Megan Almon, a former University of Georgia gymnast, was a part of UGA’s 2002 SEC Championship team. She worked as an award-winning journalist until 2008 when she decided to pursue a career speaking and teaching about Christian apologetics — especially in the area of bioethics. She began working with Life Training Institute in 2009 and was awarded an M.A. in Christian apologetics from Biola University in 2011. In 2023 she joined the speaking team at Apologetics, Inc. (formerly the C.S. Lewis Society). Megan and her husband, Tripp — Director of Summit Ministries Gap Year — have been married since 2003 and have two children, Neely and Rogan. Megan enjoys spending time with her family at home in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and is still known to practice handstands in her kitchen. She has spoken to high school-and-college assemblies and classrooms, youth organizations, women’s groups, pregnancy resource centers, congregations, and legislators across the nation on multiple topics including pro-life apologetics, bioethics, and beauty.
Dr. Paul Gould is a philosopher, scholar, teacher, husband, and father. Most importantly he is a follower of Christ. Paul has a Masters in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Purdue University. He is the founder and president of the Two Tasks Institute and a Visiting Fellow at the Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Paul is married to Ethel and has four wonderful kids – Austin, Madeleine, Travis, and Joshua. More about Paul
Dustin Jizmejian is the Sr. Director of Conferences and Events. Starting in 2003, Dustin has been working on Summit’s Summer Staff while pursuing an undergraduate degree from Biola University and a graduate degree from Denver Seminary. After graduation from Seminary, Dustin took a position at Philadelphia Biblical University as a Resident Director, only to be called back by Summit Ministries to direct the Semester program in 2011. In 2017, Dustin accepted a change in position at Summit to Director of Programs. While Dustin directs programs he also speaks on topics ranging from God’s Will, The Christian Worldview, Christian Community, Biblical Theology, Leadership, and Pornography. In addition to his Masters from Denver Seminary, Dustin is pursuing a degree in Leadership, Theology, and Society from Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. Dustin and his wife Ruthann have been married for 10 years and have four children, Rafferty, Cosette, Briar, and Trask and they call Colorado Springs their home.
Dr. Jeff Myers is president of Summit Ministries, a highly respected worldview training program whose tens of thousands of graduates are making a difference in politics, law, academics, medicine, science, and business. In the last 20 years, Dr. Myers has become one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson referred to him as “a very gifted and inspirational young leader.” Evangelist Josh McDowell called him “a man who is 100% sold out to preparing the next generation to reflect the character of Christ in the culture.” Through his appearances on Fox News and other media programs, Dr. Myers has become a fresh voice offering humor and insight from a Christian worldview. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree and teaches leadership courses through Lumerit and Belhaven University. Jeff and his family live in Colorado. More about Jeff
Eric Smith loves Jesus and is working by God’s power to walk in the Spirit, pray without ceasing, love his wife like Christ loved the church, bear the burdens of others, love his neighbors, and so on. After ignoring God up to and through college, Eric accepted God’s gracious gift of salvation at the age of 22. A few years later, Eric attended Summit’s Colorado Summer Conference, and then went on to work with Summit Ministries for 16 years, where he served many roles including a bus driver, a lead hiker on Pikes Peak climb, and Summit Semester Director. Now Eric co-pastors a new church in Colorado Springs, CO and lives in the Springs with his bride, six kids, seven chickens, two rabbits, and a dog. He grew up in Michigan and remains an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. He holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Denver Seminary, and a bachelor degree in business from Miami University (OH).
Dr. Daniel Spanjer graduated from Nyack College with a BA in History and from Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) with an MA Theology. In April 2016, he successfully defended his dissertation at the University at Albany, SUNY. He has taught at Nyack College, University at Albany, and is currently the Chair of the Arts and Sciences Department and Professor of History at Lancaster Bible College. He also serves the college as the director of the Alcuin Society, a scholarly organization which serves campus faculty. Dr. Spanjer has published several essays for the new Encyclopedia of Christianity and developing a book for Square Halo Books on the history of the Western Church. Dan is a pilot and has worked as a mechanic, commercial fisherman, grant administrator, and golf course greenskeeper. He is married to Tara Spanjer and they have three daughters: Meghan, Emily, and Katelyn.
Dr. Ken Turner is a Professor of Bible at Bryan College. After majoring in Physics & Math Education at Arizona State University, he attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his M.Div and Ph.D. in Old Testament Theology. His writings focus on Deuteronomy, Habakkuk, and the science/faith issues surrounding the early chapters of Genesis. Dr. Turner is married to Raegan and has 5 children.
Gregg Katz and his wife Gina live in Sparks, Nevada, where Gregg currently serves as a full-time Worship Pastor at Living Stones Church. Gregg and Gina have several foster and adopted children and three biological children. They enjoy camping and other outdoor activities and love entertaining and spending time with people. Gregg has a bachelor’s in divinity and a master’s in missional leadership. Together they aim to live lives that reflect their love for Jesus and the grace they receive each day.
Dr. Simon Mould has a passion for applying timeless, universal principles that enable Christian leaders to be better positioned to influence the economic and cultural problems of our time. Simon has over 25 years of teaching and executive leadership experience in Christian educational institutions and various for-profit and non-profit organizations.
His primary experience has been applying a classical Christian worldview approach to curriculum development and teaching economics and current world affairs to prepare Christians to think critically and engage in cultural issues winsomely.
