10 Subject Matter Expert Webinars, Held Once Each Month

Once a month, students attend live webinars with subject matter experts from varied careers and professional backgrounds. We partner with thought leaders, speakers, authors, and subject matter experts who have successful, real-world experience in a variety of careers.

Ascend Webinars

Ascend Webinars provide value for all students, even if they are not pursuing the speaker’s field of work.

Education is a multifaceted process that includes not only academics, but also — and perhaps more importantly — the ability to ask questions, the opportunity to hear others’ stories, and an environment that encourages healthy discussion about the world around us and practical, actionable ways we can respond as followers of Christ.

Ascend students attend monthly Subject Matter Expert Webinars throughout the year with the greater Ascend class. During these webinars, they have the chance to hear from experts in a variety of fields with unique stories and perspectives. These webinars are held through video calls and include Q&A time for students to dialogue and engage with the speaker. Topics range from the importance of community, how to quickly and effectively master complicated information, discipleship and apologetics, missions, entrepreneurship, and more. We won’t guarantee that students will always agree with the speaker, but that is not the goal of these webinars. The goal is to challenge students to think critically about the world around them, ask questions, and engage in productive conversations both with the speaker and with each other and their Ascend Team Leaders.

Ben Billups - Founder of NOBLE Digital

Ben has years of experience in branding, film, live events, digital marketing, web development, and other related media work. Ben loves creating strategies and content for exceptional people, products, and causes.

Carissa Gay - Founder of Courageous Leaders

Carissa works with ambitious professionals who want to be sought out for greater leadership opportunities. She also trains managers and leaders in conversational coaching skills that create employee synergy, trust, and collaboration vital to talent development and retention.

Donald Emmack - Former Law Enforcement Officer

Donald is a former law enforcement officer from the Los Angeles area. He is an upbeat leader and trainer and is often referred to as a direct communicator. He prefers to handle interpersonal and corporate communications in an upfront manner with an eye towards efficiency. An avid firearms enthusiast, Donald is a certified instructor for the USCCA and NRA with credentials to instruct for CCW and other advanced topics.

Hannah Brencher - Author, Speaker, Educator

Hannah is the bestselling author of 3 books, a TED Speaker, and an online educator teaching others how to establish important disciplines within their lives. Words are her everything and nothing fires her up more than teaching others how to become more disciplined so they can make space for what matters most to them in life.

Nathan Rittenhouse - Speaker, Podcaster, Preacher

Nathan is a speaker, podcaster, and preacher. After double-majoring in Physics and Philosophy and minoring in Math, Nathan studied theology and pastoral studies and holds an M.Div from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Nathan has been preaching and speaking in the field of Christian apologetics at churches, campuses, and conferences for the last 8 years.

Atalie Bale - Photographer & Missionary

Atalie is a missionary and photographer who travels the world with Global Encounter and loves to capture people’s stories and connect them to one another through photography.