Anthony J. Houston, Sr. is the Director of Live Production at The Potter’s House of Dallas and the founder of A.J. Audio, a production company specializing in live sound, stage management, and event production. With over a decade of experience, Anthony has led production for large-scale concerts, conferences exceeding 40,000 attendees, and broadcasts, including global events such as MegaFest, Woman Evolve, and the International Leadership Summit.

Throughout his career, he has worked with world-renowned artists including Tye Tribbett, Planetshakers, Chandler Moore, and Kirk Franklin, bringing a high level of excellence to both live and broadcast environments. Known for his leadership, technical expertise, and creative vision, Anthony oversees complex productions while developing high-performing teams and delivering unforgettable audience experiences.

A Chicago native raised in Texas, Anthony’s passion for music and production began early and has evolved into a career defined by innovation, precision, and purpose. He continues to balance his professional success with a deep commitment to faith, family, and community.

Jessica Bealer has been leading in ministry for 25 years. Six of which were spent overseeing standards, systems, staffing and atmosphere for the family ministry of Elevation Church. She has overseen the launch of twenty-five locations, and is considered a specialist in multisite. Jessica currently oversees Ministry Engagement at Generis, an organization dedicated to helping churches see their mission accomplished. Jessica is a mother of six, published author and host of the Women’s Leadership Workshop podcast. She is married to Frank, the Director of Strategy at Generis and Executive Pastor at Home Church Roswell.

Patrick Clark is an entrepreneur, non-profit storyteller, and creative leader with 20 years of experience helping churches and organizations communicate with clarity, purpose, and impact. Throughout his career, he has helped build creative departments within growing churches, leading initiatives in brand development, church-wide communications, filmmaking, renovation and visual space design, and strategic storytelling that inspires action. Much of his work centers on using the power of documentary-style storytelling to create emotional connection and communicate vision in authentic and meaningful ways that move people to action. He currently serves as Creative Strategy Pastor at Bell Shoals Church in Tampa, Florida, and is the founder of Good Getters, a creative agency focused on missional storytelling through film, design, and marketing.

Worship leader, songwriter, and creative leader Johnny Burkhalter has spent nearly 20 years in full-time ministry, serving alongside some of the nation’s top ministry leaders and helping lead worship gatherings, conferences, and creative initiatives across the country. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Fresh Wine Records, helping oversee creative vision, artist development, and ministry initiatives. Based in the Atlanta area with his wife Natalie and their two children, Johnny is passionate about leading people into authentic encounters with God through worship, storytelling, and creative ministry.

Brian Taylor is an executive coach, speaker, and pastor whose roots in local church ministry taught him the importance of caring for people and building a healthy team culture. Over the past 20 years, he's served in senior leadership roles and as a coach and advisor, partnering with pastors, executive leaders, and teams across church, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations.

As a worship and creative pastor, Brian served across various denominations, cultures, and settings, leading ministries in churches ranging from a few hundred to over 30,000 across multiple locations.

He now serves as Vice President of Growth at Slingshot Group, an executive search firm helping churches and nonprofits with remarkable missions build remarkable teams across North America. He's also the founder of Forerunners Group, where he coaches and advises mission-driven businesses and executives.

Brian and his wife, Lauren, live just north of Dallas with their two beautiful kids (five, if you count their two dogs and one cat, as Brian does). They volunteer at their home church and still have the privilege of leading worship and investing in teams across the country.

Phil Bowdle is a coach, consultant, and author of the best-selling Rethink Communication, which has shaped communication and leadership strategy for churches around the world. With nearly 20 years in creative ministry, including serving as Creative Arts Pastor at West Ridge Church in Atlanta, he's been in the trenches and knows what it takes to cut through the noise. Today, Phil coaches and consults with church teams across the country, from church plants to megachurches, helping them build thriving teams that put Jesus on display. He also leads marketing at Slingshot Group, one of the leading staffing and coaching firms serving churches and nonprofits nationwide. Phil lives in Kentucky with his wife Sarah and kids. He runs on coffee and blind loyalty to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sarah Benibo has over 20 years of ministry experience. Her passion is teaching and singing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she has been afforded the opportunity to do both - locally, nationally, and internationally. Sarah specializes in leading diverse audiences into an intimate experience with God, using music as her primary tool. In the Spring of 2020, Sarah graduated from Perkins School of Theology (SMU) where she received a master's degree in sacred music. She currently leads worship at Embassy City Church in Dallas, Texas where she lives with her husband, Bio, and their two children.

