Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

One of our hosts, Aubrey Sampson, sits down with Chrystal Evans Hurst this week to discuss how to release control of the future and to instead steward what God gives us. From her own experiences, Chrystal shares how unexpected seasons and circumstances in her life led to where she is now and the doors that God opened along the way.

Chrystal Evans Hurst

Chrystal Evans Hurst is an encourager who teaches people to love God, to love others, and to love themselves. Chrystal is a wife, mother of five, and grandmother of five. She is also a speaker and the best-selling author of She's Still There, Kingdom Woman, Show Up for Your Life, 28 Days of Prayer, and the newly released 100 Days to Discovering the Gift of You. You can find Chrystal sharing regular encouragement via podcasts and blogs at chrystalevanshurst.com.

WSC Woman to Watch: Kristen Brock

Kristen Brock is a speaker, coach, trainer, and host of the podcast, “Jesus, Justice +

Mercy”, where faith meets real life (and sometimes a little holy trouble). A solo mom of

three adult sons, and a small pack of rescue dogs who believe they run the place, she

knows a thing or two about organized chaos and relentless love. With an MS in Marriage & Family Counseling and an MA in Theology & Social Justice in progress, Kristen brings both expertise and empathy, walking beside others on the messy, holy road toward healing and justice. Find her at www.kristenannette.com

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, our hosts Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson talk with Christine Caine about what it takes to be resilient in ministry and to approach calling with the fear of the Lord. She passionately shares decades of ministry experience with fierce encouragement and exhortation for the next generation of women ministry leaders and speakers – calling us all up to the standard of ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christine Caine is an Australian-born, Greek-heritage activist, evangelist, author, and international speaker who has served the global church for over 30 years. She holds a M.A. in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College. Christine and her husband, Nick, founded A21, a global anti–human trafficking organization, as well as Propel Women and Equip & Empower. A bestselling author of more than a dozen books and studies—including A Life Unleashed, Run to Win, and Resilient Hope—she also hosts a weekly podcast and TV program. Christine lives in Southern California with Nick and their daughters, Catie and Sophia.

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we are having a special conversation with our hosts Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson digging into something many women speakers and leaders face: imposter syndrome. They share personal examples and unpack the underlying causes for feeling fraudulent in the places and spaces that God has called them to – reminding listeners to remember who they are in God and who God is in their lives.

Cheryl Nembhard

Cheryl Nembhard is a dynamic speaker, podcaster, TV host, and justice advocate. She has spent years serving at-risk youth, former gang members, sexual assault victims, and teen mothers. She’s been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Women to Watch, recognized by CBC as one of 150 women improving the country, and is a Harry Jerome Award winner for social advocacy.

Cheryl is a 10-season co-host of See, Hear, Love and host of On The Path with Cheryl Nembhard, airing on YES TV, audio platforms, and now streaming across the U.S. She serves as Executive Director of the Women Speakers Collective, empowering women’s voices worldwide.

Aubrey Sampson

Aubrey (M.A. Evangelism and Leadership) co-planted and co-pastors Renewal Church in Chicagoland. She speaks nationally, hosts the Together We Rise and What We Find in the Dark podcasts, and coaches women in ministry through Propel Women Cohorts.

Passionate about helping hurting people encounter God in their pain, Aubrey lives in Chicagoland with her husband, Kevin, and their three hilarious sons.

She is the author of multiple books, including What We Find in the Dark (NavPress, 2025), Big Feelings Days (NavPress, 2023), Known, The Louder Song (NavPress, 2019), and Overcomer (Zondervan, 2015).

WSC Woman to Watch: Laura Busse

Laura Bussee is a keynote speaker and author of six original Women’s Bible studies on topics like resilience, confidence, and post-traumatic growth. Her teaching has impacted thousands, and her first book, The Unimaginable: God, Grief, and the Questions that Won’t Go Away, releases in summer 2026.

She’s a Grief Educator and founder of GriefandHope.org, where she counsels women through profound loss and partners with leading experts on grief and trauma. Laura also co-hosts the Soul Enchilada podcast, blending faith and therapy in honest, real-world conversations.

Laura has been married to her high school sweetheart, Dan, for 31 years. They’re empty nesters living in Boulder, CO, where they love to hike, bike, and paddleboard under wide-open skies.

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we're excited for this powerful conversation with April Stallworth. She joins Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson to discuss authenticity, the significance of knowing one's identity in Christ, the importance of preparing for God-given opportunities, and empowering the next generation to embrace their true selves without apology.

April Stallworth is a respected leader, speaker, certified Christian life coach, and Chief of Staff at T.D. Jakes Enterprises, where she drives operational excellence and strategic collaboration across the organization. Beyond her role, she offers coaching, training, and speaking engagements focused on transformation, purpose, leadership, and holistic self-care.As a LinkedIn Learning Instructor with over half a million viewers, April equips professionals worldwide with practical tools for growth. She also serves as a Propel Women Cohort Coach and holds degrees in Management and Leadership. Originally from New Jersey, April now lives in Dallas, TX, and is the proud mom of her daughter, Imani, a creative storyteller in Los Angeles.

Connect with April

April’s Website

April’s Instagram

April’s LinkedIn

TD Jakes Enterprises

WSC Woman to Watch: Karissa Sovdi

Braun Book Award winner Karissa Sovdi is a writer, speaker, and clinical counselor. As a never-married Christian single who grew up in church, she speaks from her sometimes heartbreaking, often humorous, and frequently bumbling journey to a thirtysomething’s radical self-acceptance and revelation of God’s love. Karissa lives, plays, and works on Canada’s west coast, where she specializes in coaching organizational leaders to build healthy workplaces.

