2024 Conference
At the Orphan Care Conference, we hear the unique stories of
those who have provided safety, love, and support to orphans and vulnerable children.
Our speakers share real stories of their real lives, dispel some myths and fears surrounding orphan care,
and cover the nuts and bolts of what it looks like to adopt, foster, or volunteer to care for vulnerable kids.
Saturday, March 2, 2024
10am-3pm
at Risen Life Church
2780 E 3900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84124
What to Expect
SPEAKERS
In the many ups and downs of adoption and orphan care, our speakers point to the hope of the Gospel. They open their hearts and share their own family’s stories of adoption, foster care, and caring for children.
CONNECT WITH OTHERS
Find time to be refreshed, encouraged and strengthened alongside others who share a heart for caring for vulnerable children.
GOOD FOOD
Arrive early for the coffee hour and enjoy a catered lunch and meet some new friends who have the same passion for helping others.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
The breakout sessions are smaller groups that focus on a specific area of orphan care so you can learn more intensively about what you are passionate or curious about.
PARTNER VILLAGE
We partner with local agencies and gather them all in the same room, where they are available to share about their missions and answer questions you might have. Be inspired by community organizations all committed to helping vulnerable kids. Learn more at our Partners page.
ENCOURAGEMENT
The tone of the whole conference is honest, but also uplifiting and encouraging. We pray you will leave feeling inspired, hopeful, and more equipped to love God’s children.
Schedule
9am-10am: Check-in, Coffee
10:00am: Welcome
10:15am: Large Group Panel #1: “What I Wish I Knew Before I Started This Journey”
11:25am: Breakout Sessions
Early Childhood Trauma 101
Foster Care/Foster-to-Adopt
International & Special Needs Adoption
Everyone Can Do Something
12:30pm: Catered Lunch
1pm: Agency Intros and Info Tables
1:45pm: Large Group Panel #2 and Audience Q&A: “Unique Perspectives on Orphan Care”
2:45pm: Closing Remarks
3pm: Conference Ends
David and Jackie Askvig
As parents of two Ukrainian sons, four bio children, and several foster children in the past, David and Jackie Askvig are well-versed in living in the overflow of God's provision. Experienced in international adoption, foster and respite care, and special needs adoption, David and Jackie are an open book ready to share about the good and hard of this path.
Brian and Jacquey Currie
Brian and Jacquey Currie adopted their two sons, Rafa (5) and Micah (age 3) through foster care. The boys are biological siblings and were both placed with the Curries as newborns. The Currie family resides in Holladay and loves being active in the amazing outdoors Utah has to offer. Brian and Jacquey are passionate about adoption and have found blessings in growing their family through it.
Doug and Jessica Grennan
Doug and Jessica Grennan recently celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary and have 2 boys- Oliver (7) who they welcomed through domestic infant adoption and Sam (4) who is their biological child. The Grennans love Jesus, coffee, college football, music, their dog Queso, date nights, and how their boys make them laugh every day.
Davis Hill
Davis is from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, where his parents and four siblings helped foster eight long term foster placements from newborn to teenage years. While he is not currently licensed to foster, he hopes to be a foster parent in the future.
Davis currently works as a medical device engineer and enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking and playing guitar.
Amy King
Amy grew up outside of Detroit, MI and moved to SLC in 2003 to help plant a church. God "ruined" her heart for the orphan after spending time in several orphanages in Russia. In 2013 Amy started the non-profit For the Orphan Network to help educate, equip & mobilize churches in the Salt Lake Valley.
Joe Luplow
Joe is from Michigan and was adopted as an infant along with his sister, Amy, from different birth mothers. Joe and his wife Laurie now live in Holladay with their five biological children, Henry (8), George (6), Ruby (4), John (2), Joshua (1).
Hope Nichols
Hope Nichols is a licensed clinical mental health counselor who has been practicing since 2016. She sees clients of all ages but mainly works with children who have been adopted out of foster care.
Elizabeth Petterson
Lizzie spent some of her childhood years impacted by the child welfare system that included being placed in a foster home. After being adopted by kin relatives, she grew a deep passion for building systemic change. She graduated with two bachelor's degrees and currently works as a Research and Policy director for the federal government focusing on the child welfare space.
Nathan and Jessica Pugh
Nathan and Jessica Pugh are parents to internationally-adopted son and two biological sons. The Pugh family has experience adopting from China, navigating the world of disability and infertility, and are currently awaiting the finalization of another hopeful international adoption. The Pughs love visiting national parks and trying new pizza places as they continually learn to surrender and live in God’s grace-laden provision.
Kelsey Conroy
Conference Director
Kelsey was adopted as an infant from South Korea and has always had a heart for the orphan. She and her husband Andrew have been married for 13 years and have three biological children. They hope to someday adopt and will continue following God's call to love orphans through advocacy and supporting foster & adoptive families along the way.
Kelsey serves as Connections Minister and oversees the Orphan Care ministry at Risen Life Church. She grew up in California’s Central Valley and received a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has a passion for discipling young women and helping people connect with authentic, missional, Gospel-centered church community.
In her free time she loves reading and writing; spending time with her family in the outdoors hiking, climbing, trail running and skiing; and exploring the food and culture of Salt Lake.
