2025 Speaker Lineup

At the Propel Conference, you'll hear inspiring speakers that will encourage your faith and spur you to action. Our main session speakers are some of today's top Seventh-day Adventist church growth experts in North America.

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Jose Cortes Jr.

Associate Director for Evangelism,
North American Division
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Joanne Cortes

Pastor of DC Campus Beltsville Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Doug Bing

President of the
Washington Conference

Doug Bing has served the Washington Conference since 2001, beginning as Ministerial and Evangelism Director and now serving as Conference President. Throughout his ministry, Doug has maintained a deep passion for church revitalization and church planting, believing these areas are key to helping churches effectively reach their communities for Christ and be a positive force for good.

Doug is married to his high school sweetheart, Wilma, who has served as a pastor, teacher, and education administrator. Together, they have three married children and one grandchild, with hopes for many more to come.

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Jennifer Woody

Pastor of Monroe Seventh-day Adventist church
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Roger Walter

Lead Pastor of Adventist Community Church and President of EvangeLead.org

Roger is married to the love of his life, Gail and has been for 37 years. He pastors the Adventist Community Church in Vancouver Washington and also is the founder and president of EvangeLead, a non-profit designed to help people reach their communities and giving them resources so they can do it better.

Roger has written three books: Evangelism Intelligence: Why Adventist Churches Grow Differently, Learning Life: How Personal Devotions Can Make a Difference, and the just released Matthew Asks Why which is his personal story of coming to faith and the Adventist Church.

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Ernesto Hernandez

Media Director,
Washington Conference

Bio goes here...

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Roger Hernandez

Ministerial and Evangelism Director, Southern Union Conference 

A pastor for over 30 years, Roger Hernandez holds degrees from Washington Adventist University and Andrews University.Born in Cuba and fully bilingual, Roger speaks internationally on leadership, evangelism, accountability, and diversity (LEAD).

Roger is also an author of over 30 books, his works include Failure is Not Final and We All Have Problems. Known for his engaging and practical style, Roger is passionate about mentoring and revitalizing congregations.

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Kathy Hernandez

Ministerial and Evangelism Coordinator, Southern Union Conference

Katherine Hernandez is a devoted daughter of God and wife to Pastor Roger Hernandez. Katherine holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in Youth Ministry. Her life's calling has been to extend the love of family to others and work alongside her husband in ministry.

With over 21 years of experience in youth ministry, she has a special passion for working with teen girls. Event planning and youth mentorship have been central to her ministry journey.

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Kojo Twumasi

Pastor of Northwood & Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist Churches

Kojo Twumasi was born in Michigan and raised in New York City. He serves as a pastor in the Ohio Conference of the SDA. Since he was 16, he has dedicated himself to growing the kingdom of God through evangelism. The Lord has used him to lead dozens of domestic and international evangelistic meetings, which have led to over 4,000 people coming to the faith. He specializes in training, mobilizing, and leading churches to execute public evangelistic initiatives successfully.

His joy is in seeing dead or dying churches come back to life.

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Alex Portillo

Pastor of Hockinson Seventh-day Adventist Church

Alex Portillo is a pastor and digital content creator in SW Washington (@SanBertoAlejandro). He holds a Master of Divinity from Andrews University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in leadership and biblical spirituality at George Fox University.

His interests include reading widely, contemplative spirituality, and weightlifting. Alex lives in Vancouver, WA with his wife Chelsea, their sons Ismael and Mateo, and their dog Nimbus.

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Tyler Long

Evangelism Coordinator, Washington Conference

Tyler joined the Navy at 18, traveling the world on three aircraft carriers but feeling unfulfilled. In 1999, his life changed after attending an evangelistic meeting at Oak Harbor Church, where he was baptized. Since then, he has served as a Bible Worker, Evangelist, Church Planter, and now as Personal Ministries Director for the Washington Conference.

Tyler has participated in over 100 evangelistic meetings across four continents and holds master’s degrees in Business Administration and Marriage and Family Therapy.

