Monday, September 8

7:30 am

Breakfast

8:30 am

Reflections on the Art of Publishing

Jeff Crosby, President, ECPA

8:45 am

Strengthening Our Surrender

Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin, Chief Operating Officer, Christianity Today;
Founder/ExecutiveDirector, Soulfire International Ministries

What does it look like to lead from suffering as a pathway to success? Based on the themes from her book Nailing It (InterVarsity Press), this session invites us to explore how true leadership is forged through surrender, not control.

9:45 am

A Non-Anxious Presence in Our Leadership

Alan Fadling, Founding Partner, Unhurried Living, Inc.

How do we embody non-anxious leadership in the middle of very anxious times? What does it look like to serve under the leadership of a Prince of Peace? Anxiety can drive our leadership, but how might peace be a better source of leadership fuel? Alan Fadling, president and founder of Unhurried Living, will address these and other questions in the opening session, followed by an interactive time where his concepts will be put into practice.

10:45 am

Break

11:15 am

Table Work Groups: A Non-Anxious Presence in Our Leadership

Facilitated by Alan Fadling, Founding Partner, Unhurried Living, Inc.

11:45 am

Lunch

1:00 pm

Claiming the Courageous Middle: Daring to Live and Work Together for a More Hopeful Future

Shirley Mullen, President Emerita, Houghton University; Author, Claiming the Courageous Middle

In this session born out of her Baker Academic book of the same title, Houghton University President Emerita Shirley Mullen will make the case that thoughtful Christians are ideally situated to be hopeful, proactive, and imaginative agents within their communities of connection to move us beyond the paralysis of continuing polarization. She will invite us to consider, in particular, the role of Christian publishing in nourishing and sustaining this challenging work within the church, families, the workplace, and society as a whole.

2:00 pm

Made in the Image of AI: Protecting Human Creativity in – and from – Artificial Intelligence

Shelley Husband, EVP of Government Affairs, AAP

Humans are made in the image of God – to work, create and flourish. Copyright is intended to protect and incentivize human creativity, but AI presents new threats and challenges to copyright and human flourishing. Now more than ever, the publishing industry is needed to provide education, accountability, and leadership on the ethical, moral, and legal questions around this new technology. Shelley Husband, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs at the Association of American Publishers, will discuss how AAP is advocating for Christian publishers on AI, as well as copyright infringement and tariffs.

3:00 pm

Break

3:30 pm

Developing a Global Distribution Strategy with a Global Language Catalog

Kelly Gallagher, VP of Content Acquisition, Ingram Content Group, Ingram Content Group

Creating a long-term plan for global growth outside of your core market is challenging under any conditions. Today, it's an even greater challenge and need given the uncertainty of tariffs, sustainability pressures, and supply chain disruptions. Kelly Gallagher, VP of Content Acquisition at Ingram will offer data insights and practical considerations on how you can build a lasting plan to engage in the global marketplace. He will especially discuss new models beyond traditional rights translations and distribution relationships that can provide for greater flexibility and control of where and how your content sells in the global marketplace.

4:30 pm

Industry Roundtables

Facilitated by ECPA board members

6:30 pm

Dinner