Meet the Summit Presenters
Kristen Walker Smith
Kristen is the host of the Latter-day Hero Summit and the Director of Ruby Girl, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps Latter-day Saint girls gain the confidence to become the heroes of their life story.
Kristen also hosts the One Minute Scripture Study podcast; teaches at EFY and BYU Education Week; and loves rock climbing, peanut butter, and Elder Holland talks more than is healthy.
Find her on Instagram at @kristenwalkersmith
Lexie Kite
Beauty Redefined, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting positive body image online and in live speaking events, is run by identical twins Lexie Kite, Ph.D. and Lindsay Kite, Ph.D. Since establishing Beauty Redefined in 2009, Lexie and Lindsay have become leading experts in the work of body image resilience through research-backed online education available on their website, social media, and through speaking events to tens of thousands across the US. While many well-intentioned people promote positive body image from the basis of helping women realize and embrace their beauty, Beauty Redefined changes the conversation about body image by telling girls and women they are MORE than beautiful. Lexie and Lindsay assert positive body image is about feeling positively toward your body overall, not just what it looks like. The Beauty Redefined mantra is: “Women are more than just bodies. See more. Be more.” This expanded definition of positive body image provides the foundation for their overall mission to promote body image resilience, or the ability to become stronger *because* of the difficulties and shame women experience in their bodies, not *in spite of* those things.Through both research and personal experiences, Beauty Redefined works to arm girls and women with the tools to become resilient in the face of objectification and unreal ideals about female bodies.
Find Lexie on Instagram at @beauty_redefined
Kay West
Kay is the founder of A Worldwide Sisterhood and Distinct and Different, and the creator of #liftwomensevents, #5days5women, and #testimoniesofChrist.
Kay is married to her very best friend for over 20 years. She is a mother of two children, adopted from birth. She has journeyed through racism, years of infertility, miscarriage, a failed adoption, the adoption of two children, and raising a daughter with multiple physical & mental special needs.
Kay spent years running events for a children’s hospital in Canada, as well as a personal assistant for a world-renowned acupuncturist. She has been invited to speak at many events, to contribute to several blogs, and has been interviewed on several podcasts. She is also the author of a few books recently released and coming soon. And she supports her children in their business venture raising awareness and kindness for all children with special needs.
Kay loves her Savior, Jesus Christ and has gained her own testimony of Him through personal revelation that has come through life experiences, studies, faith, and seeking Him daily.
Kay is a speaker, author, a great listener, and a supporter of all women navigating their way through this crazy thing called life. You will often find her with a book, chocolate ice cream, and wearing a cute pair of shoes.
Find Kay on Instagram at @aworldwidesisterhood
Jayne Swallow and Kimberly Christenson
I’m Jayne, founder of Promptly Journals. Ironic as it is, I hate writing. But, when I became a mom, I wanted a way to document my children’s lives. So, I created a prompted journal to quickly and easily record the most meaningful moments of their fleeting childhoods.
In the process, I accidentally became an avid journaler, and the power of journaling has brought me out of some really low places and helped me live a fuller, more present life.
Now, Promptly has over twelve types of journals and an app. We’re committed to bringing you products that help you live your best life and record your story along the way.
Find Jayne on Instagram at @promptlyjournals
Kimberly is the co-founder of Loom Journals and Head of Product Development at Promptly Journals, Loom’s new home. Kimberly is a lifelong writer and journaler and is in the process of publishing a novel inspired by her visit to a historical English village. Find her at Promptly Journals and Talk Wordy to Me.
Kristen Duke
Kristen Duke is a mom to 3 teens and a tween and just moved her family from Texas to Colorado. She has a unique love for teenagers, and helping parents find the joy in parenting teens. After 8 years of blogging about photography tips, travel, and recipes, she has dedicated the last 2 years to researching and discussing parenting hot topics to help herself and other parents understand the nuances of raising tweens into delightful teens.