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Dustin Serns

Pastor of LifeBridge Seventh-day Adventist Church

Pastor Dustin Serns has seen God work miracles to revitalize an aging church he pastored and to plant a new church reaching unchurched young professionals in an urban context. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in ‘Growing and Multiplying Churches’ and regularly equips leaders to be more effective in disciple-making and multiplication.

His wife Caitlin, daughter Quinn and son Joel are the joy of his life.

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David Klinedinst

Director of Evangelism and Church Growth, Chesapeake Conference

David Klinedinst is the speaker for the Forecasting Hope Bible Prophecy series. His sermons air on Christian TV networks like 3ABN and the Hope Channel. With 27 years of ministry experience, David provides evangelism training for pastors and lay leaders across the NAD.

An international speaker, he shares the keys to understanding biblical prophecy with Christ-centered, relational sermons that inspire mission-minded, lay-driven churches. David’s engaging style resonates with diverse audiences worldwide.

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Dustin Hall

Pastor, Director, and
Podcast Co-Host

Dustin Hall has served as a pastor in both single and multi-church districts for 20 years, beginning his ministry in church planting. Known for innovative evangelism, he has led dynamic growth in urban and rural settings, including creating an urban center of influence for families with small children.

Currently, Dustin is leading a church revitalization project, Try Jesus Auburn, featuring a podcast and online content designed for his local community. He is also the author of four books.

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Larry Witzel

Founder & President of SermonView, Director of the Propel Conference

Larry Witzel is an innovator at the intersection of technology, marketing, and ministry. As founder of SermonView Evangelism Marketing, he helps churches grow through digital evangelism and event marketing. He also serves as the event director for the Propel Conference.

With over 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations, Larry has worked with organizations like Intel, It Is Written, and various tech startups. He holds a BA in theology and mass media from Walla Walla University, an MBA from the University of Washington, and is pursuing a PhD in Strategic Media at Liberty University.


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Danielle Farrell

Seventh-day Adventist Church

Bio goes here...


Additional speaker details coming soon!

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Dr. Hiram Rester

Pastor of Boonville & Columbia Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Dr. Roger Walter

Lead Pastor at Adventist Community Church of Vancouver, WA
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Cyndi Keiser

Bible Instructor for the Georgia-Cumberland Conference
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Byron Corbett

English Evangelist for the Texas Conference
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John Freedman

President of the North Pacific Union of Seventh-day Adventists
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Bill McClendon

Vice President of the North Pacific Union of Seventh-day Adventists
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Byron Corbett

English Evangelist for the Texas Conference
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John Freedman

President of the North Pacific Union of Seventh-day Adventists
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Larry Witzel

Founder & President of SermonView Evangelism Marketing

Breakout Session Speakers:

More details coming soon!

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Dr. Roscoe Shields

Pastor of Sharon Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Brent Hardinge

Director of Adventist Information Ministry
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Marshall McKenzie

Assistant Director for Pastoral Care at Adventist Information Ministry
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Alex Portillo

Pastor of Hockinson Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Daniel Hall

Pastor and Church Growth Consultant
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April Burville

Children's Ministries Presenter for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
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D.W. West

Pastor of the Point Pleasant, Charleston Boulevard, and Marietta Seventh-day Adventist Churches
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Luci Peterson

Product Development Manager for SermonView Evangelism Marketing
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Rob Zama

English Evangelist for the Oregon Conference
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Tim Taylor

Director of Outreach for the Oregon Conference
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Brian Ford

Director of eAdventist
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Rob Garvin

Assistant Director of eAdventist
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David Klinedinst

Evangelism & Church Growth Director for the Chesapeake Conference
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Dr. Jason Canfield

Pastor of the Puyallup Seventh-day Adventist Church

Hear why these speakers are excited about Propel this year!


What people are saying:

"If you've ever wanted to be in a place where other people can empower your desire to do evangelism effectively, whether public or otherwise, coming to Propel will give you the relationships, resources, and excitement to go back to your local context and do it even better than you did before."

Ryan Whitehead, Associate Pastor
Adventist Community Church
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Breakout Session Trainers

Choose 4 breakout sessions to attend from 7 different training tracks, presented by these experts in church growth topics.

