2023 Speakers
Main Stage Speakers

Jo Saxton
Author, Ready to Rise and Founder, Ezra Collective
Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneurial coach. Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Jo brings a multicultural and international perspective to her leadership training for women. A sought-after speaker, Jo has a diverse calendar addressing universities, churches, national conferences, nonprofits, and corporations, including Q, Catalyst, Evereve, NoonDay Collection, LakeShore Media, and internationally in the U.K. and Australia.
She is co-host of the podcast Lead Stories and also equips women in leadership through her Leadership Coaching. Jo is the author of four books, including her most recent, Ready To Rise.

Katherine Wolf
Author, Suffer Strong and Founder, Hope Heals
Katherine Wolf is a communicator and advocate. Married to Jay, they moved to Los Angeles to pursue careers in law and the entertainment industry. Their son, James was born in 2007, and six months later Katherine’s life nearly ended with a catastrophic stroke. Miraculously, she survived and continues her recovery to this day, including having a miracle baby, John in 2015. Katherine has shared her journey of steadfast hope through her books, Hope Heals and Suffer Strong, and at speaking events both live and online before millions. She founded Hope Heals camp, a community for families with disabilities like them. Katherine, Jay and their two sons live in the Atlanta area.

Nathan Weselake
Lead Pastor, Prairie Alliance Church
Nathan Weselake is popular with conference organisers as a keynote speaker, particularly when more sought-after speakers have cancelled at the last moment. Nathan Weselake can come on short notice. Nathan Weselake is a fantastic consolation prize. Author of The UpSideDown Life, a book designed to help new Christians in their faith, he also holds a Master’s degree from Regent College and has twenty years pastoral experience. Eighteen of those years have been spent leading the Prairie Alliance family of churches in Manitoba and Ontario. His church has an airplane – but he wants you to know he is not that kind of pastor. He and his wife Tamara live with their three teenage sons in Portage, Manitoba. They also have a twenty year old daughter who would be upset if she wasn’t included in this bio and who would want you to know she had no input in Nathan’s choice of clothing for this event.

Vijay Krishnan
Lead Pastor, The Well
Vijay Krishnan is the Lead Pastor of The Well in Vaughan, Ontario. After studying business at Queen’s University, Vijay worked in the Toronto business community for 10 years doing CPG and Retail marketing. During that time, he helped launch The Well (formerly Upper Room Community Church), and in 2009 transitioned into the Lead Pastor role. Serving in a city marked by continuous growth and affluence, along with religious and ethnic diversity, presents significant challenges and unique opportunities.
The Well is committed to being used by God to authentically represent Jesus Christ through a Deep Faith, and a Wide Embrace. Vijay, his wife Jenn and their three boys are thrilled to be in ministry in the local church.
Lab Speakers

Chris Vacher
Chris Vacher is a pastor, leadership coach, and certified Enneagram practitioner. Chris has spent the last 20 years focused on developing leaders marked by high character and high skill, including learning more about themselves through Enneagram assessments. He holds a Master’s degree in Leadership from Trinity Western University where his research was focused on transformational servant leadership behaviours for church leaders in 21st century Canada. He now works with churches to help them realize their mission- and vision-driven objectives.

Cheryl Nembhard

Anu George
Anu has 11 years of leadership experience with International Justice Mission (IJM). In South Asia, she served as the Director of Operations and the Director of National Interventions, and in Chennai, India she served as the Director of Legal. During her time with IJM, Anu worked extensively to impact the justice system by collaborating with state and local governments in India. Anu initiated and led IJM’s first ever Partnership Program and oversaw the training of more than 17,000 police officers, government officials, and NGOs on the rescue and rehabilitation of individuals trapped in slavery and bringing criminals to justice. As a result of Anu’s leadership, 10,000 individuals have been rescued from forced labour slavery. Anu holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Australia and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University.
She successfully completed her B.A., B.L. from Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College in Chennai and acquired a special diploma in Intellectual Property Law at the Indian Law Institute in Pune. Anu has used her creative communications skills to bring social issues to the public’s attention by writing and producing radio dramas and street theatre with social messages. Her dedication to the empowerment of the underprivileged, her vision for social change, and knowledge about international issues, have all led to Anu being awarded several honours, one of which was being recognized as a Sauvé Scholar by the Canadian Government. She represented India as a Youth Ambassador to Dhaka in 2003 through the National Cadet Corps, with the status of a Diplomat as a Cultural and Military Attaché.

Alyssa Esparaz

Karmyn Bokma

Mike Gordon
During his last year of high school, Mike gave his life to Christ on a mission trip in what was considered the most dangerous city in the world at that time. Years before that decision, his parents broke up, and he was kicked out of his house when he was 14. He spent years walking the broad road until he was invited to a church event which is deeply connected to everything he does today in ministry. Over the years, Mike has done everything from skydiving in Dubai, serving in California, stand-up comedy at Yuk-Yuks, mountain climbing in China, celebrating with the Stanley cup, white water rafting in the central American jungles, climbing the Monty Python castle in Scotland, getting baptized in Israel, snorkelling in the ocean and being selected for fear factor in the US.

Chris Tompkins
