Steubenville Conferences

Lauren Gothard is a daughter of the abundantly generous Father. She has been seeking to know and serve the Lord for eight years since converting to the Catholic Church. She is passionate about seeing a Church fully alive in the joy, peace, and purpose that God has for us. Lauren is currently a full-time missionary for Damascus Catholic Missions Campus in Centerburg, Ohio. She spends most of her time loving on teens and creating environments where people can fall head over heels in love with God. She enjoys good coffee, acoustic vibes, and quality cheese.

Bishop Scott McCaig, CC, was born in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada, and grew up Kamloops, British Columbia and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1987. After serving with NET Catholic Youth Ministries USA, he joined the Society of Apostolic Life the Companions of the Cross in 1989 and later served two terms as general superior (2006 to 2016). Bishop McCaig holds an undergraduate degree in history from Carleton University, a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from the University of St. Paul, and a master of divinity degree from the University of Toronto. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1995, serving in numerous capacities. He was appointed by Pope Francis as Military Ordinary of Canada on April 8, 2016, and ordained to the episcopacy on the Feast of the Visitation, May 31, 2016. Bishop McCaig serves on several boards, has participated in many missionary outreaches, and assists in training missionaries with NET Ministries of Canada. In addition, he is episcopal advisor for the Spiritual Motherhood of Priests Apostolate in Ottawa, serves on the Committee for Ecumenical Dialogue for the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops, and is liaison to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario.

Peter Herbeck is the vice president and director of missions for Renewal Ministries. For the past 30 years, he has been actively involved in evangelization and Catholic renewal throughout the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Peter is a co-host for the weekly television programs The Choices We Face and Crossing the Goal. He also hosts the daily radio show Fire on the Earth. He is a frequent conference speaker, has authored When the Spirit Comes in Power and When the Spirit Speaks, and has produced CDs and booklets about discipleship and life in the Spirit. Peter and his wife, Debbie, have four children and reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Debbie Herbeck has shared with many her personal journey of faith from Judaism to the Catholic Church. For the past 40 years, Debbie has worked extensively in youth and women’s ministry, speaking, leading mission trips, and mentoring high school and college age women. She is the founder and executive director of Pine Hills Girls’ Camp and the founder and leader of Be Love Revolution, a ministry that helps young girls encounter Christ and be his love in the world. Debbie has written five books and is a frequent author and speaker for Blessed is She. Debbie and her husband, Peter, live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and have 4 young adult children and 10 grandchildren.

Bio coming soon.

Al Kresta is a broadcaster and president and CEO of Ave Maria Communications. He hosts the nationally syndicated Catholic talk show Kresta in the Afternoon heard on over 400 stations and Sirius Radio weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Al’s life and spiritual journey took on a new dimension in February 2003 when he lost his left leg to a virulent infection often referred to as the flesh-eating bacteria. His extended recovery and eventual return to broadcasting have given him new insights into the realities of suffering and hope. Al is the author of the best-selling book Dangers to the Faith: Recognizing Catholicism’s 21st Century Opponents and several others.

Dr. Nina Sophie Heereman is a Catholic biblical scholar from Germany. After completing law studies and serving for two years as junior lawyer, she experienced a powerful encounter with the Word of God and felt the call to dedicate her life fully to the Church in the new evangelization. She obtained a baccalaureate in theology from the Gregorian University, a licentiate in sacred Scripture from the Pontificial Biblical Institute and the doctorate in sacred Scriptures at the École biblique et archéologique de Jérusalem. Dr. Heereman has taught at the Collège des Bernardins in Paris and the Pontificial Biblical Institute in Rome and is currently an assistant professor of sacred Scriptures at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California.

Curtis Mitch is a writer and editor at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Among his publications, he is the main annotator for the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Ignatius Press), a co-author of commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Romans (Baker Academic), and a contributor of several book chapters in the Catholic for a Reason apologetics series (Emmaus Road). He earned a BA in religious studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and an MA in theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Curtis resides with his lovely wife, Stacy, and their nine children in Ohio.

Lisa Brenninkmeyer is the founder and chief purpose officer of Walking with Purpose (WWP). WWP is a Catholic women’s Bible study ministry which she began out of a desire to see women come to encounter Christ personally through Scripture. Over 45,000 adult women are currently participating in WWP parish or small group studies. Lisa has written nine Bible studies for adult women, six for young adult women, a complete set of offerings for middle school girls and two devotionals. Lisa’s first book, Walking with Purpose: Seven Priorities that Make Life Work, has sold over 80,000 copies to-date. She and her husband Leo have seven children and live in St. Augustine, Florida.

Megan Mastroianni has spoken to people all over the country and beyond about the mercy and love of God. She is very passionate about her relationship with Christ and has a sincere desire to inspire people to deeper intimacy with him. Megan currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and baby girl and is currently doing the full-time mommy thing.