This spring, we invite you to gather with us in Dallas, TX at our 2025 Partner Summit. Together, we will press into Jesus' call in John 16:33 to Take Heart as we connect with like-minded partners and World Relief staff, learn from global voices and celebrate the Lord's continual movement through his church.
Location:
Highland Park Presbyterian Church
3821 University Blvd
Dallas, TX 75205
Schedule
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
5:30 pm – Registration Opens
6:30 pm – Session 1
7:30 pm – Coffee Connect optional
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
8:00 am – Coffee Connect optional
9:00 am – Session 2
11:00 am – Breakout Session 1
12:30 pm – Lunch & Table Talks
2:00 pm – Breakout Session 2
3:30 pm – Coffee Break
5:00 pm – Session 3 & Dinner
Event Speakers and Panelists
Dennis Mwangwela serves as Director of Integral Mission for World Relief’s International Programs. With over 20 years of experience in international development, he provides technical support to World Relief’s country offices, focusing on building staff capacity to mobilize and engage local churches and communities so that they can address diverse vulnerabilities in their communities.
Lanre Williams-Ayedun MA MPH is the Senior Vice President of International Programs at World Relief leading a team of over 1,000 employees serving in 11 countries. With over 20 years of experience in developing community-based programs, Lanre’s career spans experience in public health, micro-finance, agriculture and disaster response.
Matthew Soerens serves as Vice President of Advocacy and Policy for World Relief and the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition of evangelical organizations of which World Relief is a founding member. He is the co-author of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate (InterVarsity Press, 2018), Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis (Moody Publishers, 2016) and Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church (InterVarsity Press, 2022).
Jeff Walser serves as Vice President of Strategic Engagement at World Relief. Prior to joining World Relief, Jeff had a 25 years in sales and marketing at a large manufacturing firm in Chicago and served for 10 years as the Executive Pastor of Ministry at Wheaton Bible Church, a World Relief partner.
Aerlande Wontamo is the Senior Vice President of USA Programs and has been working in the refugee and immigrant services field for more than 15 years. Aerlande has extensive experience in program management, building, motivating and optimizing teams; and enjoys expanding and enhancing community partnerships. She holds a bachelor's degree in economic development from Eastern Mennonite University and a Master of Public Health, Behavioral Sciences from Saint Louis University. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Daniel Yang serves as the National Director of Churches of Welcome for World Relief. Prior to that he was the director of the Church Multiplication Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. Daniel has been a pastor, church planter, engineer and technology consultant. Daniel is the co-author of Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church (InterVarsity, May 2022) and Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders (Zondervan, October 2024).
Scott Arbeiter has decades of experience in the Corporate world (as a partner in a global accounting and consulting firm) in pastoral ministry (Lead pastor at a large Wisconsin church) and in the Not-for-Profit space (Chair of the Board and then President at World Relief). He currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Evangelicals, as Mission Ambassador for World Relief and as a mentor and coach for a variety of pastors, churches and not-for-profit ministries. He is married to Jewel (42 years) and has three married daughters and six grandchildren.
Travel/Accommodations
The World Relief team is excited to see you in Dallas! We hope these travel suggestions help as you plan your trip to the Partner Summit.
Airport Options
Love Field Airport (DAL)
4.1 miles from the Partner Summit
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
20.2 miles from the Partner Summit
Suggested Hotels
Hyatt House Dallas/Lincoln Park
3.5 miles from the Partner Summit
8221 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75225
1-214-696-1555
Home2 Suites by Hilton Dallas Medical District Lovefield
5.4 miles from the Partner Summit
4866 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, TX 75235
1-469-466-9000
Registration
World Relief is honored to have you join us for our second Partner Summit! In order to best track responses, we ask that each individual register separately.