Shari Rigby

Actor, Director, Founder of Women in My World

Shari Rigby is an accomplished actress, director, writer, producer, author, and inspirational speaker, known as a leading voice in faith and family entertainment.

Her on-screen performances in films and television include October Baby, Overcomer, County Rescue, Not Today, Extraordinary, Wildflower, and The Least of These.

With over twenty years in the industry, Shari has transitioned to directing projects such as Between The Lines (Warner Brothers), County Rescue (Great American Pure Flix), Identity Crisis (Angel), Divine Influencer (Great American PureFlix), recipient of the Epiphany Award at Movieguide, and an ICVM Gold Crown Award, and creator of The Dream Center docuseries.

She served as a development consultant for Affirm/Sony Pure Flix and as associate producer on The Forge (2024).

Shari is the founder of the non-profit organization, The Women In My World, and is the co-founder of Beautifully Flawed Productions.

Amanda Pfeiffer

Actor / Licensed Attorney / Contracts

Amanda Pfeiffer is a licensed attorney and award-winning writer, actor, and filmmaker whose work bridges the creative and legal worlds of independent film.

Passionate about championing artists, she advises actors and filmmakers on contracts and legal strategy, empowering them to navigate the business side of storytelling with clarity and confidence.

Benji Cooksey

The Good Friends Improv Artists

Benji Cooksey is the owner of the Good Friend Theater and has been involved in live professional entertainment for over 15 years in Houston, TX. He also produces ComedySportz, Houston’s longest running show now running over 35 years in Houston.

Kurt Yue

Actor and Acting Coach

Kurt Yue is a working actor, acting coach, and educator based in Atlanta, Georgia, with credits including Will Trent, Cobra Kai, and Black Widow.

A SAG-AFTRA member since 2019, he has been self-taping since 2014 and has taped well over a thousand auditions from just about everywhere imaginable, including his home, hotel rooms, garages, closets, and everything in between.

Through his work as both an actor and coach, as well as his YouTube channel and Acting Career Center platform, Kurt helps actors create strong, effective self-tapes that feel grounded, specific, and ready for today’s casting process.

Mike Gonzalez

Sound

Michael Gonzalez is a sound mixer and the founder of Peak Sound Productions with over 20 years of experience working in film, TV, commercials, documentaries, corporate projects, and live performances. He got his start in music, running a recording studio before moving into production sound, and has since worked on projects across the U.S. and internationally.

As a Christian, Mike cares deeply about serving others well and bringing a spirit of excellence and collaboration to every set. At the conference, he’ll be sharing how sound and wardrobe work together and how simple, practical choices can make a big difference for actors.

Mykle McCoslin

SAG-AFTRA Austin/Houston Local President

Mykle McCoslin is an actor, writer, producer, director, acting coach and President and National Board Member of the Houston-Austin SAG-AFTRA local.

Mykle is known for her TV work in Netflix's Mo and Bad Thoughts and played Margaret Cox in the feature film, The Long Game, with Dennis Quaid, Jay Hernandez and Cheech Marin, which won a Narrative Spotlight Audience Award at SXSW in 2023.

She stars in the upcoming romantic comedy, Not Her, playing Marlene, the mother of the bride opposite Mary Steenburgen, Michaela Watkins and Sosie Bacon.

Mykle is currently finishing edits on her first novel, My Grandma Elvis, a memoir she wrote on growing up in Texas and her journey of pursuing acting, which she plans on adapting into a screenplay and eventually directing the film. She is developing several scripted and unscripted television series under her production company, Prolly So Productions.

Jarod O'Flaherty

Director, Creator of Vindication / Founder of ActorBay

Jarod O'Flaherty is the director and producer of the award-winning, faith-based crime drama series Vindication. He lives in Texas with his wife of over 20 years and his five children. He's also the creator of the rapidly growing online acting platform, ActorBay, where actors have casting opportunities and the ability to present self-tapes showcasing their talent to filmmakers.

Mandy Benton

HMUA for The Chosen

Mandy Danielle Benton was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Her passion for makeup artistry led her to move to Los Angeles in 2000, where she launched her career in the film industry. Initially working on feature films, Mandy soon expanded her portfolio to include popular TV shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance,” “American Idol,” “America’s Got Talent,” “Dexter” and “What About Brian.”

In 2009, Mandy returned to Texas, where she continued to make her mark on the industry, working on television series like “The Good Guys,” the reboot of “Dallas,” and “Fear The Walking Dead.”

One of the most significant milestones in Mandy’s career has been her role as the Makeup Department Head on the hit series “The Chosen.” She considers this opportunity the highlight of her career and feels incredibly blessed to be a part of such an impactful and beloved show.

Sharonne Lanier

Actor / Devotional / Panel

Sharonne Lanier studied Theatre Performance at the University of Central Florida. While studying, doubts and thoughts of giving up began to cloud her dreams. On the verge of switching paths, her mother said, "I believe God gives you dreams and visions for a reason. Don't run from it". Since then, she hasn't looked back.

Sharonne has performed professionally in countless stage plays, television, and film productions. It's not her goal to simply entertain, but Sharonne is committed to pointing people towards God's truth and love.

John Goad

Actor / Voiceover

John Goad is an actor, voice actor and actor coach with over 40 years experience in theater, film, television, commercials and audiobooks.

John is a much sought-after coach for actors, being featured at ICFF and other film conferences. He currently focuses his talents solely in the faith-based industry. John lives in Houston, TX and is the proud father of 8 children. He serves in his church as an integral part of their media ministry.

Chris Chris

Social Media Influencer

Chris Chris (@chrischris011) is a Detroit-born Christian creator, indie artist, designer, and storyteller using music, comedy, and digital media to make faith feel joyful, relatable, and real.

With a background in graphic design, audio production, content creation, and visual storytelling, Chris blends creativity and purpose to build clean, engaging entertainment for a multi-generational audience. Across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, he has grown a large online community through Christian skits, songs, videos, and uplifting content that points people back to God without losing humor or personality.

His work includes original music projects like Christ Bop, faith-based digital products, and the vision for Christ Bop Dance, a Christian dance video game celebrating Jesus through movement and music. At the heart of everything Chris creates is a mission to inspire, entertain, and share the gospel in a fresh way.

Stephanie Danielle

Devotional / Health & Appearance

Stephanie Haff is an actress and lifestyle model with more than 30 years of experience on stage and screen. Her work spans major motion pictures, independent films, television, commercials, industrial videos, stunt work, billboard campaigns, and print advertising.

A lifelong lover of the performing arts, Stephanie first found creative expression through dance and theater before discovering her passion for on-camera work. She went on to pursue extensive formal training in improv, theater, film acting, voice-over, commercial acting, character development, scene study, and storytelling. Today, her creative studies continue to expand into film production, directing, screenwriting, and cinematography.

In addition to her work in entertainment, Stephanie has spent nearly three decades in the health and fitness industry as a group fitness and personal trainer. Her training programs are featured on her YouTube channel, Balanced Strength, and she has served as the lead instructor in two commercially distributed fitness videos. She also enjoys helping clients through both online and in-home personal training.

Over the years, Stephanie’s passion for storytelling has grown beyond acting into the full creative process of filmmaking. She recently devoted much of her creative energy to writing, directing, and editing her first film, produced alongside colleagues Venus Monique and Sharonne Lanier. She is also completing her first non-fiction book.

Whether working as an actor, writer, producer, director, or fitness instructor, Stephanie remains deeply committed to creating meaningful work that inspires and makes a positive impact.