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Charles Byrd

Elder Charles Byrd is president of QuestLine Productions, producer of Thunder in the Holy Land and I Met God. A pastor with nearly 4 decades in ministry, Byrd is passionate about introducing people to Jesus and helping them along their spiritual journey. He lives with his wife, Karen, in Tennessee.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Thunder in the Holy Land

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Cindy Chamberlin-Eastwood

Cindy Chamberlin-Eastwood is president of The Hope of Survivors, a nonprofit dedicated to support, hope and healing for victims of clergy sexual abuse. A seasoned communicator with organizational reputation and brand-management acumen, Cindy is an SEO content specialist for a Silicon Valley entity. She is the recipient of a Society of Adventist Communicators’ award, author of numerous op-ed pieces, former Conference Vice President of Communication, and past managing editor. She is married to Adventist Pastor Stephen Eastwood and has three grown children.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Making Church a Safe Place

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Dr. César De León

Dr. César De León is Ministerial and Hispanic Ministries Director for the North Pacific Union Conference. Born in Guatemala City, he is an ordained SDA minister and a California licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT). Dr. De León earned his B.A. in theology from Walla Walla College, an M.Div. degree from the Theological Seminary at Andrews University in 1985 and a Master of Science in Marriage & Family Therapy from Loma Linda University in 1993. In 2002, Dr. De León received a clinical Ph.D. in Marriage & Family Therapy from the School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. De León is married to Carolann De León, and they have two adult sons, Zachary and Jonathan.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Dealing with Church Conflict

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Dr. Stan Hudson

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stan Hudson was captured by Hollywood’s positive images of science. Having been introduced to rockhounding as a youth, he enrolled as a geology major at the University of California at Riverside. After experiencing some disappointments and challenges to his worldview, he became a Christian and enrolled at Loma Linda University as a theology major, completing a bachelor’s degree there. He went on to earn a master of divinity degree from Andrews Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.

However, he never lost his love for earth sciences and issues related to origins.  He is co-host of nationally-syndicated LifeTalk Radio’s “Sink the Beagle,” a lighthearted look at the subject of creationism and evolutionism. A resource person for the Adventist Church on origin issues, Dr. Hudson lectures widely to groups, both secular and religious. He is married to Cynthia, a registered dietician, and they have two children. He currently serves the North Pacific Union Conference as the Director of their new Creation Study Center.

Monday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Origins

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Sarah Grant

Sarah Grant is a campaign manager at SermonView Evangelism Marketing, dedicating her time to helping match churches' needs with the most effective advertising resources. She also provides training to conferences and church groups on SermonView's LeadGenerator program that guarantees Bible study leads every month, as well as on InterestTracker, the cloud-based CRM for managing interests on their way to membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: LeadGenerator & InterestTracker

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Cyndi Keiser

Cyndi Keiser is a Regional Bible Instructor for the Georgia Cumberland Conference. Her job entails educating church members with graphically enhanced presentations as well as taking members out in the field for hands-on training. Cyndi has nearly three decades of Bible instructor experience, and completed the Amazing Facts College of Evangelism and ARISE training through Light Bearers Ministry.

Monday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.    Breakout: Bible Study Training Part 1
Monday, May 8, 2:00 p.m.
     Breakout: Bible Study Training Part 2
Tuesday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Bible Study Training Part 3

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David Klinedinst

David Klinedinst is the Evangelism and Church Growth Director for the Chesapeake Conference in Columbia, MD, and the speaker for the Forecasting Hope series airing on 3ABN and the Hope Channel. David has preached at evangelistic series across four continents. His desire is to see a passionate, mission-minded, lay-driven church where each member is looking for opportunities to plant seeds for Jesus. David’s passionate style of speaking has engaged multi-cultural audiences across the world.

David has been married for 27 years to his wife, Marquita. They have two precious daughters, Melaney, 18, and Emiley, 15.

Monday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.    Breakout: Interest Visitation
Tuesday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Preaching Christ in the Doctrines

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Tyler Long

Tyler Long serves as the Personal Ministries Director at the Washington Conference, overseeing Evangelism, Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Native American Ministries. Tyler has been involved in over 100 evangelistic meetings and is passionate about church planting and church revitalization.