Michelle Lehnardt
Michelle is the kind of mom who drives through mud puddles, throws pumpkins off the roof and lets the kids move the ping-pong table into the kitchen for the summer. Despite (or probably, because of) her immaturity, her five sons and one daughter are happy, thriving, funny people. She’ll climb a mountain with you, jump into a freezing lake hand-in-hand or just sit with you while you cry. She believes the gospel of Jesus Christ will heal the earth. Founder of scenesfromthewild.net, thehappierparent.com, everyonebelongs.life, rubygirl.org and a certified life coach with The Life Coach School.
Find Michelle on Instagram at @thrive.moms
Ramona Morris
Ramona Morris is a 28 year old sassy-day-saint who lives in the Caribbean (Barbados to be exact). She has been a member of the Church for almost four years and has experienced the good, bad and in-between of the covenant path.
Find Ramona on Instagram at @sassydaysaint
Monica Packer
As BOTH an over-and-under achiever, Monica found herself lost thanks to her all-or-nothing approach to personal development. She had to find a better–messier–way of progress over perfection, and with that she discovered the secret to sustainable growth.
Monica GETS your lack of time, stretched thin priorities, but desperation to find and develop your gifts. She wants you to know what she learned: your personal growth doesn’t have to come a the cost of your greatest priorities!
Pre-kids, Monica was a certified teacher in CA middle schools. She knows how to take BIG concepts and distill them down into doable lessons. She is a skilled educator and passionate about helping women through her podcast and now her online school, Work In Progress Academy.
Monica’s podcast, About Progress, has surpassed 1 million downloads, reaching a community passionate about improving their lives without losing them in the process. She is a master teacher AND interviewer, both skillsets coming into play with her coaching, audio courses, and classes available through her online school, the Work In Progress Academy.
Find Monica on Instagram at @aboutprogress
Emily Jones
Emily is the mother of five beautiful kids… and knows something about parenting the “wild west” of today’s tech!
Years ago she and her husband began work on a sort of “driver’s ed for the smartphone” for their children… a precursor to cell phone ownership. The experience with their children has been extraordinary, and strong word-of-mouth interest in our approach has brought the Family Tech University Workshop experience to the web.
Family Tech University exists to strengthen families, with an emphasis on nurturing a young person’s heart. Providing young people with powerful information, skills practice, and the opportunity to develop their OWN heartfelt opinions enables them to choose to be wise, of their own free will.
Emily is passionate about mothering, and a published author.
Find Emily on Instagram at @familytechuniversity
Natalie Gessell
Natalie Gessell is a daughter to two, a sister to three, a wife to one and a mother to FIVE. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a certified life coach. She grew up in northern California where she has lived most of her life except for a few years in Provo, Utah. She is a life-long learner and a forever student. As a certified life coach, she specializes in helping moms create Christ-like homes and families. She uses a mindset based approach to help women navigate motherhood with confidence.
Find Natalie on Instagram at @nataliegessell
Cheryl Cardall
Cheryl Cardall is a mom of 5 kids ages 10-21 and has been married for 24 years. For over a decade she has been passionate about encouraging moms and strengthening families. She has done this through motherhood retreats, speaking engagements, instagram, her podcast Fight like a mother and small coaching groups. Cheryl has a bachelor’s degree in Human and Family development with an emphasis in early childhood education. Throughout her adult life she has continued to read, attend conferences and educate herself on different parenting styles and what is best for families. In the last few years she has become passionate about educating and advocating for children and teens with mental health challenges. Cheryl deals with her own anxiety on a daily basis and has great empathy for anyone living with chronic mental illness.
Find Cheryl on Instagram at @supermamas4real
Kristen Goodman
Mackenzie Ayers
Mackenzie L. Ayers, MSW, LCSW is a practicing youth, adult, and family psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and trauma. She enjoys volunteering in community outreach and mental health advocacy. Ms. Ayers currently lives in Norther Virginia, in the Gainesville VA stake, with her husband and young daughter.
