If you have attended a Lifeway Women event, sailed with us on a cruise, or hosted a digital event at your church, you may be surprised to learn that the team that produces these outstanding experiences is small but mighty! The Lifeway event team shares over 97 years of experience as trust event planners, and even more stories between them. Here’s your chance to get to know some of the team behind Lifeway Women events.
Amy Cato
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
I have worked on the events team for twelve years. I worked for ten years, took ten years off to raise our children, and returned two years ago.
What is your role on the team?
I am an event coordinator, specifically the brand manager for In the Word with Jen Wilkin. I am also a part of the digital events team.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
Oh, there are so many! The travels with incredible team members, meeting women in all areas of the United States, and seeing God work mightily through each event experience are highlights. My favorite memories are seeing familiar faces through the years. Some events feel like a family reunion of being with women we have served with—women who attend year after year.
What is a fun fact about you?
I love our history with digital events. I was originally hired in 2002 to begin digital events, namely simulcast events for Lifeway. I am so grateful for being able to see firsthand the development of technology and how we have been able to extend ministry through that technology. In 2002, I called church after church to convince 32 churches to put a satellite dish on their church roof to receive our very first simulcast event.
Hannah Depledge
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Exactly three years this month!
What is your role on the team?
I am an event coordinator and developer of new events—essentially coordinating what is and dreaming of what could be!
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
The moment the opener video for Feast played for the first time in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and there was a hush over the room as we entered something new together—the culmination of so much planning, dreaming, and praying. I loved pausing in the back for that opener video every single Feast event, trusting the Lord was ushering each of us in and making His way in our lives as attendees, as an event team, and really, as His kids.
What is a fun fact about you?
I sneeze once every time I start chewing mint gum? That isn’t really fun, but it’s true and odd.
Tammy Slayton
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Since April 2001, twenty-five years ago.
What is your role on the team?
I am an event coordinator.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
Watching my event team minister and pray with an arena worker during a Going Beyond Live. It happens often, but this one was very special.
What is a fun fact about you?
I used to rope steer in the rodeo in my twenties when I had no fear of getting hurt. 😉 I was one of only two ladies in the state of Virginia at that time who did that.
Taylor Owens
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Eighteen months.
What is your role on the team?
I serve as an event coordinator, supporting our Women’s Leadership Training events like Deeply Rooted, Women’s Ministry Essentials, and Women’s Leadership Forum. I help bring all the details together so that each event runs smoothly and creates a meaningful, encouraging experience for attendees.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
My favorite event memories are always seeing attendees fully engaged, whether it’s during a general session, breakout, or connecting with one another. Seeing women’s ministry leaders encouraged, equipped, refreshed, and building relationships makes all the planning and work behind the scenes feel very meaningful.
What is a fun fact about you?
I grew up overseas in Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland, where I learned Italian and French as a kid. I’ve always had a love for traveling and exploring different cultures!
Vincent Thomas
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Since January 2018.
What is your role on the team?
I am an event coordinator.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
Witnessing a 94-year-old person pray to receive Christ as her Savior for the first time.
Also, playing Reverse Charades with 800+ cruise attendees.
What is a fun fact about you?
I love hiking and the outdoors. I’ve backpacked all of the Appalachian Trail through Georgia!
Mickey Pitts
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
I started at Lifeway as an intern on the event team! I have worked at Lifeway for a total of thirteen years, and eleven of those have been on the event team!
What is your role on the team?
I am an event development strategist. I help with the strategy and development of new events. Dream job!
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
Years ago, I coordinated a virtual marriage event. I remember hearing from one of the churches who hosted the event that they had a couple attend who came as a last-ditch effort to save their marriage. The following Sunday after the event, they tore up their divorce papers in front of the congregation! I have never forgotten that story, and it makes me smile every time I think about it.
What is a fun fact about you?
I work in women’s ministry, but I like to say I have a men’s ministry at home with three boys: ages fifteen, five, and two!
Terri Atkins
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Fourteen years, but I first came to Lifeway in 1995.
What is your role on the team?
I am the admin event ops coordinator.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
One of my favorite memories was traveling with the team to my very first event in 2013—the dotMOM Conference in Chattanooga—and getting to experience the on-the-ground work firsthand. Every event since has been incredible, but that first experience will always stand out to me.
What is a fun fact about you?
I have a twin sister three minutes older than I am.
Betsy Langmade
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Twenty-three years.
What is your role on the team?
I am the senior manager, event experiences—women’s, adult, trade shows, event stores.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
Memories that stand out to me are women in their eighties and teenagers coming forward to receive Christ and standing right next to each other.
What is a fun fact about you?
In my whole career, I’ve always had a boss who was a woman.
Paige Clayton Keeton
How long have you worked on the event team at Lifeway?
Since 2006.
What is your role on the team?
I led the women’s event team from 2006-2019 and now lead destination events and author relations for Lifeway Women.
Share one of your favorite memories from an event.
One of my favorite memories was from the very first Going Beyond event in 2007 in Woodbridge, Virginia. I coordinated that first event with an incredible local team in Northern Virginia! It was remarkable that we built it and they came. We had seven hundred women, and they were so full of faith and excited that they did a “Jericho march” around the sanctuary before we began. As a result, we started a little late, and everything did not match up with our planned times. Priscilla looked at me and said, “Paigey, go with the flow of the event! It’s OK!”
What is a fun fact about you?
I am learning about cattle ranching and love it. I know lots of fun facts about cows now that I’m a rancher’s wife and assistant. I especially enjoy naming the cows.
See the team in action at a live event or cruise this year! Find an experience for you at lifeway.com/womensevents.
