2025 Conference Staff

• 

  Name: Robin Miller
  Position: Conference Director
  Conference Task(s): It would probably be much easier to note what details of the conference DON'T fall under Robin's job description. Then again, none really come to mind. If it has to do with conference, she oversees.

  Robin Miller, writing under the name Robin Caroll, is the best-selling author of over 30 novels, including the best-selling, critically acclaimed Deliver Us From Evil. Robin grew up in Louisiana with her nose in a book. She still has the complete Trixie Belden series, and her love for mysteries and suspense has only increased with her age. Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her published novels. ROBIN CAROLL writes Southern stories of mystery and suspense, with a hint of romance to entertain readers. Her books have been recognized in several awards, including the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and more. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of over three decades, her three beautiful daughters, two handsome grandsons, one beautiful granddaughter, and their character-filled pets at home in the South.

  Website: http://www.robincaroll.com
  Contact E-mail: cd@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Pam Hillman
  Position: Conference Treasurer
  Conference Task(s): Pam handles all of the accounting and bookkeeping aspects of the annual conference.

  Pam Hillman spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn’t afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an old Allis Chalmers 110. When her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn’t mind raking. Raking hay doesn’t take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that’s the kind of life every girl should dream of! Her debut historical romance, Stealing Jake, was an EPIC eBook Awards finalist. Claiming Mariah, her second novel, won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart. As past treasurer of ACFW, Pam continues to give back to the organization as Conference Treasurer. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and family.

  Website: http://www.pamhillman.com
  Contact E-mail: ct@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Casey Miller
  Position: Appointment Coordinator/Conference Sponsorship Liaison
  Conference Task(s): Schedule all conferee ACFW appointments (with Agents, Editors, Mentors, PR/Media Professionals, and Paid Critiquers) and oversee the sponsorship program. Also assists with the virtual conference setup, and virtual appointments.

  Casey Miller is a husband, father to three daughters, and grandfather to a precious granddaughter and two rowdy grandsons. With experience as an independent business owner, he’s accustomed to scheduling appointments and organization. With a heart for the Christian fiction industry, Casey helps organize, set up, and execute book signings and events.

  
  Contact E-mail: appts@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Heather Tipton
  Position: Conference Administration
  Conference Task(s): This year, Heather will be overseeing the Conference Registration desk, as well as assisting in various other areas of conference.

  Heather makes her home near the crystal shores of Sarasota, FL. Thanks to the freedom her full-time, bill-paying job provides, she's also a part time beach bum. Her true happy place is serving as the Associate Director at the Healing Rooms of Manatee. An ACFW member since 2004, she takes great joy in serving at the ACFW conference.

  
  

• 

  Name: Robert Turner
  Position: Contests Coordinator/Conference Administrative Assistant
  Conference Task(s): Robert oversees all of ACFW's contests and monitors feedback and assists contests coordinators as needed. Onsite, Robert also assists the conference office in various ways. You'll see Robert doing a multitude of tasks, including entry to meals and general sessions as well as overseeing the sponsorship items to attendees.

  Robert Turner recently retired after a 28-year career in with the 138th Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force. Instead of keeping F16s flying, he now tinkers with his camera and his vintage BMW convertible. Robert has been married to bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo since 2010, leading him to consider writing a book about how to survive as the spouse of a writer. It will be fiction, of course.

  
  Contact E-mail: contests@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Bella Miller
  Position: Bookstore
  Conference Task(s): Overseeing sales, setup, displays, and signings. Happy to help you pick out a new book!

  Bella, a May 2024 Summa Cum Laude graduate with double majors in History and English, is excited to have concluded her first year of law school. She enjoys reading, video games, and art.

  
  

• 

  Name: Lottie Green
  Position: Media/Promotional Creator
  Conference Task(s): Lottie is in charge of taking videos and photos at conference, as well as filling in a multitude of positions as needed.

  
  

• 

  Name: Gabrielle Meyer
  Position: Carol Awards Coordinator
  Conference Task(s): Coordinating the ACFW Carol awards

  Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fiction and non-fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She has published over twenty-five books, including historical fiction from Bethany House Publishers and Barbour Publishing, Contemporary and Historical Romances with Love Inspired Books, and Cozy Mysteries and Devotions with Guideposts. You can learn more about Gabrielle and her books at http://www.gabriellemeyer.com.

