Meet Our Speakers

We’re privileged to learn from experienced leaders who bring wisdom, insight, and practical guidance for ministry.

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Pastor Fredrick Russell

Leadership Executive Coach & Founder, TrueNorth Leadership

Fredrick Russell is an International Coaching Federation Credentialed Coach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and a Master’s in Organisational Leadership and Management. He designs and facilitates leadership and management development programs and assists teams in becoming cohesive, high-performing teams. His work carries him into corporate, academic, healthcare, government, and religious settings.

In addition to developing leaders and building teams, Fredrick also focuses on Change Management, Strategy Facilitation, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Internal Corporate Conflict Communication.

He is a certified instructor in leading organisational transitions, a certified administrator for 360-degree leadership assessments from managers to the C-suite executives, an SLII certified facilitator, a certified Everything DiSC trainer, a certified facilitator in the Five Behaviours of a Cohesive Team, and certified in FIRO B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behaviour), a Certified Polarity Practitioner, a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, and a Certified Professional Coach.

Through his writings, leadership coaching, leadership development and making strategic “deposits” in leaders, he embraces a passion and purpose for influencing influencers to be character-driven leaders—which impacts beyond the bottom line.

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Pastor James Winegardner

President & CEO, GC Adventist
Risk Management

Winegardner is an ordained minister and has served as a pastor in the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® for more than 15 years. Most recently, he served as the senior pastor of the Keene Adventist Church. Winegardner is also an attorney with 25 years of experience as a trial lawyer on professional liability claims and personal injury cases for Adventist Health System, Farmers Insurance, and in private practice. He returns to ARM after previously serving as claims director from 2002–2004.

Winegardner earned a BA in Religion from Southwestern Adventist College (now Southwestern Adventist University) in Keene, Texas, and his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Law School (now Dedman School of Law) in Dallas, Texas. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and was board-certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialisation from 1997–2012.

Meet Our Presenters

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Wederly Aguiar

Workshop: Being A Local Treasurer and the Importance of SDAA

Wederly Aguiar is the Executive Treasurer/CFO of the British Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He brings over 12 years of post-qualification experience in financial leadership across different levels of the Church, from local Conference to the Trans-European Division.

Wederly is dedicated to equipping local leaders with practical financial insight that supports long-term sustainability and missional impact.

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Alan Rodney

Workshop: Being A Local Treasurer and the Importance of SDAA

TBA

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Pastor Don McFarlane

Workshop: The Relationship between the Local Pastor and Local Treasurer

Wederly Aguiar is the Executive Treasurer/CFO of the British Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He brings over 12 years of post-qualification experience in financial leadership across different levels of the Church, from local Conference to the Trans-European Division.

Wederly is dedicated to equipping local leaders with practical financial insight that supports long-term sustainability and missional impact.

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Sandra Aguiar

Workshop: A Risk Management Perspective

Account Executive, serving the Trans-European, Inter-European, and Euro-Asia Divisions Sandra brings a deep commitment to service and ministry in her role as Account Executive, supporting church ministries.

As a pastor’s wife to her late husband, Sandra has long been immersed in church life and continues to serve by equipping ministries with effective risk management strategies and insurance solutions that strengthen their mission.

Her work is rooted in a passion for people — whether walking alongside church leaders or simply enjoying a walk with family. Sandra finds joy in helping others and believes that thoughtful support and practical tools can empower ministries to thrive.

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Sophia Nicholls

Workshop: Creating Places of Belonging

Sophia Nicholls is a passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging within the church community. She holds an MA in Theology, with a dissertation awarded distinction in the area of Disability, Belonging and Ecclesiology, an MA in Education (Inclusion), and an MSc in Physiology. Her academic and professional achievements have given her a unique ability to bridge theology, education, and practical ministry in ways that support leaders in creating welcoming, Christ-centred spaces.
Sophia formerly served as the Director for Disability and Diversity at the South England Conference of the SDA Church, where she championed initiatives that opened doors for greater participation and visibility of underrepresented groups. She also represented the world church as part of the General Conference team that developed the Possibility Ministries department—an important step in global efforts to nurture inclusive congregations.
As the Co-Founder of ASNA (Adventist Special Needs Association), a charity established 24 years ago and inspired by her son Matthew, Sophia has been at the forefront of supporting families, training leaders, and equipping churches to better embrace individuals of all abilities and backgrounds. Through ASNA’s work, Sophia has helped shape conversations in the SDA church around inclusion, empowerment, and belonging, leaving a significant impact on both grassroots member support and leadership culture.

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Craig Gooden

Workshops: Involving Young People in Church Life & How to build a vibrant youth community

Since giving his life to Christ, Craig has had the opportunity to share the Gospel internationally and serve in different ministries by way of preaching, teaching and training. He has a strong passion for seeing the everlasting Gospel proclaimed to the world in this generation. His favourite topics of study are Faith and Bible Prophecy.

Craig currently serves as an Elder in the North England Conference UK and works as a Software Engineer. He enjoys fellowshipping, reading, travelling, photography and spending time with his wife and best friend, Farida and their son, Izraël.,

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Tony Smith

Workshop: The Do’s and Don’ts of Bible Studies

I was baptised at the age of 13, marking the beginning of a lifelong commitment to faith. By 15, I was already sharing Bible studies with individuals and leading classes, driven by a deep passion for teaching and spiritual growth. At 24, I was ordained as an elder, a role that has given me the privilege of working alongside numerous ministers to further the church’s mission, supported by my wife, Marie.

After experiencing redundancy, I volunteered as a Bible Instructor with the North England Conference for five years, serving the Derby/Burton District. In 2018, I transitioned into a paid role with the Conference, where I’ve continued to serve and share my faith. Over the years, this work has resulted in many baptisms, and I remain dedicated to this mission, to continue to serve until Christ’s return.

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Predag Salonski

Workshop:

Junior Account Executive, serving the Trans-European and Inter-European Divisions.

With a heart for service and a background in customer care, Predrag brings both compassion and professionalism to his role as Junior Account Executive. Through his involvement in church life, his dedication to helping others, and his belief in the power of teamwork, he combines these qualities into a client-focused approach rooted in a genuine passion for people.

Working alongside others, his goal is to provide practical support and strengthen church ministries, ensuring they have the resources and encouragement needed to fulfill their mission.

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Pastor Steve McKenzie

Daily Devotionals
Saturday & Sunday mornings

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Be Part of CONNECTED 2025

If you missed being with us live or want to watch again, don’t miss the opportunity to enhance your leadership skills and connect with like-minded individuals. Watch online from 1st December 2025

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