Karissa’s Website

Book: Surviving Christianity Unmarried

Karissa’s Instagram

(Trigger Warning: Loss by suicide is mentioned in this episode)

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we're excited for this powerful conversation with Karrie Scott Garcia. She joins Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson to encourage women to live integrated lives. Karrie offers hard fought insight in this conversation, and shares a bit of her own journey toward integration and God’s transformative power in our lives, when we allow Him to lead us in this journey.

As a pastor, life coach, author, and CEO, Karrie Scott Garcia inspires change by boldly sharing her journey to freedom. She believes true redemption doesn’t begin after pain, it’s born from it. Through her nonprofit, Freedom Movement, Karrie helps people process and heal through tours, workshops, coaching, and community. Since 2014, she’s been redefining what it means to live free and fully alive. Currently pursuing a master’s in Neuroscience and Trauma, Karrie continues to equip others to find healing and purpose in their stories.

Connect with Karrie and Freedom Movement

Karrie’s Website

Karrie’s Instagram

Karrie’s Facebook

Freedom Movement Website

Freedom Movement Instagram

Book: Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be

WSC Woman to Watch: Jennifer Edwards

With over 20 years of experience in ministry and advocacy, Jen has dedicated her life to serving children and women through leadership, systems building, and coaching. Passionate about the connection between Kids Ministry and Women in Ministry, she equips women to advocate for themselves and the communities they lead. When she’s not speaking, writing, or coaching, Jen enjoys coffee, walks by the water, and time with her husband and three sons.

Jennifer’s Website

Jennifer’s Instagram

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we're excited for this powerful conversation with Latasha Morrison. She joins Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson to encourage our listeners about what it looks like to follow the way of Jesus in lifting up our marginalized brothers and sisters in Christ, and the collective act of lament and roles that each of us have to take up in order to be a part of racial reconciliation.

Latasha Morrison is a distinguished author renowned for her transformative work in fostering racial reconciliation and unity. She is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of the nonprofit Be the Bridge, which encourages racial reconciliation among all ethnicities, to promote racial unity in America, and to equip others to do the same.

Her insights and expertise have been featured in outlets such as Oprah Daily and USA Today, where she inspires readers to engage in meaningful conversations about race, justice, and equality.

Connect with Latasha and Be The Bridge

Be The Bridge’s Website and Latasha’s Website

Be The Bridge’s Instagram and Latasha’s Instagram

Be the Bridge Podcast

Books: Be the Bridge and Brown Faces, White Spaces

Made with

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we're excited to speak with Tammy Melchien. She joins Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson to unpack what it truly means to be a counter-cultural participant in the Kingdom of God, based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Tammy Melchien is a teaching pastor and writer. With over 30 years of experience in ministry, she currently leads the teaching team at a large, multi-site church in the Chicago area. She is passionate about the study of Scripture and has earned an M.A. from Lincoln Christian Seminary.

Connect with Tammy

Website

Book: Choosing the Opposite

WSC Woman to Watch: Jeannette Cochran

Jeannette Cochran is a leadership coach, pastor, and veteran ministry leader with 30 years’ experience. She equips women in ministry and faith-based nonprofits to lead with clarity, confidence, and conviction, uniting theological depth with practical wisdom.

Connect with Jeanette

Website

Instagram

Podcast: Empowered to Lead

Made with

Welcome to the Together We Rise podcast! This is a place where every woman has a seat at the table – and where we affirm, equip, and amplify women's voices globally.

This week, we're excited to speak with Olivia Munn-Shirsath. She joins Cheryl Nembhard and Aubrey Sampson to discuss the nuances of leading pastorally as a woman in the church, encouraging listeners to step into their humble, God-given authority.

Olivia unpacks Jesus’ example of humble authority through His being the Alpha and Omega and offers practical advice on how the Church – and its leaders – can continue moving forward in the purposes Jesus set for them.

Olivia Munn-Shirsath is a passionate communicator of the Word, currently serving as Teaching Pastor at Wellspring Church in Queens, NY. With over a decade of frontline urban pastoral experience through the Salvation Army amidst the homelessness and recovery communities, she is well equipped to address a wide range of issues, and is convinced the Bride of Christ is the solution. Olivia is a mentor, a worship leader, and a co-author. She resides in NYC with her husband Pratik, and her two sons, Romey and Shalom.

Connect with Olivia

Website | https://www.oliviamunnshirsath.com

Instagram | @oliviamunnshirsath

Book | The Uprising: A Holy Revolution? https://satradecentral.org/The-Uprising-A-Holy-Revolution

WSC Woman to Watch: Christine Saffold

Christine is an award-winning entrepreneur, business advisor, and community economic development professional. She holds a BA in Psychology from Yale University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she received concentrations in Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management, interned in venture capital as an Investment Fellow at VestedWorld, and was a Toigo Fellow and Forté Fellow.

Christine has advised businesses and investors on three continents. After graduating from Chicago Booth, she founded Chama Capital, a financial technology company on a mission to increase access to capital for women-owned businesses.

A native Chicagoan, Christine started her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Barclays in New York. She is a 2021 Herman Family Fellow and has been honored as a Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Featured Member, an Immerse Founder in Residence, and a Toigo Foundation Top 35 Rising Leader and Vision Award Winner.

Connect with Christine

LinkedIN | https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinesaffold/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/christinesaffold

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinesaffold/