OTTAWA:
LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.

Craig Groeschel 

Founding & Senior Pastor, Life.Church; Bestselling Author

Globally recognized as a leader of leaders, Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient. Known for its missional approach to leveraging the latest technology, Life.Church is the creator of the YouVersion Family of Bible Apps — installed on over a billion unique devices worldwide. He hosts the top-ranked “Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast” and is a New York Times bestselling author. His latest book is “Heal Your Hurting Mind: Biblical Hope for Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, and the Emotions No One Talks About.” 

The Invisible Language of Leadership – reshaping culture through what leaders reward and repeat. 

Priscilla Shirer   

Cofounder, Going Beyond Ministries; Bestselling Author 

Priscilla Shirer is the cofounder of Going Beyond Ministries, which creates books, Bible study resources, conferences and films such as “War Room,” “I Can Only Imagine” and “The Forge.” Shirer has authored more than two dozen books and two New York Times bestsellers, including “Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer,” which was named the 2016 Christian Book of the Year.  

A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Priscilla holds a master’s degree in biblical studies and considers it a privilege to serve people from every stream of the global Church. Shirer’s latest offering is a book on discipleship called “I Surrender All.” 

Rediscovering the Sacred Nature of Work – finding clarity and purpose in the day to day. 

Jim Collins  

Management Educator; Bestselling Author 

Jim Collins is a student and teacher of exceptional human endeavor and a Socratic advisor to leaders across all sectors. Having invested more than three decades in rigorous research, he has authored or coauthored books that have sold more than 11 million copies, including the #1 bestseller “Good to Great” and the enduring classic “Built to Last.” His newest book, available April 2026, tackles the big question implicit in its title: “What to Make of a Life.”  

In 1995, Collins founded a management laboratory where he conducts research and engages with CEOs and senior leadership teams. Concepts that emerged from his earlier work have become part of the leadership lexicon, such as Level 5 Leadership, the right people on the bus, the Hedgehog Concept, the Flywheel and Big Hairy Audacious Goals. In 2017, Forbes selected him as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds. 

What to Make of a Life – navigating inflection points and sustaining purpose across a lifetime. 

Vanessa Van Edwards 

Behavioral Researcher; Instructor, Harvard University; Bestselling Author 

Vanessa Van Edwards is a renowned behavioral researcher, international bestselling author and instructor at Harvard University. Her books “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People” and “Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication” have been translated into over 18 languages. More than 100 million people watch her YouTube tutorials and TEDx Talk. 

Van Edwards shares tangible skills to improve interpersonal communication and leadership. She has taught science-backed people skills to audiences worldwide, including Harvard, SXSW, MIT and Stanford. Hundreds of thousands of students have taken her popular communication courses on LinkedIn Learning, and thousands have taken her advanced social skills course, “People School.” Van Edwards has also been featured on CNN, BBC, CBS Mornings, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, The Today Show and many more. She regularly speaks to innovative companies, including Google, Facebook, Comcast, Frito Lay, Microsoft, Amazon and Univision. 

The Surprising Micro-Habits of High-Impact Leaders – research-backed habits that strengthen influence. 

Kwame Christian 

CEO, American Negotiation Institute; Bestselling Author  

Kwame Christian is a bestselling author and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute. His top negotiation podcast, “Negotiate Anything,” has over 15 million downloads in 180+ countries. His books, “Finding Confidence in Conflict” and “How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race,” are both bestsellers that have made significant impacts.  

As a LinkedIn Top Voice, Christian partnered with LinkedIn to create the platform’s only negotiation certificate program — a certificate that has been earned by more than 30,000 negotiators worldwide to date. Featured in Forbes, NPR, USA Today and CNBC, Christian has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies like Google, Apple and NASA. 

Using his personal journey from a people pleaser to a master negotiator, Christian will empower you to handle challenging conversations confidently.

Why Being Right Isn’t Enough – high-stakes conversations using the Compassionate Curiosity™ framework.  

Andy Stanley 

Founder, North Point Ministries; Communicator; Bestselling Author 

Andy Stanley is a globally renowned pastor, communicator, bestselling author and leadership expert. He founded North Point Ministries in Atlanta in 1995, which has grown to eight church campuses in metro Atlanta and a network of more than 210 churches globally, serving hundreds of thousands of people weekly. As the host of “Your Move,” Stanley brings clarity to complex cultural issues using a practical communication style built on helping people make better decisions and live a better life. And as the voice behind “The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast,” he provides pragmatic wisdom and advice to help leaders go further faster. 

Millions of his messages are consumed monthly through television, YouTube, podcasts and more. Stanley is a bestselling author of over 20 books, including, “Not In It to Win It,” “Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets” and “Visioneering.” His latest book, “What Great Leaders Do,” releases August 2026. 

What Great Leaders Do – the practical, action-oriented behaviours that define great leadership. 

