Women of Hope Weekend

Debb Houston is dedicated to “Revolutionizing the Inner Woman to Move Beyond the Pain of Her Past and Embrace Her Power & Purpose!” Through her work as an author and speaker, she empowers women worldwide to embrace their true selves and fulfill their potential. Raised in the Philadelphia ghetto, Debb’s story inspires others to realize their inner strength and achieve excellence.

She is a sought-after motivational speaker and works as a Resource Planning Manager with the San Antonio Independent School District. Debb has a background in fashion, including national modeling and appearances at New York Fashion Week. Although she models less frequently now, her primary passion is empowering women to rediscover their best selves.

Debb has authored several impactful books, including “Father Knows Best,” “Celebrate U: The Phenomenality of U,” “STYLE On The INSIDE,” and the “LIVE LIFE Mastermind Series.” Her books, used as study guides and workshop themes, continue to inspire readers.

She leads the Dellcrest Church of Christ Women’s Ministry, speaks at various events, and hosts the podcast “A Dose Of Debb,” which offers practical advice and empowerment. Recently, she became a Certified Life Coach, guiding women through her “LIVE LIFE Mastermind Coaching Series,” which includes specialized programs like “FMWO (For Minister’s Wives Only)” and “The P3: Priceless ~ Powerful ~ Purposed.”

Debb is married to Jerry G. Houston, minister of Dellcrest Church of Christ, and they have two daughters. They reside in the South.

Susan Nokes was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA, and is an American citizen. She studied Business Administration at the University of Michigan. During her studies, Ms. Nokes began her career at ATT/Ameritech, holding leadership positions in Customer Experience, Sales, Labor Relations, Leadership Development, and Retail. This included an 18-month assignment as Senior Vice President at Tele Danmark (TDC Holding A/S) in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In 2000, Ms. Nokes joined Walmart.com as a founding member of the senior leadership team. In April 2002, she joined T-Mobile USA, building a team that led the company from “worst to first” in Customer Service Satisfaction according to JD Power and Associates in 18 months. As Chief Customer and Operations Officer, she led 33,000 employees, adding T-Mobile’s Dealer Channel (10K locations), Retail (2K stores), Supply Chain, and Procurement, turning EBITDA from negative to $6.3B positive.

In January 2010, Ms. Nokes joined Asurion as the Global Customer Solutions Officer and Executive Committee Member. There, she launched a new product enjoyed by over 50M customers monthly. Upon her retirement in 2017, she was asked to serve on Asurion’s Advisory Board as Vice Chair for 3 years.

Currently, Ms. Nokes serves as a Board Trustee at Lipscomb University and is a Director on the boards of Iqor and LiveOps.

April Ban is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Tennessee. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Kennesaw State University in 2001 and a Master’s in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2007. Since then, she has worked in various clinical roles in the Nashville area, including at the Tennessee Prison for Women, The Next Door Recovery, and in private practice. Currently, April serves as the Clinical Director for Women of Worth.

Hayley Waldron, a native of Nashville, TN, attended Harding University where she met her late husband, Harrison, and graduated in 2015 with a degree in psychology. Before she could begin pursuing a Master’s degree in counseling, Harrison suffered a near fatal brain injury that left him disabled and changed the trajectory of their lives. Inspired by Harrison, she returned to school to study nursing and now leads the Surgery Center for Women at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville and remains dedicated to helping those who suffer from illness and injury. After caring for Harrison for 7 years and being widowed at 29, Hayley is taking steps to rebuild her life with her dog, Duke, and her wonderful boyfriend, Cody. She enjoys cooking, paddle boarding, working out, golfing and spending time with dear friends and family. She aspires to soon pursue a Master’s in Christian Ministry and asks God daily to lead her into his purposes for her life.

Jannette Akoth is dedicated to providing hope to those in need, especially women, children, and those in prison, by pointing them to Jesus. She graduated from Nairobi Great Commission Theological College with a diploma in Bible and Missions and Computer Studies. Since 2012, she has worked with HHI as a Hunger to Harvest trainer, teaching sustainable gardening skills across western Kenya. In 2021, she became the Kenya Women of Hope Coordinator, training hundreds of women throughout the country.

Jannette is married to Chris, and they have three daughters and one son. She also serves as the Head of Mercy and Hospitality at the Winyo Church of Christ in Rongo, Kenya.