Larry Acosta

Larry Acosta is President and Founder of the Hispanic Ministry Center, Urban Youth Workers Institute & Co-founder of KIDWORKS along with his wife Jayme.  Under Larry’s leadership, UYWI has grown from a local, southern California ministry, to a national powerhouse, operating in 23 U.S. cities with a combined network of over 18,000 emerging ethnic leaders. UYWI is recognized as one of the top urban leadership training organizations in the United States.

  He is an accomplished keynote having spoken at conferences and events throughout the U.S.  He serves on the boards of Kingdomworks SDG and KIDWORKS.  His achievements also include serving as contributing writer to the handbook “Deep Justice in a Broken World” and “Urban Youth Ministry Handbook” and he was Editor of SHOUT Magazine.

  Larry graduated from both Biola University and Talbot School of Theology and completed his doctorate in Leadership Development at Fuller Theological Seminary.  He is married to his lovely wife of 18 years, Jayme, and they have four wonderful children, Brock (13), Karis (11) and Malia (6) and Diego (5). back to top

For more information visit www.uywi.org 

Ruben Austria

Ruben Austria is a dedicated and passionate advocate for young people who has worked with youth in the justice system for over ten years. He is the founding executive director of Community Connections for Youth (CCFY), a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower faith and community-based organizations to develop effective alternative-to-incarceration program for court involved youth. CCFY provides training and technical assistance to faith and community leaders in advocating for and on working effectively with youth in the justice system. He also directs the Ruben Austria Consulting Group, a for-profit company that provides consultation on organizational development, fundraising, and grantwriting services to nonprofit organizations. Recognized as one of the top grant writers and development strategists in the field, Ruben Austria has personally written successful proposals that have received over $10 million in funding. Ruben also serves as an Associate Pastor at the Promised Land Church in the Bronx and oversees the church’s youth outreach. In his spare time he enjoys playing jazz and bossa nova guitar in the family band Mambola with his siblings. Ruben earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from Cornell University, and is a graduate of Columbia University’s Institute for Non Profit Management. back to top

Dr. A.R. Bernard Sr.

Dr. A.R. Bernard, Sr. A.R. Bernard is the President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York representing over 1.5 million Protestants, Anglicans and Orthodox Christians. He is also the founder and spiritual leader of over 32,000 members of New York's Christian Cultural Center. His compelling radio and television broadcasts have gained national and international recognition. His practical application of spiritual principles has placed him in demand as a sought-after speaker by some of the leading "Fortune 500" companies, universities, colleges and churches. He is a spiritual life coach to many high profile individuals and has held leadership and staff development seminars throughout the world. back to top

For more information visit www.cccinfo.org 

Jamaal Bernard

Jamaal Bernard is the Youth Pastor of New York City’s largest church, Christian Cultural Center (CCC), which currently has over 30,000 members. Pastor Jamaal Bernard supports thousands of youth, which includes not only members of the church but those across communities in the tri-state area. As Youth Pastor, Jamaal has led students across the globe on evangelical mission trips to countries such as Guatemala, Jamaica and Singapore.  Local efforts include ministering to and feeding the homeless through organizations such as the Bowery Mission, Father’s Heart and Habitat for Humanity. By connecting youth from different churches, both internationally and locally, he plans to create a new urban culture, by communicating truth on the streets, which in turn cultivates seeds of greatness. back to top

For more information visit www.c3info.org 

Bo Boshers

Bo Boshers is Executive Director, Student Ministry of Willow Creek Association, for almost a decade, Bo was the Director of Student Impact where he led an outreach of over 1,000 students at the high school ministry of Willow Creek Community Church. He has twenty plus years of ministry experience and continues to be involved in the Willow Creek student ministries. Bo is the author of Student Impact Small Group Resources, Student Ministry for the 21st Century, Impact Sports: Creative Competitions for Team Building, Doing Life with God, and Becoming a Contagious Christian: Student Edition. Bo, his wife Gloria and their three kids live in Algonquin, Illinois. back to top

