Speakers

Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter

Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter is a pastor, speaker, writer, advocate, and consultant. She has over 30 years of experience in various Christian ministry settings. She speaks on topics ranging from gender identity and sexual orientation to self-care and wellness. In all her work Laura Beth draws heavily on her own experiences with PTSD, gender dysphoria, suicidal ideation, and the challenges that come with those when working in faith communities.

Laura Beth currently makes her home base in Indianapolis, Indiana, while traveling the country wherever she is needed as an interim pastor. She has lived all over the USA, including Puerto Rico. In addition to writing, speaking, and working with local faith communities, she keeps herself busy as an artist, musician, parent, and grandparent.

Min. Darren Calhoun

Darren Calhoun is an advocate, vocalist, and consultant based out of Chicago. He works to bridge relationships between people of differing perspectives through story and relationship. Intersectionality is his primary lens when facilitating dialogue and education about justice and inclusion for people marginalized based on race, gender, sexuality, or ability. Darren is an Associate Fellow at Christians for Social Action, a Vocalist in the progressive Christian band The Many. He also serves on the board of directors with national LGBTQ organizations, such as Q Christian Fellowship, and locally with grass-roots efforts for harm reduction, equity and inclusion. He's been a keynote speaker and consultant for corporate, non-profit, and faith-based organizations for two decades. Lastly, he’s an extrovert who loves hugs. Follow him on social media at @HeyDarren

SueAnn Shiah

SueAnn Shiah (@sueannshiah www.sueannshiah.com) is a Taiwanese American musician, filmmaker, community organizer, ethnomusicologist, Queer Christian pastor, and public theologian specializing in identity formation, racial justice, gender, and sexuality. She was named one of 12 Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2025 by Sojourners Magazine and contributed a chapter in the Our Bible App’s The Deconstructionists Playbook (2021). In 2020, she joined the leadership team and editorial board of Taiwan’s New Bloom Magazine and became a columnist for News Lens International. She released her debut solo album of reclaimed hymns, “A Liturgy for the Perseverance of the Saints” in June 2018. Her first feature length documentary HuanDao follows her journey of discovery, identity, and belonging in a two week bike trip around Taiwan. In addition to her own creative and theological works, she collaborates with others in a variety of capacities as an artist manager, producer, audio engineer, songwriter, podcast producer, and creator of liturgy. She has a B.B.A. in Music Business with a Production emphasis and a Chinese minor from Belmont University, a Masters of Arts in Musicology from National Taiwan University, and is graduating with a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education and Formation from Princeton Theological Seminary this May and is certified ready to receive a call in her ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA).