Leadership One Day is a morning experience designed to help you grow as a Christian leader and become a better Dream Disciple of Jesus. Held twice a year, this event offers practical tools and inspiration from trusted leaders in industry and ministry to help you lead with intention, compassion, humility, and grace at home, at work, and in your community. Through a keynote and engaging breakout sessions, you’ll gain relevant, everyday insights to strengthen both your leadership and discipleship. Doors will open at 8:00am.
Leadership is a gift, but it can also feel heavy. In this keynote, Debbie will help leaders pause, refocus, and recommit to what matters most. Whether you are navigating change, stepping into a new responsibility, or simply feeling stretched thin, you will gain practical tools and fresh encouragement to lead with clarity, purpose, and steadiness.
Debbie Peterson, CSP, is an award-winning keynote speaker and leadership readiness expert who helps organizations keep and grow the leaders they’re counting on next. Her signature keynote, The Readiness Reset™, equips leaders at every level to cut through noise, make clear decisions under pressure, and lead with conviction without burning out or disengaging. She is the author of Clarity: How Smart Professionals Create Career Success on Their Terms and is trusted across industries to prepare leaders for moments of growth, transition, and succession when readiness matters most.
Malcolm Beall
Senior Pastor, Federated Church
A healthy team begins with the right people in the right roles. In this session, Malcolm will share practical insight on building teams that thrive by identifying strengths, placing people where they can flourish, and creating a culture where everyone can contribute well.
Malcolm has been a full-time Pastor for over 11 years, recently becoming the Senior Pastor at the Federated Church in September of 2025. He has an amazing wife, Angi (School Counselor at Fairview Middle School), 12-year-old son Malcolm, and 8-year-old daughter Emeri. He has also been a High School Athletic coach for a variety of sports for 25 years.
Meghan Kinter
Director of Marketing, Sales
Many of us love people deeply, yet still struggle to lead with clarity. In this session, Dr. Meghan will walk through five essential conversations that strong leaders must be willing to have. You will leave with practical frameworks and a Christ-centered approach to leading with both grace and truth.
Dr. Meghan Kinter helps businesses and professionals get “unstuck.” For over two decades, she has partnered with cause-based organizations and served as a corporate trainer and university faculty member, leading initiatives in social wellness, domestic violence prevention, substance misuse awareness, and behavioral/mental health. She currently serves as Director of Marketing, Sales, and Appointment Centers for DBC Remodeling & Construction and as Partner/CEO of Well Rooted Life.
Derek Sanford
Lead Pastor, Grace Church
Good leaders know how to delegate tasks, but great leaders know how to develop people. In this breakout, Derek will share five simple and effective practices that help leaders move beyond managing work to investing in growth. You will walk away with practical tools to build confidence, capability, and stronger teams, along with one step you can apply immediately.
Pastor Derek Sanford is the Lead Pastor of Grace Church in Erie, Pennsylvania. He has served at Grace since 1995 in various roles and is passionate about equipping leaders to walk in their God-given calling. Derek also founded ServErie, a ministry that has mobilized more than 50 churches and organizations to serve the greater Erie area. He is a graduate of Taylor University and holds a Master of Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Derek and his wife Kim, his high school sweetheart, have three children, Caleb, Chase, and Ayden. A self-described washed-up athlete, Derek still enjoys golf and racquetball.