Pastor Jacob Burgei

Jacob Burgei is the youth pastor of Faith Generation Youth church. A ministry that’s vision is to raise up a generation of teenagers by equipping them and discipling them by the Word of God. He has been in full time ministry since 1999 and has served in many areas of ministry in the local church. Jacob and his wife relocated to New Jersey from Indiana in 2007. They are also the Directors of youth & children’s at Faith fellowship ministries World Outreach Center in Sayreville, NJ under the leadership of Pastor David T. Demola. back to top

For more information, visit www.faithgen.com

Harvey Carey

Harvey Carey is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan, the fastest-growing multicultural church in the region. He is known internationally as a dynamic speaker whose inspiring leadership and vision for urban renewal unites people across boundaries of race, age, class and culture. A graduate of Trinity International University, Carey served for nearly twenty years as the Youth and Assistant Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, where he developed a nationally-emulated teen ministry model that reached thousands of inner-city youth in Chicago and in urban areas across the nation.  Carey is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation, a non-profit providing social services, housing and enrichment activities for youth and children. back to top

Drew Castillo

Drew Castillo is the Youth Director of The Fire House Youth Ministry in Dallas, TX under the Sr. Leadership of Bishop TD Jakes.  Drew has served in youth ministry for over ten years even while completing his degree in Biblical Studies in Pastoral Ministries at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Drew is passionate about youth ministry and seeks to raise a generation of young people that will be used by God “NOW”. Besides ministering to hundreds of youth on a weekly basis Drew also has a passion in Multi-Media Production. He has consulted and has produced commercials and graphics to various mega churches, ministers and organizations such as The Potter’s House, Myron Butler and Levi, Lacrae, Noel Jones, BET, and Brinks to name a few. He also incorporates media production into his weekly youth services where he empowers young people to produce various projects. Drew is humbled and honored to be a voice and ear of this generation of young people and their leaders. back to top

Ralph Castillo

Ralph Castillo is the Chief Marketing Officer, and Co-founder of Youth Explosion Ministries at Christ Tabernacle Church in Glendale, New York. Ralph has spent over a decade investing his life to influencing youth and youth culture. He is director of the Legacy Center, a community development center which will create and support programming services for the community. Ralph Castillo is a graduate of New York University Gallatan School of Individual Studies. In 2008 Ralph Castillo was awarded Cultural Honoree of the New York City Hispanic Heritage Awards. Ralph lives in Queens, New York with his wife Lisa, and their two sons.back to top

For more information visit Ralph's Blog

Katy Coffman, also known as Oraia

As both a writer and public speaker, Oraia has fused her gifting into a powerful creative tool through the art of “Spoken Word”. This unique anointing has given Oraia a distinct voice not only within the body of Christ but far beyond. Her message has torn down walls of cultural and racial division and is gripping the hearts of young men and women from every walk of life. Oraia has been honored to minister at an extensive collection of diverse churches and venues. She also sits on the Creative Team for Upsidedown Inc. and is the Producer for Youth Explosion Ministries in New York City where she serves under the leadership of Pastors Michael, Adam and Chris Durso. back to top

Keith Cote

Keith Cote is a consultant for the Willow Creek Association, where he directs leadership training and development programs for thousands of students and adults both domestically and internationally. He is also the Director of LEAD222 United.  With his over 20 years of experience, Keith teaches and trains other leaders and students all around the world on how to build high performing teams. He consults on leadership and organizational development and is the author of “Beyond the Game” and co-author of “Vision Moments”. Keith was an All – American football player in college and continues to work in the arena of sports through FCA. One of his primary roles as the Director of LEAD222 is to provide Vision, Training and Resources to strategic leaders to help them build effective youth workers within and around local churches. Keith graduated from Wheaton College in 1984, receiving a BA in Physical Education/Christian Education. Keith and his wife, Angela, live in Wheaton, IL, with their four children, Samuel, Graham, Madelyn, and Camille. back to top

