Refres{her} Conference Speakers

  • Vanessa has a heart for people to grow in intimacy with Christ. She is passionate about transforming potential into action. At the age of 24, Vanessa founded her ministry, Ignite Life, with the mission to equip, empower, and mobilize women to be the spark that ignites change in the world for the sake of Christ. Out of her desire to mobilize women in the church, one small conference gave birth to a movement of Christian women. Although this ministry is a huge priority in her life, her first ministry is her family. Vanessa has been married to her “Prince” Evan, for 12 years and her life is filled with joy and chaos raising her three children (Owen, 11; Ethan, 9; Charlotte, 6)

  • Living her best life, Equilla has been married to her amazing husband Stan for 18 years and together they have a blended family of three adult children and eight grandchildren. They enjoy traveling, discovering new places and spending time with family and friends.

    She is a Pastor, Mentor, Coach, Missionary, Speaker and the Founder and Executive Director of Lift One Up, a non-profit organization dedicated to impacting the women and today’s youth in the Las Vegas valley! Known for her wisdom, generosity, and authenticity, she is driven by her Christian faith to positively impact others and help them realize God’s plan for their lives.

    Equilla and Lift One Up believes that just helping one person creates a ripple effect, spreading positive impact to countless others!

  • Sarah Hechanova is a gifted leader and speaker, noted for her practical wisdom and strong faith. For the past 13 years she has enjoyed pastoring Neighborhood Church alongside her husband, Dodjiel, in the heart of downtown Henderson. Sarah loves to witness ladies’ lives changed for the glory of God. She embraces anytime she can speak His Word to ignite eternal transformation. When she is not serving the church community, you will find her soaking up every moment that she can with her family. Dodjiel and Sarah have four children – Lexi, Ethan, Noah, Gabe, and a granddaughter, Everly.

  • Sharonda Manor-Foster is a Las Vegas native who currently serves as Campus Pastor at New Antioch Christian Fellowship at Aliante, North Las Vegas NV. 

    She is the Conference Host, for The Believers Prayer Conference. 

    Pastor Sharonda is currently enrolled at Liberty University pursuing a degree in Christian Counseling.  

    She is married to her best friend and number one fan David Foster, together they share four children and four grandchildren. 

    She is a passionate Intercessor with a mission to bring hope to God’s people through prayer, presence and the preached word.

  • Robin Smith is passionate about equipping people to lead with their unique God-given gifts. Robin has a strong tie to her church, community, and work. She firmly believes that all three are sacred. Her greatest joy is doing life together in community; encouraging, strengthening, and challenging each other to be their very best and reach their full potential.

    Robin is the founder of Focus Consulting, where she invests in people with a unique focus on, but not limited to, women leading non-profit ministries.  Through her consulting, Robin walks with others through individual coaching, Lead Well: online leadership cohorts, FOCUSed Women: in-person masterminds, women’s retreats, and public speaking. Robin has 40 years of non-profit leadership experience, and the desire of her heart is to share what she has learned to help others reach their potential and accomplish their personal and professional goals.

    Robin partners with Ignite Life through her consulting by assisting them with training and development. Robin is passionate about the ministry of Ignite Life and loves being able to support the ministry in this way. Robin also serves on the Ignite Life Board of Directors and the Ignite Life Speaking Team as a communicator of God’s Word.

    Robin and her husband Homer have been married for 40 years, have two grown children, and attend Avenue church, where they focus on spiritual formation and mentoring others.

  • Because Jesus uses the fisherman, tax collector and water-gathering woman to share the best stories, He has called Sara Jessa to speak His truth from a layman’s life. In this season, Sara is learning to serve her husband of 20 years, nurture a pair of amazing teenagers, and passionately pursue Jesus into a “faith-rest” life. Her ministry, Experience Faith, allows her to seek and share thin spaces, inviting others to join her in creating space to encounter Jesus in nature, rest and retreats. Sara’s magnetic energy invites friends and strangers alike to “want what she’s having”... more Jesus!