After 20 years of full-time creative ministry, Dustin Pead now seeks to help other creatives through coaching, consulting, and fractional services. He resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife Sarah, and their two children, Ethan and Aubrey. Dustin’s mission is to help creatives know themselves, their process, and their teams so they can create greater things together.

Isaac serves as the Communications Pastor at Irving Bible Church, where he helps lead the vision and execution of the church’s creative and communications efforts. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, he brings over 15 years of ministry experience across both church and nonprofit contexts. In addition to his pastoral role, Isaac has spent the past decade covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member, contributing writing and podcast content focused on the NBA. He is a co-founder of the Locked On Mavericks Podcast, where he provides daily insight on the team and interviews voices from around the league. You’ll most often find him at the church during the week, courtside before Mavs games, or at home with his wife and three kids building LEGO creations together.

Brad is the former Creative Director of Watermark Church in West Michigan where he designed and created gatherings & spaces for people to encounter Jesus. He is passionate about resourcing churches to share the gospel, so he created ChurchMediaDrop.com, a free media-sharing site. He also hosts the official ProPresenter training videos. Brad loves playing music, building Legos, and trying new and creative things.

Willow Hodge is the Technical and Video Director at Hope Fellowship Church in Frisco, Texas. She started her journey in live production at the age of 16 and has been growing in the field for 12 years. She specializes in live multi-cam directing, camera operation, and building up volunteer teams. In 2023, her directing of the Brave Women’s Conference was featured on the Behind the Broadcast’s Instagram account. In her free time, Willow likes to play video games, roller skate, and spend time with all of her animals. 

Gene Kim is a veteran church audio engineer, mentor, and coach who has spent his career helping technical artists grow not only in skill, but in sustainability. During his years on staff at one of the fastest-growing churches in the country, he helped support a ministry that expanded from a single campus to five locations and from 7,000 to more than 30,000 weekly attendees. Along the way, Gene experienced firsthand both the incredible impact of local church ministry and the personal cost of trying to carry too much alone. That season of burnout reshaped his calling and gave him a deep passion for investing in the people behind the technology.

Since then, Gene has mixed at world-class venues including Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Carnegie Hall and worked with artists he deeply respects, but his heart remains with the local church. Today, he partners with churches across the country to mentor engineers, strengthen systems, and develop healthy teams that serve their congregations well. Gene believes the most meaningful work isn’t achieving the perfect mix—it’s helping people discover their potential and equipping them to thrive for the long haul.

Makenzie Merrifield is the Connections Minister at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen, Texas, where she oversees an incredible team of over 500 volunteers. Passionate about ministering to every individual who walks through the doors, Makenzie is dedicated to making everyone feel welcomed and valued, regardless of their circumstances.

Since joining Cottonwood Creek in 2019, Makenzie has served in a variety of roles, each one helping her discover her true strengths in ministry. She has found her calling in serving alongside God’s people, supporting and empowering them to thrive in their roles each week. Reflecting on her role, Makenzie says, "I get a front-row seat to watch God work day-in-and-day-out with my volunteer team and in the lives of the new people we get to meet."

Her leadership is characterized by a deep commitment to nurturing and growing a strong community of faith, ensuring that every volunteer feels supported and inspired.

Building teams, especially for behind-the-scenes ministries, is what Dennis Choy has done for over 30 years. For 25 years Dennis was at North Coast Church in San Diego as Executive Pastor and Production Pastor. After that, he was the Global Production Pastor at Saddleback Church in California for years and moved on to be Executive of Creative Arts at Skyline Church in San Diego. He is currently the General Manager of Design and Projects for Houseright.com. Creating and developing production, creative and communications teams are his favorite ways to lead and serve, and he lends real-life perspective on how things really work in the church world. Having taught classes at NAB, INFOCOMM, SALT, NAMM, and other conferences around the country, he is excited to share his experiences—good and bad—with anyone who wants to hear. He loves Jesus, Technology, and People. Dennis resides in Oceanside, California, with his wife, Michelle, three amazing kids, and daughter-in-law.