Saturday February 29, 2020

Past Conference Speakers

Matt Birk
     "Faith and Football: Get in the Game"

-  2011 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

-  Super Bowl Champ & 15-year NFL Alumnus

-  Company CEO, Harvard Graduate, Speaker, Author

Super Bowl champion Matt Birk is a 15-year veteran of the National Football League. Since retiring from football in 2013, Matt has held a number of roles inside the NFL League Office. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Matt was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998 and was a key off-season acquisition of the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. A six-time NFL Pro Bowl Selection and two-time All Pro, Matt proved to be an undisputed leader on the field and was named the sixth smartest athlete by Sporting News.  More importantly, he has established a legacy of community service that will last far beyond his years of football. 
 
He was the recipient of the 2011 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his excellence on and off the field.

A graduate of Harvard University with a degree in economics, Matt is the founder and CEO of Matt Birk and Company.

He is the author of All Pro Wisdom: The Seven Choices that Lead to Greatness.    

Matt was raised Catholic but fell away from the Faith in college.  He enjoyed worldly success during the first few years of his NFL career, but was still wandering and thus, not fulfilled.  When an evangelical team chaplain challenged the Catholic Church, Matt went on his personal search for truth, and ultimately claimed his Catholic Faith as his own, living out his faith during his football career.  Upon winning the Super Bowl in 2013, Matt declined an invitation to go the White House, citing then President Barack Obama’s support for Planned Parenthood as the reason.

In his witness talk, Matt shares practical life lessons from his experience with the NFL, describing football as a spiritual game, demanding by nature but, filled with opportunities for growing closer to God.  He encourages men to get in the game, be courageous in defending the Catholic faith, because we have the Truth.

Matt and his wife, Adrianna, live in St. Paul, MN with their 8 children.

https://www.mattbirkandcompany.com/
 

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Gary Zimak
     "From Fear to Faith: Winning the Battle"

-  International Leading Catholic Speaker on Overcoming Anxiety

-  Best-selling Author
 
-  Radio Host & Blogger
 
Gary Zimak is a dynamic Catholic Evangelist and frequent speaker at parishes and conferences across the country.  Gary is recognized as the leading Catholic speaker on the topic of overcoming anxiety.  He has touched thousands with his parish missions, talks, and retreats.
 
Gary is the author of several books, including Stop Worrying and Start Living, From Fear To Faith, Give Up Worry For Lent, A Worrier’s Guide To The Bible, Listen To Your Blessed Mother, Find A Real Friend In Jesus and Faith, Hope and Clarity.

In addition, Gary is a regular guest on EWTN TV & Radio, Relevant Radio, the host of The Gary Zimak Show podcast on Breadbox Media and was the creator and host of Spirit In The Morning which aired on Holy Spirit Radio in Philadelphia from 2016-2018. He blogs at Patheos and his work has appeared in The National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Catholic Exchange, Catholic Philly and Seton Magazine.
 
Gary resides in South Jersey with his wife Eileen and daughters Mary and Elizabeth.

http://www.followingthetruth.com/
 

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Greg Willits
  "Tied in Knots: Finding Peace in Today's World

-  Founder and Exec Director, New Evangelizers & Rosary Army

-  Former Exec. Director, Archdiocese of Denver’s Office of
         Evangelization and Family Life Ministries  2013—2016
 
-  Former Editorial Director, Our Sunday Visitor 2016—2018

                                          -  New Media Trailblazer, Author, Radio & Podcast Host
 
Greg Willits, a Catholic author, media trailblazer, husband, and father, has experienced his share of knots, and he assures people that there’s no tangle you can’t undo — provided you have the right tools.

Greg's an innovative trailblazer and has been at the forefront of Catholic new media efforts for many years. A moving force behind the annual Catholic New Media Conference, he and his wife, Jennifer, were initially known for their online home videos, under the title “That Catholic Show.”  They also teamed up on The Catholic Channel (Sirius XM radio) for a regular three-hour show called “The Catholics Next Door.”

Greg then became Executive Director of the Archdiocese of Denver’s Office of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries for 3 years, and then worked as Editorial Director for Our Sunday Visitor for 2 years. 

He also has published two books Tied In Knots: Finding Peace In Today’s World and The New Evangelization and You: Be Not Afraid.

After a career of launching start-ups or filling new positions, Greg now devotes his efforts towards The New Evangelizers, (www.NewEvangelizers.com), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people know their faith more deeply, live their faith more fully, and share their faith more successfully.  He has also founded or co-founded several other apostolates including Rosary Army, SQPN, Total Consecration, and more, all designed to help people develop a greater relationship with Jesus Christ. 



Years of talk radio gave him the ability to present knock-it-out-of-the-park presentations in front of thousands of people about both Catholicism as well as Leadership and New Media.


https://gregandjennifer.com/

https://newevangelizers.com/about/