The 2024 Good Work Conference
The Good Work Conference is a gathering of individuals who want to get better at making things good and good at making things better. No matter your professional or vocational arena, the GWC offers tools, encouragement, and partnership in the good work that God has given you. Join us this fall, in Canton, OH.
The GOOD WORK Conference!
The GOOD WORK Conference!
Keynote by Dr. Michael Kibbe
Michael Kibbe teaches Theology at Great Northern University in Spokane, WA. His book “From Topic to Thesis” has sold over 20,000 copies and is used in curriculums in over 25 colleges and universities. He is also the host of the Extreme Stewardship Podcast, and his greatest passion in life is getting better at making things good and good at making things better.
Exploring the
Theology of
Work & Leadership
Together.
Last Year’s Guest Speakers
James is a church planter and Lead Pastor at Citizens Akron in Akron, Ohio. He is a graduate of both Malone University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. James is passionate about reconciliation in the Kingdom of God, the city of Akron, good music and Cleveland sports. James and his wife, Julia, have been married for four years and love being the parents to their daughter, Jada.
James Talbert
Jason Lantz is passionate about helping leaders launch new initiatives that make disciples of Jesus. He and his wife Suzi have been practitioners of discipleship systems within a large church at RiverTree Christian Church, through planting LoveCanton using missional communities in 2008, and now Jason is back at RiverTree leading 8 campuses all focused on discipling movements in their unique contexts. They love living in Stark County, Ohio, and raising their two kids where Jesus is clearly up to something bigger than themselves.
Jason Lantz
Jada Yoder
Jada Yoder is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Public Relations. She works full time at 3rd Street Community Church where she’s set free to care for justice oriented, incarnational ministry. She was on the launch team for the Absurd Conference in 2019, and continues to serve this event and it’s mission to connect, equip, and empower the Church to champion diversity, justice, and reconciliation.
In addition to her work in ministry, Jada is a certified consultant for GiANT Worldwide— her passion is coaching leaders through transformation personally and organizationally. She currently calls Canton, Ohio home and can be found serving in her local community alongside her husband Blake.
Suzi Lantz
With a background in secondary education, coaching and curriculum development Suzi has been active in helping individuals, teams and organizations reach their potential throughout her entire career. Suzi is a Partner and Leadership Consultant at GiANT (www.giantworldwide.com). She has worked with organizations across industries to develop leaders who know how to identify and multiply leadership health and core competencies. She believes in empowering everyone to have a voice and has partnered to build GiANT’s DEI Inclusive Leadership program. Suzi and her husband Jason have two children in the district. Caris, who is a junior and Joshua (JJ) who is a freshman. Both students are actively involved in cross-country, track and various clubs and activities offered by our wonderful district.
Marion Coblentz is an accomplished Executive Coach and Business Consultant with over two decades of experience. He specializes in guiding businesses through succession planning, family business dynamics, and empowering leaders through personalized coaching sessions. Marion's transformative expertise ensures seamless leadership transitions and sustainable growth for businesses. With 40 years of experience as the President of Hartville Marketplace & Flea Market, Marion mentored and advised numerous entrepreneurs, playing a vital role in their success. Now as a certified GIANT Leadership Coach, Marion helps leaders develop effective rhythms of life and business using practical tools that enhance self-awareness and self-leadership.
Marion Coblentz
David Murray
1 Chronicles 15:22 says “Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it.” This describes the man who will be leading us in song at The Good Work Conference. He understands how to improve creation through singing praise to our Maker.
David Murray grew up in a cabin in Tennessee with his three brothers and hard-working, creative, Jesus people parents. He learned the arts of both music and woodworking at a young age. Dave met his wife Mel while attending John Brown University in Arkansas. The newlyweds spent their first summer working in an orphanage in Uganda. There they learned that most orphans in the world do have parents - it’s just that their parents can’t provide for them. That realization compelled the Murrays to spend most of the last twenty years establishing businesses that empower workers in the Majority World to provide for their families with dignity.
In 2010 Dave founded Dehradun Guitars, a high end guitar company in Northwest India. See their story here. https://www.dehradunguitars.com/
As development director for their nonprofit JoyCorps, Dave builds relationships with the organizations and individuals who continue to make this work possible. Dave, Mel and their two boys Micah (17) and Levi (16) make their home in Manhattan.
Steve Montgomery
Steve Montgomery along with his wife Mel are the founders of Lamppost Farm in Columbiana, Ohio. His passion for stewardship shows in how he and his team produce healthy, sustainable food sources. Steve has been a big fan of the Extreme Stewardship Podcast and is a great example of an image bearer called to improve creation through producing food and discipling his community.
Drew Shih is currently a prison Chaplain in Silicon Valley and founder of the Fire & Rice Podcast, which aims to help marketplace believers experience the power of the Holy Spirit. He is a part of multiple kingdom startups, serves as a consultant to churches, and provides experiential workshops for groups interested in spiritual warfare, prophecy, deliverance, and evangelism training. Drew has served over 15 years in various international cities in 4 different countries in senior leadership roles such as Senior Pastor, Executive Pastor, and Transitional Pastor. He has been called upon to consult and intervene for distressed churches, businesses, and groups needing stability, restoration, and spiritual discernment. His marketplace experience has contributed to his entrepreneurial DNA, passion for justice, and compassion for all leaders wanting to make a lasting difference.
Drew Shih
Becky Wolfe
Becky is a Leadership Consultant with GiANT Worldwide with a history and passion for coaching that extends over a decade. Becky started her career as a Physician Assistant over 17 years ago and has worked in various settings including ER, Cardiology and Urgent Care (at Mount Union University).
Becky began health coaching 11 years ago while practicing Cardiology and has extensive experience in motivational interviewing and behavior modification. She now exclusively coaches individuals and teams with the goal of creating healthy workplace environments with higher engagement and less turnover.
Becky specializes in helping leaders and teams recover from burnout and safeguard themselves from burnout in the future. She has coached 100’s of clients toward health. Becky is also a mom of 2 boys and in her spare time she enjoys hiking, weight lifting and watching her kids play various sports.