Melissa Maimone
Key Note Speaker
Melissa Maimone is a sought-after Christian speaker and author for women's events, retreats, and conferences. With her unique blend of theology, humor, and lessons from her own battle with depression, Melissa provides down-to-earth lessons, practical application, and life-changing perspectives. She engages her audience with art, Scripture, story-telling, and a conversational approach. Simply put, Melissa stirs women to discover a deeper relationship with God.
Women leave their time with Melissa equipped with biblical, realistic, and transferrable tools to live a life of JOY, no matter what they face in life.
Melissa is the author of The Radiant Midnight: Depression, Grace, and the Gifts of a Dark Place (Harvest House Publishers) and Gathering Dandelions: Meditations and Musings on Faith, Fracture, and Beauty Mistaken for a Weed.
Melissa served as the Director of Women’s Ministry (along with wearing a few other hats!) at a large church in Santa Clarita, CA for over a decade. She uses her wide range of church ministry experience and her B.A. in Organizational Management to mentor other women in leadership.
She and her husband Danny live outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. They are parents to Cole, a research assistant living in New Orleans, and Elizabeth, who lives at home. Their daughter Elizabeth has developmental delays. The experience of raising a child with special needs has been both challenging and rewarding--but they wouldn't change a thing! She loves Jesus, her family, and her friends. Her hobbies include reading, walking, watching weird documentaries, and searching out the perfect street taco.
Kayla Moses
Heart Shift Founder & Conference Host
Kayla is the founder of Heart Shift and the host of this year’s conference. A devoted follower of Christ, she is a wife, a mother, a speaker, and an author who carries a deep passion for seeing the body of Christ unified and strengthened. In addition to leading Heart Shift, Kayla serves as the Kids Director at her church, where she pours into the next generation with joy, creativity, and biblical conviction.
Driven by her desire to see women rooted in Scripture, Kayla longs to help them not only read the Word but live it out with courage and clarity. Her vision for Heart Shift is to cultivate a safe, Christ-centered community where women can find genuine connection, encouragement, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Kayla is also a dedicated homeschool mom and an advocate for both autism and type 1 diabetes—roles shaped by her journey parenting two children with unique and beautiful special needs. Through every season, she strives to walk in obedience to Christ and encourages others to do the same with steadfast faith and authenticity.
Stephanie Dodson
Breakout Speaker
Stephanie has been a devoted military wife for the past ten years, navigating the unpredictable rhythms of military life with her husband, Cole. Together, they are raising two energetic boys—Logan, age 9, and Jaxon, who is almost 2—who keep their home full of adventure, laughter, and love.
Though her days are often busy and spontaneous, one constant remains: Stephanie’s unwavering faith in God. Through every trial, transition, and moment of uncertainty, she has seen God’s faithfulness carry her family. Time and again, He has shown Himself steady, present, and generous—blessing them in ways beyond understanding. With God firmly at the center of her life, Stephanie’s mission is simple yet profound: that others would see Jesus through her. She longs to reach hearts with the hope of Christ, sharing what He has done for her and what He desires to do in the lives of others.
Filled with the joy of the Lord, Stephanie shines as an encourager—lifting spirits, strengthening faith, and reminding others of God’s goodness in every season.
MELINDA HART
BREAKOUT SPEAKER
Melinda is a devoted Christ-follower, wife, and mother who is passionate about encouraging women to trust God in every season. Originally from Ohio, she and her husband, Ryan, stepped out in faith in 2021 to follow God’s leading to North Carolina. As a homemaker, mother to her spirited toddler Tobias, and a hairstylist serving clients in the evenings, Melinda views her work as a ministry—an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love through everyday moments.
Having navigated significant life changes, financial challenges, and the unique complexities of neurodivergence, Melinda has experienced firsthand the sustaining grace and faithful provision of God. Her journey has cultivated in her a deep desire to walk alongside other women in discipleship and spiritual growth. Melinda brings an authentic, encouraging voice to conversations about faith, finances, and trusting God with the unknown.
Lesley jones weber
Breakout speaker
Lesley is a Christian artist and songwriter whose music speaks to women longing for freedom, healing, and redemption—especially those who feel “too messy” for God yet still hope for His love. Through her honest lyrics and Spirit-led ministry, Lesley meets people in the midst of their shame, struggles, and search for hope, reminding them that Jesus embraces every story with unwavering grace.
Lesley’s ministry deepened profoundly in 2020 following the sudden loss of her mother. Out of that season of grief emerged a new kind of worship—raw, restorative, and anchored in the fierce mercy of Jesus. Her songs resonate with the weary, the recovering, and all who are clinging to grace, offering a musical refuge for those longing for peace and home.
Known for writing “truth music that hits harder than lies,” Lesley continues to inspire and uplift through her authentic storytelling and gospel-centered message. She will release her new single, “Sound Mind,” in 2026, expanding her mission to share hope through story, song, and Spirit-led encouragement.
Alongside her husband, Lesley co-leads Celebrate Recovery, ministers from home, and pours into her family as they raise their children together. A nurse currently on pause to pursue full-time ministry, she carries a deep passion for the broken, the brave, and the Redeemed Seekers. Her life echoes the truth she longs for every woman to know: No one is ever too far gone for the love of God.
Sarah elias
breakout speaker
Sarah is a devoted wife to her husband, a proud veteran, of 15 years, a mother to two energetic teenage daughters, and a dog mom to two lovable—yet very large—pups. She holds a B.S. in Communicative Disorders and served as a teacher’s aide for five years, spending her final two years working closely with children with disabilities. Currently, Sarah pours her heart into her home and her church, faithfully serving in children’s ministry and on the meal train team.
While she cherishes her roles as wife, mother, and servant leader, the most significant part of Sarah’s identity is who she is in Christ. Before surrendering her life to Him, she never imagined how God could take her brokenness and turn it into a testimony of healing, hope, and redemption. Sarah speaks candidly about difficult and deeply personal topics—from abortion recovery to mental health struggles—with the desire to glorify God and walk alongside women who feel alone in their pain. By courageously “wearing her heart on her sleeve,” she hopes to lead others back to the comfort, truth, and transformational power of Jesus.
During the day, you’ll often find Sarah studying Scripture, reading, organizing, or cooking from scratch. She delights in a good cup of coffee, experimenting with new recipes, and diving deep into topics that spark her curiosity.
Sarah’s passion is simple yet profound: to point hurting hearts toward Christ, the One who restores, redeems, and makes all things new.
katie wanberg
BREakout speaker
Katie is a devoted wife, mom, and military spouse whose story testifies to God’s patient, transforming grace. Married to her husband, Collin, for 18 years and navigating military life for 16 of those years, Katie has learned firsthand what it means to build a Christ-centered home in seasons of constant change. She is the mother of two children, ages fourteen and twelve, and has always carried a deep desire to give her kids a different foundation than the one she had growing up.
Although Katie became a Christian at the age of four, she spent much of her life lacking spiritual maturity and searching for validation in places that could never truly satisfy. Through years of wandering, God gently pursued her, softening her heart and revealing that the affirmation she longed for could only be found in Christ. Last year, she rededicated her life to the Lord, embarking on a renewed journey of faith marked by surrender, growth, and a desire to walk closely with Him.
Katie shares with honesty, humility, and hope, inviting women to discover the freedom and identity that come from knowing Christ deeply. Her passion is to encourage others to pursue spiritual maturity, cultivate unity within their families, and anchor their lives in the One who never fails.