← All Faculty

Carol Kent

Executive Director of Speak Up Ministries

Carol Kent is a bestselling author and international speaker. With vulnerable openness, irrepressible hope, restored joy, and a sense of humor, she directs you to choices based on God’s truth. Carol says, “When God writes your story, you will be in for the adventure of a lifetime!”

Get To Know Carol


Carol is the president of Speak Up Speaker Services, a Christian speakers’ bureau, and the founder and executive director of the Speak Up Conference, a ministry committed to helping Christians develop their speaking, writing, and leadership skills.

She and her husband, Gene, have founded the nonprofit organization, Speak Up for Hope, which benefits inmates and their families, along with training in evangelism and Bible teaching for global impact. Carol holds a master’s degree in communication arts and a bachelor’s degree in speech education. She has taught speech and drama and directed women’s ministries at a large Midwestern church.

Carol has trained Christian speakers for over twenty-five years and has been featured at Women of Faith, Extraordinary Women, and Women of Joy arena events. She’s the author of over twenty books, including Becoming a Woman of InfluenceWhen I Lay My Isaac Down, A New Kind of Normal, Between a Rock and a Grace Place, Unquenchable, Waiting Together, and He Holds My Hand. Her newest release, Staying Power:  Building a Stronger Marriage When Life Sends Its Worst, was co-written with her husband, Gene, and Dave & Cindy Lambert.

Breakout Session


Speak Like a Pro: Developing a Topical Presentation

The fear of public speaking is the #1 fear of people in the U.S. today. But people who learn to communicate their message have the opportunity to give hope, courage, truth, and inspiration to others. This session will give you a start-to-finish overview of how to prepare a talk on any topic. You will learn how to analyze your audience, select a topic, write out a specific, measurable aim, and conclude with appropriate applications.

Preparing Your Personal Testimony — You Have a Story to Tell

Have you ever wondered what to include in the story of your life?  Every Christian has a personal testimony and God can use your journey to offer hope to someone else.  Come to this session to learn how to concisely share your testimony in a way that will positively impact listeners. Whether you’re sharing your story from a public platform or in an informal setting, you can communicate your faith-journey with confidence, authenticity, and conviction. This session will help you decide what to delete and what to include as you point people to everlasting hope.

Ready To Register?

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. Sign up now & join us at Speak Up 2023!