RENEWED

Rev. Peter Frank

Senior Pastor · St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Conover, NC

Secretary of the Southeastern District. Before entering pastoral ministry, he spent 15 years at Concordia Publishing House, primarily in marketing and church software, helping church workers use technology to serve efficiently and communicate effectively. He now brings together pastoral care, theological depth, and practical technology experience to help ministries communicate with clarity, warmth, and Christ-centered purpose. Peter and his wife, Laura, have three children: Sawyer, Melody, and Everett.

Speaking Like the Church Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Victoria (60): a simple approach for clear, Christ-centered communication

AI as a Church Tool Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Cherokee (32): using it wisely without losing what makes ministry human

Jennifer Tanner

Executive Director, School & Youth Ministry · Florida-Georgia District

A former principal and middle school teacher with more than 25 years of experience in Lutheran education. Guided by her personal mission to Lead with Grace, Serve with Joy, and Live with Love, she is passionate about helping schools create healthy, Christ-centered cultures where teachers and leaders can faithfully live out their calling to make disciples. Jennifer believes ministry is serious work, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t laugh together, celebrate God’s blessings, and build one another up, one good thing at a time.

Better Together: Building Strong Parent Partnerships Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Ballroom (400)

Culture Starts with You Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Victoria (60): leading from wherever you are

Rev. Dr. Matthew Borrasso

Pastor · Trinity Lutheran Church, Lexington Park, MD

Matt lives in Southern Maryland with his wife and four children, where he serves as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. He is the author of These Words We Speak: Law and Gospel in Contemporary Conversations (Fortress Press, 2026) and The Art of Exegesis: An Analysis of the Life and Work of Martin Hans Franzmann (Wipf and Stock, 2019), Assistant Editor of the Forum Letter, and an instructor for the SED Academy, Concordia University St. Paul, Concordia University Texas, and the Center for Missional and Pastoral Leadership.

Fools, Children, and Slaves Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Eagle (32): the monikers of ministers

Megan Miessler, LCSW

Executive Director · Lutheran Counseling Services

Megan began the School Counseling Ministry at Lutheran Counseling Services, where she works with interns in the mental health field to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff in private schools throughout Florida. She has worked in disaster response to crisis and tragedy with organizations, schools, and congregations in North Dakota, Virginia, Louisiana, and Florida, and specializes in counseling children, couples, and families. Megan values the unique story each client shares through their growth and renewal in the counseling process, leading with a grace-based perspective and working to be authentic with those who are struggling emotionally, spiritually, and physically. She has been married for over 20 years to her husband, Matthew, and they have three children.

Supporting Healthy Identity and Relationships in Adolescence Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Berkeley (50): body image, self-esteem, and healthy romantic relationships

You Need Oxygen First Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Eagle (32): caring for yourself while you give care to others

Mark Edmiston

Principal · Emmanuel Lutheran School, Asheville

Mark graduated from Concordia in Nebraska with a degree in Elementary Education. He has served as principal at Emmanuel Lutheran School since 2020, first teaching Middle School Science and Social Studies at St. John’s Lutheran School in Winston-Salem, NC, then serving as principal there from 2015 before taking a Call to Asheville. He has served on several National Lutheran School Accreditation Validation Teams. In his spare time, he enjoys his wife, three boys, and 3D modeling and printing.

Building a STEAM Program That Works Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Cherokee (32)

Stronger Together: Building Meaningful Church–School Relationships Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Berkeley (50)

Mindy English

Director of Programs & Services · Lutheran Special Education Ministries

Mindy has been in education for 32 years, 28 of them in Lutheran schools. She holds a BS in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Indiana Wesleyan University, and is trained in Orton-Gillingham. She has done everything from developmental therapy to K–8 resource room teaching to general education kindergarten.

Differentiation in the Classroom Thu 11:00 AM–12:00 PM · Alexander (60): practical, ready-to-use strategies for reaching every learner without an entirely new curriculum

Kiara Studer

Teacher & Curriculum Coordinator · Emmanuel Lutheran School, Asheville

Kiara is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago (2011) and holds a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University (2023). She has taught 3rd–5th grade in Peachtree City, GA, Dallas, TX, and now Asheville, NC, where she is the 3rd grade teacher and Curriculum Coordinator, and has served on multiple Accreditation teams, including leading Accreditation from the school side. She lives in Asheville with her husband, one-year-old, and dog, and loves reading, travel, and camping.

Curriculum Mapping Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Swannanoa (64): using curriculum binders to plan, monitor, and document teaching

Rev. Alec Fisher

Senior Pastor · Christ Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC

Rev. Fisher (MDiv and STM, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) serves as Senior Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Hickory, NC, and is a doctoral student at the University of Birmingham with the Institute of Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing. His research focuses on medieval bilingual manuscripts of the Pauline epistles; his article on Codex Augiensis was published in New Testament Studies in 2024. He taught German and Latin at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis from 2017 to 2026 and is preparing a translation of Liber De Ortu Et Obitu Patriarcharum (“The Book on the Birth and Death of the Patriarchs”). With Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kloha, he co-hosts the podcast Variant Readings.

Variant Readings Live! Getting “All Things” in Philippians 4 Right Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Alexander (60): a walk through the October 11 epistle reading (Philippians 4:1–13) and its most famous mistranslation

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kloha

Associate Pastor · Our Savior, Arlington, VA

Rev. Dr. Kloha (PhD Leeds, MDiv and STM Concordia Seminary) is Associate Pastor of Our Savior in Arlington, VA, and president of the Institute of Lutheran Theology in Brookings, SD. He previously served as chief curatorial officer of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, and as professor and provost of Concordia Seminary, and has published widely in Greek, biblical interpretation, and New Testament textual studies. With Rev. Alec Fisher, he co-hosts the podcast Variant Readings.

Variant Readings Live! Getting “All Things” in Philippians 4 Right Fri 9:45–10:45 AM · Alexander (60): a walk through the October 11 epistle reading (Philippians 4:1–13) and its most famous mistranslation