Shari Oosting serves as Associate Director of Formation for Ministry at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. She has the privilege of discerning with seminary students the shape of their call to ministry through mentoring and internship placement.

Her favorite vocational place to be is at the intersection of scholarship and the church; she loves to pull pastors toward substantive theological reflection and academic theologians toward the work of Christian ministry. She and her husband Jason have four rambunctious young children who joyfully consume most of their time. Outside of work she enjoys running, playing board games or poker, and having great conversations with friends.

Aqueelah believes that every young person has a voice and place in our churches and communities. She presently serves as a Staff Consultant with Ministry Architects, Site Coordinator for the Young Adult Volunteer Program of New York City, and Field Staff for Racial Ethnic Young Women (PCUSA).

Rev. Mike Baughman is the Community Curator and founding Pastor for Union Coffee in Dallas, TX. A New Jersey native, he’s thrilled to return to his homeland and share lessons learned from fifteen years of experience in urban and suburban ministries with rising generations as well as his book, Flipping Church.

Mark is an author, storyteller, speaker, minister, and community activist. He is the Executive Director of The Hearth—a nonprofit that uses personal narratives to support individual healing and social change. He has helped to start many creative ministry projects including The Center for Engaged Compassion at Claremont School of Theology and The Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books including The Gift of Hard Things: Finding Grace in Unexpected Places, Wonder, Fear, and Longing: A Book of Prayers, and Contemplative Youth Ministry.

Ricky is a filmmaker and screenwriter currently residing in Portland Maine with his wife, Sarah. His work focuses on creating short films for small businesses and organizations throughout the U.S. While living in New Jersey, Ricky attended Kingston UMC where he found a passion for helping churches share their story utilizing digital media.

Marlon is a curator of human potential. He engages anthropology, cross-pollinating learning environments, film exhibitions, and writing to share stories of love, inspire social imagination, and promote human flourishing. He is the Director for Folklore Films, a Yoga Teacher at Big Power Yoga, and a Sourcing Innovation lecturing fellow at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. His life intention is to unearth beauty from brokenness in ways that are whimsically beautiful and positively willful.