Raised in the UK, Simon studied economics and international affairs during the 1980s, witnessing Britain’s transformation from a largely socialist nanny-state to becoming a leading global economy. He moved to the U.S. in the early 90s and completed his graduate and doctoral work in international affairs and curriculum design.
Simon and his wife Sarah have three adult children. They love watching British TV dramas and enjoy getting out in the great North West.
Dr. Gary Hartenburg is the Director of the Honors College and an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Houston Baptist University. His primary research interests are in ancient philosophy, especially Plato and his student, Aristotle. He enjoys thinking about the history and philosophy of education and recently completed a book on Aristotle’s philosophy of education, Aristotle: Education for Virtue and Leisure. One of his favorite aspects of the Honors College curriculum is the study of the history of astronomy and physics, beginning with Plato’s Timaeus and Aristotle’s Physics, continuing through Ptolemy’s Almagest, Copernicus’s Revolutions, Galileo’s Dialogue, and Newton’s Principia, and closing with Einstein’s Relativity, Heisenberg’s Physics and Philosophy, and Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. He and his poet-wife homeschool their children in the suburbs of Houston. More about Gary
Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced “cook”) is leading a charge to celebrate kids the way Jesus did and still does. Her ministry, Celebrate Kids, Inc., based in Fort Worth, TX, is dedicated to inspiring parents, grandparents, and those who work with children, teens, and young adults to nurture them to develop a convinced identity in Jesus Christ.
Dr. Kathy’s influence is renowned, impacting parents, educators, and children of all ages through her compelling keynote addresses, workshops, and spiritual engagements. Well respected in Christian education and advocacy circles, Dr. Kathy actively contributes her expertise to schools, churches, and community initiatives, aligning with organizations like Care Net, Summit Ministries, the Colson Center, and Teach Them Diligently to amplify her message of faith and empowerment. Her insights have garnered recognition in documentary films, notably by Kirk Cameron, and her articulate discussions are frequently featured on platforms like Focus on the Family, Moody Radio, and the American Association of Christian Counselors, further solidifying recognition as a thought leader in child development and faith formation for kids.
Dr. Travis Ricketts has been a professor of history and government at Bryan College for over a quarter of a century. (Clearly, he’s not as old as that makes him sound.) In his doctoral program, he emphasized American political, religious, and military history. To those interests (and classes), over the last decade his faith has compelled an interest in human flourishing, particularly what enables it and what hinders it. When not invested in academic pursuits, his passions are the church, his summer travels with one of these (www.tnvalleyled.com ), which gains him backstage access to many intriguing political, musical, and sporting events, his family, and various sports. Noting that, it would be reasonable to presume that he’s accomplished in the realm of sports, but that would be incorrect. However, his wife played basketball for the Jayhawks, his daughter played soccer for the Razorbacks, and both sons played soccer for Bryan College, with one of them continuing professional pursuit of the sport (currently in USL League One).
Brian Brown is the founder and director of the Anselm Society, a Colorado-based organization dedicated to a renaissance of the Christian imagination. He also serves as vice president of programs for the Colson Center.
Since receiving his B.A. in political theory from Princeton, Brian has worked for various think tanks and as a strategy consultant with over a hundred organizations in the theology, worldview, and culture space. He is a speaker and the author of numerous articles and essays. He was a contributing author to “Why Place Matters,” edited by Wilfred McClay. Brian has a thoroughly intemperate fascination with fairy tales and the novels of Jane Austen, is an amateur cocktail mixologist, and draws and plays the piano “very ill.” He and his wife Christina share their love of beauty with their two small children, Edmund and Edith.
There’s something remarkable that happens when everyone in a room becomes fully captivated at the very same moment… when both the mind and heart open up to new possibilities.
That’s when the real magic happens.
For over two decades, Drew Worsham has been mesmerizing audiences around the world as an illusionist and mentalist. And during 14 of those years, he was also a full-time pastor who guided people of all ages to discover a deeper hope and beauty in life.
Whether it’s speaking and performing for a major corporate conference, teaching at a staff retreat, or consulting 1-on-1 with industry leaders, Drew honors each moment with a unique blend of wisdom and wonder.
Jay Watts – Jay is the Founder and President of Merely Human Ministries, INC., an organization committed to equipping Christians and people who hold pro-life views to graciously defend the intrinsic dignity of all human life in a positive, impacting and Gospel inspired manner.
He has spoken to high schools, universities, and professional organizations all across the United States. He has been an invited speaker to dozens of university groups including Harvard, UNC – Chapel Hill, NC State, and University of Illinois to name only a few. He has appeared on radio and television interviews, regularly featured as the keynote at banquets and national conferences, published popular level articles on a wide array of topics pertaining to bioethics and the university culture, and is a contributing writer to Christian Research Journal.
Dr. Don Williams is R. A. Forrest Scholar at Toccoa Falls College, in Toccoa Falls, Georgia. An accomplished poet, apologist, and cultural critic, Dr. Williams is also a past president of the International Society of Christian Apologetics and an ordained minister in the Evangelical Free Church of America. He lectures widely on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In addition to his many valuable books including Inklings of Reality, Deeper Magic: The Theology behind the Writings of C. S. Lewis, and An Encouraging Thought: The Christian Worldview in the Writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, Dr. Williams’ articles frequently appear in publications such as Touchstone and Christian Research Journal.