Latoya Small
Topic: Grace in the waiting
With nearly two decades as a human resources thought leader and business consultant, Latoya brings wisdom, clarity, and heart to every room she enters. For 19 years, she has helped individuals and organizations grow with integrity, purpose, and a people-first leadership approach.
Married for 14 years to her favorite guy —a devoted worship leader and dog mom—she believes faith should be lived boldly in everyday life. Grounded in Luke 1:45, “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord,” her message is rooted in obedience, trust, and courageous belief.
Whether traveling, leading worship, or partnering with clients, her passion remains the same: to spread the good news, awaken purpose, and remind others that what God promised, He will perform.
deAnna Petruch
Topic: Grace in your weakness
deAnna Petruch is an author, educator, and proudly neurodiverse wife and mom who brings energy and authenticity to everything she does. Through her background in education and KidMin, she developed a passion for helping young people feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Today, she works with neurodiverse students who need extra guidance, creating learning environments that celebrate differences and spark confidence. Known for her spunky spirit and imaginative approach, she believes education should feel meaningful, joyful, and deeply human. Whether writing, teaching, or advocating, she strives to make space for every mind to belong.
Jennifer Dalena
Topic: Grace in grief
Jen Dalena is a seasoned worship leader and devoted mother of four whose life message is forged through faith, resilience, and unwavering hope. After 25 years of marriage, she faced the devastating loss of her husband—a life-altering season that transformed deep pain into undeniable purpose.
With decades of ministry leadership experience, Jen has led congregations in powerful worship and served faithfully within the local church. Now, at Empowered 2026, she steps onto the stage with bold authenticity and a passionate call to equip women navigating grief, transition, and unexpected change.
Jen speaks with raw honesty, contagious strength, and a compelling invitation to rise—reminding every woman in the room that even in life’s darkest valleys, purpose still stands, faith still speaks, and hope still leads.
Her mission is clear: to help women rebuild with courage, refocus with clarity, and rise stronger than ever before.
Luis + Melissa Ramos
Topic: Grace in redemption
Luis and Melissa are a blended family who have been married for 10 years, building a life rooted in faith, commitment, and intentional love. Together, they are raising four children across various stages of life, giving them a unique perspective on parenting, marriage, and navigating the evolving seasons of family life.
Their journey has not been without challenges. Both individually and as a couple, Luis and Melissa have experienced powerful stories of redemption—seasons marked by growth, healing, restoration, and God’s transformative grace. Rather than hiding their past, they openly share how God has rewritten their story, using every chapter for His greater purpose.
Through their authenticity and vulnerability, they minister to individuals and families walking through transition, rebuilding after hardship, blending families, or simply striving to strengthen their relationships. Their heart is to encourage others that no season is wasted in God’s hands and that redemption is always possible.
Luis and Melissa are passionate about helping people embrace hope, pursue healing, and build marriages and families anchored in faith, resilience, and lasting love.
Richie + Misty Sarlo
Topic: Grace to engage & A theology of grace
Richie and Misty have served in church ministry for over 25 years, dedicating their lives to strengthening families and equipping leaders. Married for 23 years and raising two teenage daughters, they share a message shaped by real-life experience, deep faith, and a commitment to growth.
At the heart of their ministry is a powerful tension: grace and grit. They teach a theology of grace that anchors identity in Christ—not performance—while challenging people to “do hard things” physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They believe grace is not permission to stay stagnant, but empowerment to engage fully and live courageously.
Through practical teaching and biblical truth, Richie and Misty call individuals and families to pursue emotional health with honesty, physical discipline with intention, and spiritual depth with consistency. Their passion is to see people move beyond comfort, embrace transformation, and build resilient lives marked by faith, strength, and purpose.