Elexio Infinity

Megan Hutchinson

Saddleback Church, Veteran Youth Worker
Lake Forest, CA

Megan Hutchinson is a veteran youth worker who currently serves as a student minister at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. She’s a secret survivor who also coauthored Life Hurts...God Heals, an 8-step recovery program for students with unresolved pain and addiction.

Jim burns

Homeword, President
San Juan Capistrano, CA

Jim Burns, Ph.D., is the president of HomeWord and host of HomeWord's daily and weekly radio broadcasts. Jim's passion is communicating the practical truths of God's Word to adults and young people to help them live out their Christian lives. Jim is a three-time Gold Medallion Award winning author and has written books for parents, youth workers, and students including Confident Parenting, Creating an Intimate Marriage, The 10 Building Blocks for a Happy Family, and The Youth Builder. In addition to hosting HomeWord's daily and weekly radio broadcasts, Jim speaks regularly to parents and churches around the world, encouraging them to build God-honoring families. Jim and his wife, Cathy, live in Southern California with their daughters, Christy, Rebecca, and Heidi.

Kara E. Powell

Fuller Youth Institute, Executive Director
Pasadena, CA

Dr. Kara E. Powell serves as a faculty member and the executive director of Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary. Kara's been involved in youth ministry for more than 20 years, and she currently volunteers at her church in Pasadena. She's the author and co-author of several Youth Specialties books, including, Deep Justice in a Broken World.

Doug Fields

Saddleback Church, Pastor
Lake Forest, CA

With more than 25 years of youth ministry experience, Doug has authored or coauthored more than 50 books, including Purpose Driven Youth Ministry. Doug has been a pastor at Saddleback Church since 1992, where he is currently the Pastor of Life Development, overseeing children, student and college ministries. He is the founder of SimplyYouthMinistry.com and a frequent speaker at Youth Specialties and other national youth ministry conferences.

Mark DeVries

First Presbyterian Church, Pastor of Youth & Families
Nashville, TN

Mark DeVries is pastor of youth and families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has served for the past seventeen years. In addition to authoring several books, including Family-Based Youth Ministry and True Love Waits, he is founder of Youth Ministry Architects (www.ymarchitects.com), a strategic-planning service for churches facing transitions in their youth ministries.

Jeff Maguire

Mariners Church, Pastor of Student Ministries
Irvine, CA

Jeff Maguire has been in full-time youth ministry for 10 years, and currently serves as the Student Ministries Pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA.

Walt Mueller

The Center for Parent Youth Understanding, Founder & President
Elizabethtown, PA

Walt Mueller is the founder and president of the Center for Parent Youth Understanding, a nonprofit ministry organization that has served churches, schools, and community organizations worldwide for nearly twenty years. Walt is a respected author and popular speaker. He's a sought-after authority on youth culture and family issues and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and the BBC.

Russ Cline

Youth World International, Founder
Quito, Ecuador

Russ Cline was involved in youth ministry for 10 years before founding Youth World International, an organization established to identify, teach and equip leaders around the world to impact young people and families to be disciples of Christ. In 2006, Russ established Leader Mundial to further this vision. Russ and his family live in Quito, Ecuador.

Jim Liebelt

Homeword, Senior Editor of Publications
San Juan Capistrano, CA

Jim is a 20+ year youth ministry veteran and is the Senior Editor of Publications for HomeWord and a writer for Crosswalk.com. Jim joined the HomeWord staff in 1998, and has served over the years in various pastoral ministries, as a youth ministry and parenting seminar speaker, an adjunct youth ministry instructor at Gordon College, and as a national presenter for Group Magazine Live.