Jeremy Del Rio

Rev. Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. co-founded and directs 20/20 Vision for Schools, a movement to transform public education that launched in New York City in 2008, and connects, trains, and mentors youth workers regionally through Urban Youth Workers Institute and locally as the chair of the Coalition of Urban Youth Workers.  He has consulted ministries and nonprofits since 2000; and directed Generation Xcel, a holistic youth center in Manhattan, from 1996-2006. Jeremy was the founding, bi-vocational youth pastor at Abounding Grace Ministries (1994-2004), and also worked as a corporate attorney in New York. He has contributed to four recent books, including Deep Justice in a Broken World (Zondervan/YS 2008) and The Justice Project (Baker Books 2009), and his articles have appeared in Charisma, Willow, The Journal of Student Ministries, Relevant, and elsewhere. He and his wife Diana have two sons, Judah and Cyrus.  back to top

For more information visit www.JeremyDelRio.com

Pastor Adam Durso

Pastor Adam Durso is Executive Pastor of Christ Tabernacle and Founder of Youth Explosion Ministries, in Glendale, New York. Youth Explosion has become one of New York’s largest christian youth groups which has been been featured on the 700 Club, BET Nightly News, ABC Teen News, CBS News, BBC Radio, in the NY Times, VIBE Magazine, and NY Newsday. Pastor Adam’s dedication to reaching youths has expanded beyond the New York City Area. He is a frequent speaker at churches, schools, and conferences around the world including Nyack College, and Willow Creek Community Church. Pastor Adam, his wife Luz and three children reside in Long Island, New York.  back to top

Chris Durso

Chris Durso, Creative Director for both “Bizzaro World” Conference and Upsidedown Inc, is currently the Overseer of Youth Explosion Ministries in New York City where he and his team of 75 are passionate about “changing people’s perception on life so they can see that God is freedom and not religion or law”. At just 26 years old, his divergent thinking and distinct creative gift have set him apart as a communicator and positioned him to reach this generation of creators, thinkers & MISFITS in a way that the church has never seen before. back to top

For more information visit www.youthexplosion.com  

Kristi Hayes

Kristi Hayes has been working with junior high school youth for the past 10 years. Her and her husband Grant along with their16-month-old son Holden have just moved back to Oklahoma City from Washington, DC. She has been on multiple church staffs as a youth minister to junior high school students and has worked on Capitol Hill, as well as for the Bush administration. She has a passion to see students make good choices in life. She is currently on staff with Skyline Church and they partner with Youth for Christ a national organization that serves schools and students. She coaches 8th grade girl’s basketball for Hefner public middle school and has found a new passion in coaching.  She has played high school and college basketball. back to top

Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe is an associate worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas and an international worship leader and songwriter. An Alumnus of Dallas Baptist University, Christ For the Nations Institute, and Oral Roberts University, Kari has been leading worship for over 13 years. She has written songs such as No Sweeter Name and Pure, and has been the original voice behind Revelation Song. back to top

For more information visit www.karijobe.com 

Canton Jones

Canton Jones Part singer, songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger, Canton “CJ” Jones,  has entertained over 500,000 people, sold nearly 100,000 units independently; and has several songs in regular rotation in the U.S. and abroad.  Canton’s unlimited repertoire, massive crowd appeal, and global fan base have set him on a course destined to shake the very core of hip hop, urban gospel, and R&B. Jones is signed to Arrow Records, a label owned and operated by Pastor Taffi Dollar, World Changers Church International in College Park, GA.  With three albums, a Grammy nod, a Stellar Award nomination, and three Gospel Choice Awards to his credit, Canton still maintains the unshakable confidence of someone who knows the tide is turning his way. Canton Jones is all about his business.  As an artist, Jones has embarked on an ambitious plan to bring his unique style of hip hop, R&B and urban gospel to the forefront of the industry. As an entrepreneur, Jones is a consummate businessman.  With companies like Kingdom Business andCAJO International he is raising a powerful new standard for young entrepreneurs around the world.  Canton Jones and his wife Ramona reside in Deerfield Beach, Florida. back to top

Tommy Kyllonen, also known as Urban D

Tommy Kyllonen, also known as Urban D. (Disciple) to his music fans, founded the youth ministry at Tampa, Fla.-based Crossover Community Church in 1996. Tommy also pioneered an annual Hip-Hop/urban ministries conference called Fla.vor Fest. In addition to his role as pastor and artist, Tommy’s perspective as a Christian leader and pioneer in reaching the Hip-Hop culture has led him to be a featured speaker at more than 50 church leadership, youth and worship conferences and workshops. Tommy is also a frequent writer, authoring articles for Relevant Leader and The American Bible Society. Tommy and his wife and ministry partner, Lucy, have two beautiful children. A native of Philadelphia, Tommy now calls Tampa, Fla. home. back to top

