Lisa Brenninkmeyer is the founder and CEO of Walking with Purpose. A convert to Catholicism, Lisa created her first Bible study in 2002 out of a desire to see Catholic women come to know Christ personally. In 2008, Walking with Purpose became a fully independent non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status and a mission of helping every Catholic woman and girl in America open her heart to Jesus Christ. Today, more than 70,000 women, young women, and teen girls participate in WWP each year.

Lisa has authored 16 WWP Bible studies that have received an Imprimatur.

Lisa has been recognized by the Catholic Leadership Institute as a National Catholic Leader and was a presenter at the USCCB Convocation of Catholic Leaders. She has presented the unique model of WWP at national conferences throughout the country and has been a guest on a number of radio, television, and podcast shows as well.

Lisa holds a B.A. in psychology from St. Olaf College and is pursuing her master's degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She and her husband Leo have seven children and five grandchildren and reside in St. Augustine, Florida.

Sr. Josephine was born and raised Baptist in Houston, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s in politics from the University of Dallas, and shortly thereafter entered the Catholic Church. Sr. Josephine served in the banking industry for 10 years as a vice president. In 2011, she began her religious formation with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. She is a nationally certified and licensed counselor, specializing in trauma and the treatment of children and adolescents, and serves as a Catholic school counselor in Tyler, Texas. A board member of the Laboure Society and Life Teen, she is also the author of Hope: An Invitation and host of the Hope Stories podcast.

Sarah Kroger has spent the last 10 years leading worship and sharing her music at a range of national and international concerts and events. She has released four albums: Your Time (2011), Hallelujah is Our Song (2013), Bloom (2019), and Light (2022). Sarah’s passion is to create a space in which people can encounter the heart of God in a profound way. When Sarah isn’t on the road, she lives in Nashville, TN, with her husband Dom.

Danielle M. Brown assists the U.S. bishops in addressing the Church’s mission in the context of race as it relates to the Great Commission. Also a lawyer, she is passionate about sharing the gospel, which she has done nationally and internationally. Before relocating to Washington, D.C., in May 2018, she served on several boards, commissions, and ministries in Lansing, Michigan. She has been an assistant deputy legal counsel to the Michigan governor and an appellate and administrative law judge in Michigan. She currently serves on the boards of Renewal Ministries and Benedictine College and GIVEN's advisory board.

Mary Guilfoyle is a wife, mother, and happy-as-can-be grandmother of twin boys. After a life-changing encounter with Jesus while in college, Mary served Him in parish ministry most of her adult life. Upon returning to Sacred Heart Major Seminary to complete earlier studies, a cancer diagnosis enrolled her in far more advanced courses than she could have imagined. After a miraculous healing, Mary returned to parish ministry, serving as a director of evangelization and discipleship. Currently, Mary is a missionary with ACTS XXIX, cohosts the You Were Born for This Podcast with Fr. John Riccardo, and serves on the leadership team and is the lead for The Rescue Project.

Heather Khym is the cohost of the internationally popular Abiding Together podcast, the author of Abide, and soon to be released Encountering Emmanuel Advent Journal. She and her husband, Jake, are the co-founders of Life Restoration Ministries, where she serves as director of vision and ministry. 

Heather has more than twenty-five years of experience as a speaker and retreat leader, offering conferences and workshops in the United States and Canada. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, studying theology and catechetics. Heather is passionate about evangelization, discipleship, and creating an environment for people to have a personal encounter with God. She lives with her husband in British Columbia, Canada, and has three children who attend Franciscan University.

Laura Phelps joined Walking with Purpose in 2016 after a personal encounter with Christ and an undeniable call on her heart to share her story with others. Relatable, honest, and often hilarious, Laura generously shares the pain of her life, offering you the hope and healing she has found through Jesus and Mary. Author of Victorious Secret: Everyday Battles And How To Win Them, and Sweet Cross: A Marian Guide To Suffering, Laura is on a personal mission to wake women up to the battle and to hold fast to the truth we try so hard to ignore: that there is no way around your cross, so you might as well embrace it.

Laura’s Our Sunday Visitor Innovative Talk, “How To Cope With Unjust Suffering” released in May 2022. She has been a guest on many radio shows and podcasts including The Katie McGrady Show and Danielle Bean’s Girlfriends.

Mallory Smyth joined Walking with Purpose out of a deep desire to help women come to know Christ personally through the transforming power of His Word. She experienced a powerful conversion of heart in college when she came to know God personally through Scripture. Having worked with college students as a FOCUS missionary and now in women's ministry, it is her dream to see Catholics fall deeply in love with God and grab hold of the joy offered in the gospel.

Mallory has spoken around the nation including at conferences such as SEEK and FOCUS Greek conferences. She has been a guest on "Journey Home," EWTN's "Life on the Rock," "The Catholic Feminist," "Ave Explores," and a number of other podcasts and radio shows. Mallory has written Rekindled and three WWP Bible studies.

Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, was elected president of Franciscan University of Steubenville on May 21, 2019. The well-known Catholic speaker and author graduated from Franciscan University with his B.A. in theology in 1989, then earned an MDiv, M.A. in theology, doctorate in education, and executive juris doctorate. A solemnly professed member of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Province of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance, Father Pivonka was ordained to the priesthood in 1996. 

He held various leadership positions at Franciscan University from 1996-2008 including vice president for Mission and Planning. From 2008-2012, Father Pivonka served as director of Post-Novitiate Formation for the Franciscans, TOR, and from 2012-2019, he directed Franciscan Pathways, hosting The Wild Goose video series on the Holy Spirit, a documentary on St. Francis of Assisi, and Metanoia, a 2019 video series on conversion. He has written seven books, including Living Metanoia: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in Christ (OSV, 2021), and he currently hosts Franciscan University Presents on EWTN and cohosts the popular podcast, They That Hope.

Fr. John Hopkins, LC, was ordained a priest in 1991 by Saint John Paul II. He was a significant influence in the founding of Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center and Center for Family Development. After completing a sabbatical of study in Rome and receiving his licentiate degree in moral theology in 2004, he returned to the DC area and was appointed president of Our Lady of Bethesda.