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

David Hayward

David Hayward, known online as the NakedPastor, is an artist, writer, and former pastor who now helps people find spiritual freedom beyond religious walls. After nearly 30 years in ministry, he left the church in 2010 and began using his art and words to challenge religious control and inspire authenticity, equality, and spiritual independence.

He’s an LGBTQ+ ally, a feminist, and a progressive voice for those deconstructing faith and reclaiming their own path. His work includes daily cartoons, books, and his online community The Lasting Supper, a safe and supportive space for people leaving or questioning religion.

David lives near Saint John, New Brunswick, with his wife Lisa.

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).

Carrie N.

Carrie N. (they/she) is an educator, administrator and artist who has spent the last 23 years working in, and consulting with, education institutions, small companies, government and NGOs. Carrie has a BFA in Sculpture, an MA in Teaching and an MA in Media Studies. They are also completing a MA in Consciousness Studies and Transpersonal Psychology with a research focus on intersubjectivity in groups, and is currently enrolled in a MS in Organizational Change Management with a focus on authenticity in leadership.

Over the years Carrie has been involved in campus ministry, local church leadership and regional gatherings. They are a coach and a consultant with spiritual leaders and workers, artists, educators and business executives. Inquiry and curiosity are at the center of the work they do.

Carrie was introduced to Q Christian in 2018 and is pleased to be a new member of the board as of December 2019. They are passionate about creating equitable and inclusive spaces and is stoked to be working with Q as their values align.

Pastor Danny Cortez

Danny Cortez (he/him) founded and directs Estuary Space, a non-profit that provides consultation to faith communities as well as pastoral support to LGBTQ people and their families. He also serves part-time as a pastor at Long Beach Christian Fellowship, in Long Beach, CA. Originally, he served as the pastor of New Heart Community Church, a Southern Baptist Church that was dismissed from the denomination as a result of becoming inclusive of LGBTQ people. He also serves as a board member of PFLAG API San Gabriel Valley. He also co-founded Bridges in Africa, a non-profit that seeks to help alleviate the persecution and suffering of LGBTQ people in African communities. He and his wife, Abby, are parents of 4 children, three of whom identify as LGBTQ.

Mick Atencio

Mick Atencio (they/them) is a queer, neurodivergent, and trans nonbinary artist and theologian. They are passionate about queer liberation, care for neighbor, and honoring the creative spirit in every person they meet. Mick graduated with their Masters of Divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary in 2024, with their thesis and cumulative capstone focusing on the elemental forces in biblical creation narratives and poems. They love worship music, visual art, and poetry, have been published by Wipf & Stock, enfleshed and Sojourners, and currently reside in Chicago, Illinois with their husband Mitchell and their baby. In their free time, Mick enjoys thrift shopping, playing tennis, baking, and creating art in various mediums.