October- Overview of Spiritual Disciplines
BIO: Joyel Vandenboogart is the owner of the Known Women’s Conference. She was the previous director of the Dignity Revolution. Prior to joining the Dignity Revolution, Joyel was a second grade teacher. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in pre-primary education.
Joyel joined the Navigate team fifteen years ago and loves facilitating small group discussion, coaching, and finding individual’s gifts in order for them to understand how God created them and how to use their gift in the Kingdom.
She enjoys volunteering with youth and staying relevant to the issues they face. Joyel and her husband, Levi, have two beautiful girls.
Title: Overview of Spiritual Disciplines!
November- Prayer
Schawn Starfeldt is a teacher, storyteller, and encourager! She loves to share the uplifting truths from God’s Word in ways that engage the heart and inspire the soul. She has started women’s Bible study programs and has written and led small group Bible studies. Schawn has been speaking at retreats for over 20 years at churches across the nation.
Schawn graduated from Concordia, Chicago and served at Lutheran High School of San Antonio as an English teacher. After changing careers to homeschooling mom, Schawn experienced a deeper need for God’s encouragement. She soon discovered that need was universal.
Today, Schawn loves being a wife to her Pastor husband, Chad. Schawn also inspires family fun as the mom of three married kids and the grandma to a new grandson. She is fond of reading, hiking, and knitting. Her greatest joy is sharing the forgiveness and freedom found in Jesus with others.
January - Study
Deb Burma
Deb Burma is a Christian author, speaker, and women’s ministry leader known for her engaging and heartfelt approach to sharing God’s extravagant grace. Her ministry travels have taken her to 30+ states, three Canadian provinces, and aboard two cruise ships, but always lead her back home to Columbus, Nebraska. Through her ministry, she offers Bible studies, devotionals, retreat kits, and speaking engagements that encourage women to explore their faith deeply and personally. Her published works, including titles like JOY: A Study of Philippians, Living a Chocolate Life, and Be Still & Know, blend Scriptural insights with relatable life experiences, aiming to help women find peace and purpose, and discover their identity and value in Christ. Deb is a follower of Jesus, a pastor’s wife, a mom (and a new grandma!). She’s a self-proclaimed coffee/chocolate connoisseur. Above all, she is a grace-filled child of God.
Title:Study
February- Fasting
Rachael is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Wisconsin. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2015 from Old Dominion University and her Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2022 from UW-Stout. She also has a background in physical training and nutrition and is an active CrossFit Level 2 coach. She has started the journey in co-authoring her first book tackling mental health from the biblical perspective. She believes that healing mental health issues happens at the convergence of the five aspects of health; physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, and social. She is looking forward to joining the in-person speakers this year at Known.
Talk Title: Fasting
March- Worship
Bio:
Kristen Leavins is a loving wife, devoted mom, faithful daughter, and loyal friend. At the same time, she is also a sinner who fails daily, desires repentance and seeks forgiveness. She is an extroverted, fun, fear-of-missing-out kind of gal who loves to dance. She has been married to her college sweetheart Dr. Danny Leavins for 29 years. In those years, she has been a missionary in Moscow, Russia, a public school teacher, a pastor’s wife and an elder’s wife. At present, her life is filled with family and friends, homeschooling one of their four children (their three adult children are in college or working), tutoring others’ children, managing a household, teaching dance, and choreographing high school musicals. She has a passion for marriages and women, longing for all to receive the forgiveness and faith that Christ offers. And she hopes that by recognizing the love we have in Christ alone, we would be drawn into worship.
Title: Worship
April- Memorizing Scripture
Tera Lind Tera stepped into full-time ministry ten years ago after working professionally in the Marketing and Business field. She continued her education by earning her master’s degree at Moody Theological Seminary in 2016. Tera is relatable and is known for her ability to warm up a crowd and make them feel welcome and encouraged along with making them laugh. Because of her broken past, she has a heart of empathy and grace for people in all different seasons of life. She believes that being authentic and vulnerable are key to building relationships of trust, especially in hard topics within the church. When it’s warm outside, you will find Tera sneaking away from her office or trying to convince co-workers to meet outside. She is married to Trevor, her red-bearded husband. The two are foster parents who do respite care for kids in crisis. Together they enjoy acting like big kids and differing on what is the right temperature to set their home thermostat.
Title: Memorizing Scripture
May- Celebration
Elizabeth is a passionate writer, speaker, and storyteller. For almost a decade, she has been encouraging women through the Blue Jean Gypsy Blog, and writing Devotional Bible Studies.
Elizabeth spent a long season wandering in the wilderness of life before finally learning to step into God’s promises. As a recovering wanderer, she has a deep desire to help other women stop their own wandering by reminding them that they are seen, known, redeemed, and so greatly loved by God. So that, through a deeper relationship with Jesus, they can fully LIVE loved.
While Elizabeth loves storms, photography, and digging into Scripture, her greatest loves are Jesus, her husband, and her four children. Most days, she can be found wearing ripped jeans and sipping a cup of hot chocolate in the morning.
Title: Celebration
Solitude
Taleeya Smith
Hi! My name is Taleeya Smith and I am 17 years old. I am a Junior in high school and I am the oldest of 5 siblings. I love reading, podcasts, spending time in Christian community, and most importantly Jesus! I am passionate about having deep conversations, being real and relatable, and living life authentically with others. My relationship with Jesus started at a young age, but the last two years I have really leaned into what it looks like to have an intimate relationship with Him. The most recent thing God has been calling me to is starting a podcast with a mission of helping other girls grow in their relationship with Jesus while also being real about life. When I am not at school, you can find me snuggling my new baby sister, recording a podcast, or spending time with friends!
Title: Solitude
Journaling
Bio: Between math lessons, meal prep, and mountains of laundry, Sarah Strassman has learned that journaling is her favorite way to pause and meet with Jesus. A wife, homeschooling mom of six, and lifelong learner, she loves helping other women discover how a simple pen and notebook can become sacred space with God.
Title: Journaling
Simplicity
Judy has served as a Ministry Director at Alliance Church for more than 25 years, walking alongside women with encouragement, wisdom, and grace. She is deeply committed to helping women grow in confidence and discover their full potential in Christ.
September- Service
Amanda Popp is a storyteller at heart who finds joy in sharing real stories about random moments that focus on the one faithful God. She believes that being vulnerable leaves room to build connection and community. Amanda prays that it encourages others to embrace their own stories with courage and hope. At the core, her heart is to love and live like Jesus, starting within the walls of her home. Her high school sweetheart and her have 7 children earthside and 3 waiting heavenside. She loves a really good pen and cute post it notes. Amanda’s heart is to blend humor, authenticity and encouragement, inspiring others to see the beauty in the ordinary and faith in the unknown. She prays that you find a way to nurture relationships and a passion for encouraging others in the midst of living life together in community.
Title: Service
