compassionate and driven individual hailing from Santa Rosa, California.  As the Daughter-in-Law of the renowned author Francine Rivers, Leah has been inspired by her mother-in-law’s literary talent and has carved out her own unique path in life.

Leah is a sex trafficking survivor herself. Her life’s Journey has been shaped by her experiences and deep commitment to helping others and making a positive impact in her community.  A few of Leah’s notable professional experiences have been working with Verity (sex trafficking and rape crisis center), The Living Room (a safe haven for women and children), Impact Foundation 707 (homeless outreach organization) and A21 (governmental organization that works to fight against human and sex trafficking). She served as the Executive Assistant / Program Manager for Crossing the Jordan (Intense transformational program for men women and children).  All these are nonprofit organizations dedicated to saving and transforming lives.

Leah Rivers continues to be an inspiring individual guided by her compassion, empathy, and unwavering commitment to making a positive difference.  Her warm heart, coupled with her dedication to helping others, serves as a testament to her character and legacy of love and care that she continues to cultivate in Santa Rosa and beyond.