  
  Contact E-mail: carolawards@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Teresa Haugh
  Position: Genesis Coordinator
  Conference Task(s): Coordinating ACFW's Genesis Contest for unpublished writers

  Teresa Haugh and her husband live in sweet home Alabama. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Montevallo and took extra Shakespeare classes for fun. She is a proud retiree of the U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Region, where she worked in Public Affairs. She has interviewed twenty-five authors for ACFW’s Author of the Week web page. She writes contemporary and speculative fiction.

  
  Contact E-mail: genesis@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Ken Raney
  Position: Conference Booklet Designer
  Conference Task(s): Head designer for the 2025 Conference Booklet and the Storyfest booklet

  Ken Raney's illustrations have appeared in Highlights for Children, National Geographic Traveler, Campus Life, Christianity Today, Virtue Magazine, and Step-By-Step Graphics. His first children's picture book, Stick Horse, was published by Medlicott Press. It's Probably Good Dinosaurs are Extinct followed from Simon & Schuster, and has been translated into Japanese, and republished in a textbook from Harcourt Brace. Raney currently is freelancing as an illustrator and designer in the Christian publishing industry as well as publishing an entertainment website for Christian teens and tweens

  Website: http://www.ClashEntertainment.com
  Contact E-mail: kenraney@mac.com

• 

  Name: Emilie Hendryx
  Position: Conference Photographer
  Conference Task(s): Emilie flits about conference taking as many photos as she can. She also provides the photos of the contest winners for use in their promotional purposes. Emilie also schedules shoots with authors needing headshots.

  
  

• 

  Name: Becky Yauger
  Position: Web Manager
  Conference Task(s): Becky oversees all of ACFW's web pages, as well as filling in other areas of conference as needed.

  Becky is a writer and blogger, writing about about real friendship and relationships, and all the ties that bond us. She’s a three time contributor to various Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and has been published in Guideposts Magazine, ChristianParenting.org and Faith Around The Corner. Becky grew up in a military family, and now after living all over the world, she makes her home near Dallas. She is a three-time cancer survivor and church life group leader. Becky is married to her high school sweetheart and is a proud mother and grandmother.

  Website: http://www.RebeccaYauger.com
  Contact E-mail: WebManager@acfw.com

• 

  Name: Pat Takamiya
  Position: Assistant Appointment Coordinator
  Conference Task(s): Assists Casey with the execution and overseeing of the appointments at conference. He also helps out in the conference bookstore.

  
  

• 

  Name: Ginger Takamiya
  Position: Bookstore Assistant
  Conference Task(s): Helps the bookstore manager with setup, sales, and signings as well as breaking down the bookstore after conference concludes.

  
  

• 

  Name: Rachel Hauck
  Position: Conference Worship Leader
  Conference Task(s): Conference Worship Leader

  "At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me. The truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. That's always first and foremost in everything I do; from writing to leading worship and everything that falls in between."
  
  Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author of twelve novels with more to come. It’s her desire for readers to find hope and escape in the stories she writes, and inhale a bit of the fragrance of Jesus’s love. Rachel is a past president of ACFW and served for many years on the Executive Board.
  
  With a true heart for Christ, Rachel is an exceptional worship leader who brings deep spiritual meaning to what has become one of the highlights of conference for many attendees.

  Website: http://rachelhauck.com
  Contact E-mail: rachel@rachelhauck.com

• 

  Name: Cynthia Ruchti
  Position: Conference Emcee
  Conference Task(s): Cynthia serves as the conference emcee.

  Cynthia Ruchti had proposals demystified for her at an ACFW conference years ago. In the space of that one workshop, she went from "steep learning curve" to "Isn't this fun?" (almost). Now, in her roles as author of more than 35 published books and literary agent for Books & Such Literary Management, she has participated in the creation, critique, review, or reconstruction of many hundreds of proposals. She takes them seriously...with a side of humor. She and her husband live in the heart of Wisconsin. https://www.cynthiaruchti.com

  Website: https://www.cynthiaruchti.com