Arthur C. Brooks  

Vanderbilt Professor; Bestselling Author   

Arthur C. Brooks is one of the world’s leading experts on the science of human happiness, appearing in the media and traveling the world to teach people in private companies, universities, public agencies and faith communities how they can live happier lives and bring greater well-being to others. Brooks is a professor at Vanderbilt University and a senior fellow at the Harvard Business School. He is a CBS News contributor, columnist with The Free Press and host of the weekly podcast “Office Hours with Arthur Brooks.”  

He is the author of 16 books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers “The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness,” “Build the Life You Want” (coauthored with Oprah Winfrey) and “From Strength to Strength.” 

Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness – the science of meaning, flourishing, and purpose at work. 

Alison Levine

Polar Explorer, Mountaineer; Bestselling Author

Alison Levine has climbed the highest peak on every continent, served as the team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition and skied across the Arctic Circle to the geographic North Pole. In January 2008, she made history as the first American to follow a remote route across west Antarctica for 600 miles to the South Pole. Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she had three heart surgeries and suffers from a neurological disease that causes the arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather, leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite.

Levine spent four years as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she focused on leading teams in extreme environments. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller “On the Edge.”

 Confronting Uncontrollable Environments – practical strategies for how resilience is built one decision at a time.  

Julio García 

Cofounder and CEO, Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen 

Julio García, cofounder and CEO of Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen, is a visionary entrepreneur committed to creating opportunities for others. Born in Mexico City, he came to the U.S. with no English but with big dreams and relentless drive. Early on, he witnessed the darker side of the restaurant industry — where hard work was often met with mistreatment and little opportunity. García promised: “If I ever get the chance to build something of my own, I’ll build it differently.”   

Ambriza Kitchen was born from that promise. Now with three locations and three more underway, it has grown into a recognized name in Houston’s culinary scene. García, who holds a degree in economics and finance from the University of Houston, is passionate about developing future leaders within his company, helping them become franchisees and business owners. 

Leadership Is Not a Privilege – purpose over ambition; serving others as the root of meaningful leadership. 

Ryan Leak  

CEO, the Ryan Leak Group; Bestselling Author 

Ryan Leak is a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host and strategic advisor renowned for his ability to inspire and transform individuals and organizations. As the CEO of a leadership development firm based in Dallas, Leak and his team train over 30,000 leaders annually — from Fortune 500 companies to professional sports teams — using research-backed strategies that drive real results. He is the author of “Chasing Failure,” “Leveling Up” and his latest release, “How to Work With Complicated People.” Leak also hosts “The Ryan Leak Podcast,” where he shares short, impactful leadership insights drawn from his coaching, research and real-world experience. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show.” Whether through his powerful keynote speeches, bestselling books, podcast or social media presence, Ryan Leak inspires over 50,000 individuals every month to reach their God-given potential. 

Building a Culture They Never Want to Leave – reducing disengagement; creating environments where people flourish. 

Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten  

CEO, Wonder Project  

Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten is the CEO of Wonder Project, an entertainment brand that produces and curates premium theatrical films and series for the global faith and values audience. Under her leadership, Wonder Project has raised more than $100 million from investors, launched a subscription service on Prime Video and released original programming, including the biblical epic “House of David,” the family drama series “It’s Not Like That” and the biographical drama “Sarah’s Oil.” 

Over the past 20 years, Hoogstraten has held senior leadership roles at major media organizations. At Netflix, she spearheaded the company’s international expansion and at YouTube, she served as Vice President of Content where she led the Americas business, including the launch of YouTube TV. 

Make the Call: When Risk Beats Certainty – decision-making under uncertainty; empowering sound judgment. 

David Ashcraft  

President and CEO, Global Leadership Network; Author 

David Ashcraft is president and CEO of the Global Leadership Network. He is also the founder and president of The Advantage, a leadership collaborative that mentors and encourages pastors across Pennsylvania. As senior pastor of LCBC Church in Pennsylvania for 32 years, David helped grow weekly attendance from 150 people to a combined average of more than 22,000. He is the coauthor of “What Was I Thinking? How to Make Better Decisions So You Can Live and Lead with Confidence.” He also hosts The Global Leadership Podcast, featuring conversations with leaders from diverse fields about their leadership journey.

Better When I’m Gone – legacy, succession planning, and intentional leadership transition. 

Andrew Stanley

Comedian

Growing up as a homeschooled preacher’s kid, it was unlikely that Andrew Stanley would ever find love, become a comedian or contribute to society in a meaningful way. Two out of three is not too bad! Now a husband and fast-rising stand-up comedian, Stanley has been performing all over the United States since 2016. His unique perspective pairs well with his dry delivery and observational nature. Stanley can be heard regularly on Sirius XM radio, he was selected as a New Face of Comedy at Montreal’s prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and he appeared on Nate Bargatze’s “The Showcase” on Nateland. Stanley’s parents are still alive, so he works clean.