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
Pastor José Cortés Jr. is a dedicated Seventh-day Adventist leader, serving as Associate Director of the North American Division Ministerial Association. He oversees pastoral evangelism, church planting, revitalization, and leadership development, supporting thousands of pastors and elders across North America.
With a deep love for ministry, he has served as a pastor, church planter, and departmental director. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and a Master of Divinity from Andrews University and a B.A. in Theology from Washington Adventist University.
Joanne Cortes
Pastor of BeLove SDA ChurchJoanne Cortes is a passionate leader and visionary who believes every person has a unique gift the world needs. She dedicates her life to helping others uncover their God-given potential—encouraging them to believe boldly, love compassionately, and embrace their humanity while trusting God’s plan. An ordained pastor with the Potomac Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Joanne has been at the forefront of ministry and community impact.
She planted BeLove Church in Washington, D.C., and is now leading the launch of BeLove NoVA in Virginia, creating spaces for connection, healing, and growth.
Ernesto Hernandez
Media Director,Washington Conference
Jennifer Woody
Pastor of Monroe Seventh-day Adventist churchPastor Jennifer Woody serves at the Monroe Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Washington Conference. She holds a BA in theology from Washington Adventist University and a Master’s in pastoral ministry from Andrews University. Currently, she is completing a Doctorate of Ministry at Andrews University, focusing on Church Growth and Multiplication.
She has been dedicated to serving her community and church with wisdom and devotion, striving to guide others toward spiritual growth. With a passion for ministry, Jennifer claims Colossians 1:28-29 as her purpose and motivation for ministry.
Roger Walter
Pastor of Adventist Community Church, President of EvangeLeadRoger 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.
Doug Bing
President of theWashington 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.
Roger Hernandez
Ministerial and Evangelism Director, Southern Union ConferenceA 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.
Kathy Hernandez
Ministerial and Evangelism Coordinator, Southern Union ConferenceKatherine 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.
Kojo Twumasi
Pastor of Northwood & Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist ChurchesKojo 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.
Alex Portillo
Pastor of Hockinson Seventh-day Adventist ChurchAlex 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.
Tyler Long
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.
David Klinedinst
Director of Evangelism and Church Growth, Chesapeake ConferenceDavid 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.
Dustin Hall
Pastor, Director, andPodcast Co-Host "Try Jesus"
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.
Dan Serns
Church Growth and Revitalization,North Pacific Union
Dan Serns is a seasoned church leader with a passion for church growth, revitalization, and lay member training. Starting January 2025, he will lead these efforts for the North Pacific Union Conference. He previously served as president of the Central California Conference and held key leadership roles in the Texas Conference and NPUC.
With a master's in pastoral ministry from Andrews University, Dan has pastored multiple districts, planted five churches, and baptized over 400 individuals. An author and speaker, he shares insights through publications, his blog, and social media. He and his wife, Lois, are dedicated to ministry, with their children also serving in church leadership.
Danielle Farrell
Young Adult Director at Camelback Adventist Church, Founder of The Salt & Light ProjectDanielle Farrell is a dedicated ministry leader with over 20 years of experience in children’s and youth ministries, event planning, logistics, and music. She currently serves as the Young Adult Director at her church in Phoenix and is the founder of The Salt & Light Project, a ministry empowering young adults in their faith.
Originally from Alaska and Washington State, Danielle now calls Arizona home. Beyond ministry, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren; travel planning; and freelance voice-over work. However, her greatest passion is guiding young people to Christ and encouraging them to share their faith with confidence.
Nemaia Faletogo
Evangelist,Washington Conference
Pastor Nemaia serves as an Evangelist for the Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and has shared the Word of God both nationally and internationally. Nemaia grew up in West Seattle, where God rescued him from a life of crime, drugs, and gang activity.
Nemaia’s passion is sharing Jesus Christ through His Word. His messages of hope are Christ-centered and spirit-filled, with practical lessons on Christian living.
He enjoys traveling the world sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, alongside his wife Candace, and their children.
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.
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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Check out these Speaker Spotlight videos to hear what this year's speakers are excited about for this event.Watch Videos »
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."
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