2023 Keynote Speaker
Cindy Jane Newland is an author, psychologist and activist in the adoption community. She is an acclaimed speaker who has keynoted at conferences and events all over the country and has an extensive media background. Under her writing name of Cindy Champnella her books include “The Waiting Child: How the Faith and Live of One Orphan Saved the Life of Another” (St Martin’s Press) and “The Twelve Gifts of Life: Finding Extraordinary Meaning in Ordinary Moments. “ Cindy has helped hundreds of families adopt and has run support groups for post adoption adjustment.
After being tragically widowed she is recently remarried and has 5 daughters ranging in age from 29 to 10; 4 are from China. (For more about the joy and struggles in adoption follow her on Facebook: Cindy Jane Newland).
2022 Keynote Speaker
Tracy Whitney is mom to 6 kids and 2 (soon to be 3) in-law kids. She lives in the greater Philly region and works remotely for Creating A Family.org as a Content Manager/Creator. Her oldest 4 kids are adults now and her two youngest children are daughters from China, adopted in 2008 and 2013.
In addition to her roles at CreatingaFamily.org, Tracy volunteers in several large, online adoption communities and in her local church body. She is passionate about the family – hers and helping others build theirs. Her favorite days are when all her kids can be home, hanging out and eating around their huge family table. She loves the Philadelphia Eagles, Tigger, and coffee – and has a huge collection of Tigger mugs that her kids add to each holiday. When Tracy isn’t writing for work or folding more laundry, she’s watching sappy romantic comedies or reading. Her current genre of choice is WW2 romantic/suspense fiction.
2021 Keynote Speaker
Anna Lee Ward provides Biblical discipleship and mentoring to encourage individuals to grow to maturity in Christ, while also equipping them to more effectively reach and genuinely love others. Currently on home mission assignment with Commission To Every Nation (CTEN), Anna Lee previously served as missionary in Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago where she labored to establish discipleship programs and to train others to disciple new believers. She has since served as a Biblical counselor preparing missionaries-in-training for their upcoming assignments around the world. In her work with marriage and families in crisis, Anna Lee draws from her years of married life since 1986. She also shares from many years of intensive parenting experience gained while providing therapeutic foster care to more than thirty children placed with her from families in crisis. Anna Lee’s preparation for marriage and family ministry includes completed training in various counseling methods including SACC (Sarasota Academy of Christian Counseling), NACC National Association of Christian Counselors) and, ADT ( Advanced Discipleship Training ). Anna Lee is a certified marriage facilitator, and has counseled and mentored numerous individuals, married couples and families through critical issues over twenty years. Anna Lee and her husband are birth parents to one daughter, Rebecca, who lives in Michigan. In her free time she enjoy cooking, hiking and watercolor painting. To learn more about Anna Lee and her ministry see her ministry website at www.lifesourcemfc.org
2020 Keynote Speaker
Mandy Litizke is the Founder/Executive Director of Safe Harbor Orphan Care Ministries, an International Speaker, wife & mom to 17. Born into the tragedy and hopelessness of addiction and abuse, hear her story of rescue and redemption; experiencing God’s healing grace & transforming what could become bitterness into blessings. Called to an unimaginable journey of faith and obedience to live out loud. Mandy and her family reside in Columbus, OH.
2019 Keynote Speaker
Loryn Smith, founder of Finally Home Christian Adoption Services, is the mother of 20 children, a social worker, family coach and sought after speaker for her personal as well as professional experience. Loryn and her husband Thad have fostered over a hundred children over nearly 25 years. Loryn is also a TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Practitioner and trained directly under Dr. Karyn Purvis at Texas Christian University. Loryn delivers passion, energy, encouragement and support with practical ways to reduce stress in your home and find healthy and effective methods in working with children from hard places.
Seas The Connection 