Keynote Speakers
Youth Workers Track Keynote Speaker
Kenda Creasy Dean
Kenda Creasy Dean is Associate Professor of Youth, Church and Culture and Director of the Tennent School of Christian Education at Princeton Theological Seminary. A Buckeye by birth and a United Methodist pastor, Kenda is a graduate of Miami University (Ohio), Wesley Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. She served in local church and campus ministry before joining the faculty of PTS, where she is founding director of the Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry.
A prolific speaker and award-winning writer, Kenda is the author of numerous books and articles on young people and the church, including Numb & Numb-er: Youth and the Church of Benign Whatever-ism (Oxford, in-press), Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church (Eerdmans), The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul-Tending in Youth Ministry (Upper Room, with Ron Foster), Starting Right: Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry (Youth Specialties Academic, with Chap Clark and Dave Rahn).
She and her husband Kevin are the parents of Brendan (currently a student in the Conservatory of Film at SUNY-Purchase), and Shannon (currently a freshman at Princeton High School), who make them proud every day. Someday she plans to write a musical, end poverty, explore the desert, finish the kids' scrapbooks, clean closets, and live at the beach.
Student Leaders Track Keynote Speaker
Stephen Gallaher
Dr. Stephen Gallaher is the founder and executive director of Salt ‘n Light Youth Ministry Inc. Salt & Light is built upon the vision of "youth reaching youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” He also serves as assistant professor of Christian ministry/youth ministry at Messiah College and adjunct professor of youth ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. As an ordained pastor within the United Methodist Church, Stephen serves as associate pastor of youth ministry at the Camp Hill United Methodist Church. Stephen holds a D.Min. from Perkins School of Theology.
Stephen is married to Anne. They have three daughters, and two grandsons. Stephen enjoys fishing, hunting, and camping.
