Category: Team East

2020 Youth Conferences

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Ricky Vazquez

Ricky Vazquez is a bilingual worship leader and songwriter/recording artist of Puerto Rican descent who currently resides in Nashville, TN. Ricky has traveled the country and internationally leading worship at a wide range of events for the last 8 years and has also released two folk singer-songwriter albums “Ghost of You” and “More Heart Than Sleeve” which both charted in the top 10 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts. Ricky is a part of the worship collective called “Village Lights” which was nominated for a GMA Dove Award and is signed to Integrity Music alongside Ike Ndola and Sarah Kroger. He is also a part of Anchor Hymns, a collective of artists writing new hymns for the church, alongside artists such as Paul Baloche, Sandra McCracken, and Dee Wilson. Beyond that, Ricky is a man of faith trying to portray the beauty of life through song, in both mainstream and Catholic/Christian audiences.

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Noelle Garcia

Noelle Garcia is a speaker and recording artist with World Library Publications and One Voice Media. She was featured on EWTN and CNN’s Latino in America for her witness on overcoming insecurity. Noelle has been working in youth ministry for over 10 years and combines witness and song to spread the Gospel. She is currently pursuing her master’s of theological studies and resides in Dodge City, Kansas, with her husband and fellow youth/music minister and their five children. Noelle loves avoiding Kansas tornados, eating tacos, and binge watching British drama and The Office reruns.

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Fr. Jonathan McElhone, TOR

Father Jonathan McElhone is a Franciscan TOR, serving at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Before responding to a call with the Franciscans, Father Jonathan worked as an industrial electrician, programming robots. Ordained in 2012, Father Jonathan ministered as a parochial vicar at a parish in Texas before moving back to his alma mater in 2017. Currently, Father Jonathan serves Franciscan as the director of the Priestly Discernment Program. Father Jonathan loves being a priest and ministering the sacraments. He has a passion for sharing the Gospel and never tires of witnessing miracles!

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David Calavitta

David Calavitta is a passionate Catholic in love with Christ and his Church. He’s also very much in love with his wife, Brittany, and their two sons.  In addition to his speaking ministry, he currently serves as the director of Design and Marketing for Life Teen International.

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Bob Lesnefsky

Bob Lesnefsky serves as assistant director of Household Life at Franciscan University. He has spent most of his life sharing the hope of God’s love with inner city kids in the nonprofit he started, Dirty Vagabond Ministries. Bob, aka RIGHTEOUS B, is also a washed up, award-winning Christian hip-hop artist and speaker, using rap music as an engaging outreach to teens. Bob and his wife, Kate, both Franciscan University alumni, live in Steubenville, Ohio, with their seven children. Bob also has a ton of stupid tattoos.