Find Mackenzie on Instgram at @healing_connection
Amber Robbins
An accidental resilience researcher and cheerleader to all, Amber Robbins has a passion for
strengthening families and teens. A current graduate student in School Counseling and mother
of 4, she has spent many hours researching the best ways to assist teens with the unique
challenges they face today. Amber is currently focused on sharing Latter-day tools & resources
for families and teens that are founded in truth. She believes there are many inspired resources
available today to assist families in healing, connection, resilience, and fanning the flame of their
faith. She can’t wait to share them with you!
Amber is the creator of the Amber Robbins Stands Instagram account @amberrobbinsstands, and
correlating website, the Teen Take 30 Daily Resilience Practice and Bell Mail Biz gift shop.
Find Amber on Instagram at @amberrobbinsstands
Heather Glenn
Heather Glenn is happy to be the mom to five children ranging from ages 3 to 16. During a church meeting, she felt led to create a way for teens and young adults to make better career decisions using their strengths. Drawing upon her former experience in Human Resources, she developed a workshop to help navigate career selection with confidence. Heather has a big, somewhat obnoxious laugh and considers her relationships to be among her greatest treasures. Follow Heather on Instagram at @alignedambition for tips and inspiration.
Tami Black
Tami and her husband, Kurt, live in Layton, Utah with their four children, Jackson, Collin, Alexis, and Brooklyn who range in age from 12 to 18 years old. She enjoys chocolate chip cookies, running and working out, shopping, baking, gardening, and traveling with her family.
Tami is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education. She taught in the elementary grades for seven years and as a preschool teacher for nine years. Tami has worked with youth for many years in her community as a school volunteer, in the PTA, and as a member of the community councils for her children’s schools. She has also served many years in leadership positions in the Primary and Young Women’s program and loves working with the youth. She currently serves as an adult Sunday School teacher in her ward.
She and her daughters recently began their own online clothing boutique, Brookie Jane, offering modest, trendy fashion for teen and tween age girls to help them look and feel their best. They encourage their followers to be kind, do good, and be confident in who they are. You can follow them on Instagram @brookiejaneboutique and their website at http://www.brookiejane.com.
Melinda Wheelwright Brown
Mindy is passionate about helping and empowering women of all ages. She loves mothering her three daughters, one daughter-in-law, and dozens of adopted Young Women and has spent the last several years working with several non-profits focused on protecting and empowering women. She currently chairs the board of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation and works closely with Fight the New Drug’s Fighter Club. She recently released her first book, Eve and Adam: Discovering the Beautiful Balance (Deseret Book), and intends to pursue a master’s degree in theology as soon as she makes time to study for the GRE. Her perfect day would include a morning run, study time, carrot cake, plenty of Diet Coke, and a few hours on the beach searching for sand dollars with her two little grandsons.
Join Mindy’s happy and hopeful Instagram community @brave.like.eve
Candis Shupe
Candis Harrington Shupe is the youngest of 8 children, 6 boys and 2 girls. This made growing up an adventure. She is an alumnus of Snake River High School in Blackfoot, Idaho, of Utah State University, in Logan, Utah and of the University of Utah located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Candis served a mission in Spain, Barcelona and used her sweet language skills to minor in Spanish while majoring in History and Education. She also earned a Master’s of Education. She loves to travel and has hiked in the upper Amazon visiting the world’s tallest water fall located in Venezuela, scouted the ruins of Manchu Picchu in Peru, kayaked in the Pacific Ocean and walked along numerous Mediterranean beaches while eating chocolate. One of her life’s ambitions is to walk on every continent by visiting temples. During her traveling off season she teaches religion for BYU-I, is a contracts manager for Pluralsight, a certified life-coach, but most importantly is a wife and mother. She considers that her “real” full-time job and loves planning adventures that include all of them.
