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Voices of Inspiration

Speakers & Leadership

The distinguished voices guiding Faith, Hope & Inclusion Weekend.
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Founder and Host

Liza Lawrence

Behavioral Health Executive | Healthcare Leader | Autism Advocate | National Speaker | Nonprofit CEO
Chief Executive Officer, Family Service Center of Galveston County; CEO & Founder, Perfect Connection; Host, Perfectly Connected Podcast
Award-winning healthcare executive, nonprofit CEO, national speaker, and autism advocate with 16+ years of executive leadership. CEO of Family Service Center of Galveston County and Founder of Perfect Connection.
Liza Lawrence is an award-winning healthcare executive, nonprofit CEO, national speaker, and autism advocate with more than 16 years of executive leadership experience spanning behavioral health, hospital administration, healthcare operations, physician practice management, and nonprofit leadership. Throughout her career, she has led transformational initiatives within nationally recognized healthcare organizations, including Houston Methodist Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Family Service Center of Galveston County.
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Keynote Speaker

Dr. D. Z. Cofield

Senior Pastor, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas
Senior Pastor of the historic Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church since 1994. Founder of Hope for Families, Inc. and Project Hope. A powerful voice bringing inspiration, faith, and leadership to the brunch.
D. Z. Cofield has traveled across the world sharing God’s love and serving people. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree at Swarthmore College, a Master’s Degree in Theology at the Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree at Faith Evangelical Seminary in Tacoma, Washington.
He is a former instructor at Dallas Theological Seminary, a former adjunct professor at the College of Biblical Studies-Houston, the former president of The Texas Center for Biblical Studies and a certified church revitalization strategist.
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Master of Ceremonies

DaLaun Dillard

Co-Anchor, Houston’s Morning Show & Fox 26 News at Noon
Fox 26 Houston
Two-time Emmy-winning journalist and co-anchor of Houston’s Morning Show on Fox 26. A passionate storyteller committed to community service and uplifting the communities he covers.
DaLaun Dillard co-anchors Houston’s Morning Show from 7 to 10 a.m. alongside Melissa Wilson and then returns to anchor Fox 26 News at noon. He joined Fox 26 in December of 2023 after spending several years at WEWS in Cleveland, OH where he was an evening anchor and reporter. During his time in Cleveland, DaLaun won two Emmys for his reporting. He covered major stories in Ohio, including field anchoring from East Palestine where a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed.
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Co-Pastor

Dr. Mia K. Wright

Co-Pastor and Director of Ministries

Fountain of Praise alongside her husband, Senior Pastor, Dr. Remus E. Wright.
Co-Pastor Mia’s unwavering determination and compassionate character serve as a beacon of inspiration, igniting the hearts and of those around her to strive for greatness.
As Co-Pastor and Executive Director of Ministry at The Fountain of Praise—a vibrant, 20,000-member congregation in Houston, Texas—Dr. Mia, alongside her husband, Dr. Remus Wright, leads with a commitment to biblical teaching, vibrant worship, and innovative digital ministry. Known for her theological depth and practical insight, she equips churches to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
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Join us for a powerful afternoon celebrating faith, community, inclusion, and impact.

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Founder and Host

Liza Lawrence, MBA, MSA

Behavioral Health Executive | Healthcare Leader | Autism Advocate | National Speaker | Nonprofit CEO

Chief Executive Officer, Family Service Center of Galveston County; CEO & Founder, Perfect Connection; Host, Perfectly Connected Podcast

Award-winning healthcare executive, nonprofit CEO, national speaker, and autism advocate with 16+ years of executive leadership. CEO of Family Service Center of Galveston County and Founder of Perfect Connection.

Liza Lawrence is an award-winning healthcare executive, nonprofit CEO, national speaker, and autism advocate with more than 16 years of executive leadership experience spanning behavioral health, hospital administration, healthcare operations, physician practice management, and nonprofit leadership. Throughout her career, she has led transformational initiatives within nationally recognized healthcare organizations, including Houston Methodist Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Family Service Center of Galveston County.

As CEO, Liza leads one of Southeast Texas’ premier behavioral health organizations, providing comprehensive mental health services to more than 20,000 client visits annually. Under her leadership, Family Service Center partners with school districts, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, courts, municipalities, veterans’ organizations, and other governmental entities to expand access to behavioral healthcare through outpatient counseling, trauma-informed care, victim services, school-based mental health, crisis intervention, prevention programming, and family support services across the region.

Inspired by her personal journey raising two sons on the autism spectrum, Liza founded Perfect Connection, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with autism and other neurodiverse disabilities. Since its founding in 2019, Perfect Connection has become a leading voice in autism advocacy by providing educational advocacy, family support, workforce development initiatives, inclusive community programming, autism awareness campaigns, sensory-friendly events, and the design and installation of sensory spaces for schools, healthcare organizations, businesses, and faith-based organizations, creating environments where neurodiverse individuals can learn, work, worship, and thrive.

Liza also serves as the host of the Perfectly Connected Podcast, where she engages nationally recognized leaders, healthcare professionals, educators, advocates, and families in meaningful conversations surrounding autism, behavioral health, leadership, inclusion, and community impact.

Known for her visionary leadership and ability to build strategic partnerships, Liza has dedicated her career to strengthening healthcare systems, expanding behavioral health access, and advancing inclusive communities. Her work continues to bridge healthcare, education, government, and nonprofit organizations to create sustainable systems of care that improve lives for children, families, veterans, and underserved populations throughout Texas.