Tyler has a Master's in Business Administration and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Tyler has been married to his wife, LaVonne, for 24 years, and they have two kids who attend Skagit Adventist Academy.

Tuesday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Revangelism

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Dr. Paulo Macena

Dr. Paulo Macena is Director for Leadership of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. He has over 25 years of ministry experience in British Columbia, New Jersey, and Maryland as a pastor, conference youth director, and division leader. He earned his MA in youth ministry and DMin in leadership, both from Andrews University.

domingo, 8 de mayo, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Evangelismo Creativo y Eficaz 1
domingo, 8 de mayo, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Evangelismo Creativo y Eficaz 2
martes, 9 de mayo, 10:00 a.m.    Breakout: Discipulado y Mentoria 1
martes, 9 de mayo, 2:00 p.m.    Breakout: Discipulado y Mentoria 2

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Tim Taylor

Tim Taylor is director of outreach ministries for the Oregon Conference, where he provides training and support to 130 churches in their church growth efforts. A certified life coach, Tim has over a decade of experience as a literature evangelist, pastor, and conference department director. He earned a Bachelors in Theology from Southern Adventist University and a Masters of Divinity from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.

Tuesday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Reclaiming Missing Members

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Dr. Sherri Uhrig

Dr. Sherri Uhrig is currently the Children’s Ministry director for the North American Division. Her passion is that all our children have the opportunity to say yes to Jesus! She has worked in various areas of children’s ministries for more than 30 years, including conference children’s ministry director, daycare administrator, writing for faith-based preschool curricula, and kindergarten teacher.

Dr. Uhrig earned her BA from Southwestern Adventist University, an MA in children and family ministry from Bethel Seminary, and a DMin in next generation ministry from Liberty University. She and her husband have two children and six grandchildren.

Monday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: Nurturing Faith in Children
Monday, May 8, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Child Evangelism

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Ted Vanderlaan

Ted Vanderlaan, Esq., is vice president and chair emeritus of The Hope of Survivors, a nonprofit dedicated to support, hope and healing for victims of clergy sexual abuse, where he has volunteered for 15 years. A licensed attorney and Walla Walla University graduate, Ted brings accomplished revitalization, growth, and leadership talents honed from his ten years as vice president for strategy and innovation at a medical educational institution. He is blessed with two children and four grandchildren, and they enjoy outdoor family activities together.

Tuesday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Making Church a Safe Place

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Ryan Whitehead

Ryan Whitehead is associate pastor of Adventist Community Church in Vancouver, WA. He currently serves as the pastor for children, youth and young adults, and loves connecting with this demographic and their families. He also helps oversee the relationship between the church and its schools. Since August 2017 Ryan has enjoyed working with the church staff to develop and grow discipleship and systems throughout the church community.

Ryan has a bachelor’s degree from Southern Adventist University and a Masters from Andrews University, and is working on a DMin at Andrews University. He enjoys time with his wife, Bridget, and their newborn daughter, Brynna.

Monday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.   Breakout: A Spirit of Friendship

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Larry Witzel

Larry Witzel is a respected innovator and inspiring speaker at the intersection of technology and ministry. As founder and president of SermonView Evangelism Marketing, he leads a team providing event marketing, church websites, Bible study lead generation, and interest tracking services to churches throughout the North American Division.

Larry has a BA in theology and mass media from Walla Walla University, earned his MBA from the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, and is currently studying toward a PhD in strategic media at Liberty University. He is a tech team leader and musician at his local church, is chair of the board for Columbia Adventist Academy, and serves on the North Pacific Union Executive Committee. He lives with his wife and two children in Vancouver, Wash.

Monday, May 8, 2:00 p.m.   Breakout: Evangelistic Websites
Wednesday, May 10, 8:30 a.m.   Main Session: The Power of Asking Boldly

(Dr. John Boston II was scheduled to speak, but will be unable to attend this year's Propel Conference due to unforeseen circumstances.)

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