Dario Lariosa

Dario Lariosa has been involved in youth ministry for 15 years. He has served with some amazing organizations such as The Salvation Army, Greater New York Division and New Life of NYC. Dario now serves as a full time staff member for C3, the youth and young adult ministry of Christian Cultural Center, under the leadership of Pastor Jamaal Bernard. Dario serves C3 as a counselor, mission's coordinator, curriculum writer and a teacher. Dario and his amazing wife Lavern have four awesome kids: Imani, Nia, Isaiah and Joshua.

Ron Luce

Ron Luce is the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries located in Garden Valley, Texas. Together with his wife Katie, Ron founded Teen Mania in 1986 in his van. The ministry has expanded greatly and has become influential within today’s Christian youth culture.

Fred Polirer

Fred Polirer is Founder and President of Intentional Focus, an organizational development consulting firm dedicated to the development of individuals, teams, and organizations. In addition to his role at Intentional Focus, Fred is also a Performance Specialist for Administaff, Inc., supporting their core market clients in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Fred has recently joined the faculty of Nyack College as an adjunct professor in their School of Business and Leadership, facilitating courses in their organizational management program. Fred's focus is to assist clients in addressing their business needs and challenges by recommending and subsequently implementing appropriate training and performance solutions such as coaching, leadership training, and strategic planning.  Fred has a Masters of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College, Bachelors in communication from Queens College  and a Certificates in Human Resource Studies from Cornell University, and Coaching from the The American Society for Training and Development.  Fred and his wife, Jennifer, currently reside in Kew Gardens, NY.  back to top

For more information visit www.intentionalfocus.com

Greg Stier

Greg Stier is the founder and president of Dare 2 Share Ministries International. Since 1991, Greg has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of Christian teenagers through Dare 2 Share events.  Greg combines amazing true-life stories and side-splitting humor to communicate sound Biblical truth in a way that not only inspires teenagers, but motivates them to action. He and his team are committed to mobilize teenagers to relationally and relentlessly reach this young generation for Christ. He is the author of seven books and numerous resources, including Ministry Mutiny: A youth leader fable and Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide for Sharing Your Faith. back to top

For more information visit www.dare2share.org

Min. Din Tolbert

Din E. Tolbert is the younger of two children born to Jeffery Emerson Tolbert (deceased) and Patricia Joan Banks-Tolbert. He is a 2004 graduate of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (B.S., Communication), and currently attends Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he is pursuing a Master’s of Divinity. He is an alumnus of the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Management Leadership for Tommorow’s (ML4T) Career Planning and Job Placement Program. Since January of 2008, Min. Tolbert has served as the Youth Pastor of the Shekinah Youth Church of The Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica, New York where his senior pastors are the Rev. Drs. Floyd and Elaine Flake. Minister Tolbert is a Shekinah product – a preacher since the age of 12 and licensed minister since the age of 19 – and testament to its proficiency as a training place for grounded, intelligent, and capable leaders. He is therefore committed to teaching the Word of God with integrity and instilling the standard of excellence. His interests – outside of the pastorate – include education, fine and performing arts, and community building. back to top

Bishop Hezekiah Walker

The Brooklyn, New York-based Pastor Hezekiah Walker was the leader of the Love Fellowship Tabernacle Church Choir, one of the most popular choral groups in contemporary gospel. Debuting in 1990 with Crusade Choir, Walker and his singers quickly became one of the star attractions on the church circuit, earning their greatest success to date when 1994's Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College scored a Grammy award. After a series of subsequent live recordings cut on both sides of the Atlantic, in 1998 they released Hezekiah Walker Presents the LFT Church Choir, recorded at their homebase at Brooklyn's Love Fellowship Tabernacle. Family Affair followed a year later; Love Is Live appeared in early 2001.