Awards & Recognition

  • 2026-CAP of Greater Pearland Community Heroes Community Excellence Award
  • 2026- Winners of the World Magazine Impact Award
  • 2026 Winners of the World Global Magazine Honoree
  • 2025 – Proclamation, City of Newark, New Jersey
  • 2025 – Impact Award, Ryder Room, Inc
  • 2025 State of New Jersey Proclamation for Autism Service
  • 2024 – Houston Top 30 Influential Women of Houston
  • 2023 – Advocate of the Year, PEP Houston
  • 2022 – Impact Award
  • 2021 – Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Joe Biden
  • 2020 – Houston Business Journal 40 Under 40
  • 2019 – International LCA Soirée Honoree
  • 2018 – Congressional Recognition for Outstanding Community Service by Congressman Al Green, proclaiming “Liza Lawrence Day”
  • 2018 – Vivacious Award, Autism Moms Are Beautiful
  • 2018 – Legacy Award, Twelve Days Nonprofit
  • 2017 – Partner Appreciation Award, Hope for Three
  • 2017 – Maximum Mom Award, Houston Women’s Magazine HER Awards
  • 2016 – STEAM Role Model, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce

Keynote Speaker

Dr. D. Z. Cofield

Senior Pastor, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas
Senior Pastor of the historic Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church since 1994. Founder of Hope for Families, Inc. and Project Hope. A powerful voice bringing inspiration, faith, and leadership to the brunch.
D. Z. Cofield has traveled across the world sharing God’s love and serving people. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree at Swarthmore College, a Master’s Degree in Theology at the Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree at Faith Evangelical Seminary in Tacoma, Washington.
He is a former instructor at Dallas Theological Seminary, a former adjunct professor at the College of Biblical Studies-Houston, the former president of The Texas Center for Biblical Studies and a certified church revitalization strategist.
Since 1994 Dr. Cofield has served as the Senior Pastor of the historic Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Under his visionary leadership, Good Hope has grown from a congregation of approximately 150 members to an active membership of more than 2500. Dr. Cofield has also led Good Hope in planting 4 churches out of the congregation and has commissioned 2 full-time missionaries to Africa.
Since the pandemic, Good Hope has reset its ministry culture to make the main thing the only thing – making disciples who make disciples, which is The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:16-20. Rooted and Grounded is the first step along the Discipleship Track. Rooted is a transformational experience that has already repaired and restored lives, and breathed new life into mature believers. This reset has resulted in an expansion of Good Hope’s ministry footprint to include new members in 7 states and followers in 143 countries around the world.
Dr. D.Z. Cofield is the founder of Hope for Families, Inc., a non-profit committed to rebuilding communities one family at a time through a comprehensive approach to addressing the basic needs of community residents. Hope for Families, Inc. addresses healthcare, employment, and counseling needs of the community in a dynamic yet dignified “hands-on” approach. Partnering with the Houston Food Bank since 2015, the Hope for Families, Inc. Food Pantry at Good Hope has been able to address the food insecurities of the community in a powerful manner for nearly a decade.
Dr. Cofield is also the founder of Project Hope, a program committed to helping at-risk youth succeed through creative and innovative strategies. He is a certified Church Revitalization Specialist who serves as the principal consultant in The Cirred Group, and the lead instructor of the Church Training Institute, an organization that teaches nationally and internationally in the areas of Church Development, Christian Education, Expository Preaching, Pastoral Ministries, Worship, and Leadership Development. Additionally, he serves as the Director of the Minister’s Division for the Fellowship United District Association (FUDA).
Dr. Cofield has received numerous community honors and awards including the Presidential Scholarship Award at Dallas Theological Seminary, the H. A. Ironside Award for excellence in expository preaching, listed in Who’s Who among Students in Colleges and Universities for three consecutive years and has been honored by The Church Online as a Pastor On The Rise in Houston. He has written for several Christian publications, including Preaching Today, Leadership Journal and the African-American Pastors’ Journal on Great Eulogies. Additionally, he hosts a weekly news and public affairs radio show and podcast called Real World, Real Talk, where he discusses current events and issues people are dealing with in the world, providing information, inspiration and insight to his listening audience.
He is married to the former Tori Moore, and together they have 5 children and 12 grandchildren.

Master of Ceremonies

DaLaun Dillard

Co-Anchor, Houston’s Morning Show & Fox 26 News at Noon

Fox 26 Houston
Two-time Emmy-winning journalist and co-anchor of Houston’s Morning Show on Fox 26. A passionate storyteller committed to community service and uplifting the communities he covers.
DaLaun Dillard co-anchors Houston’s Morning Show from 7 to 10 a.m. alongside Melissa Wilson and then returns to anchor Fox 26 News at noon. He joined Fox 26 in December of 2023 after spending several years at WEWS in Cleveland, OH where he was an evening anchor and reporter. During his time in Cleveland, DaLaun won two Emmys for his reporting. He covered major stories in Ohio, including field anchoring from East Palestine where a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed.
Prior to working in Cleveland, DaLaun anchored and reported for KETV in Omaha, NE and WMBD in Peoria, IL. He received a regional Edward R. Murrow award for team coverage of the protests in response to the murder of George Floyd.
DaLaun has a passion for service and being involved in his community. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., The 100 Black Men of America and The National Association of Black Journalists. He loves using his platform to tell stories that uplift, impact or spotlight the Black community.
DaLaun was born and raised in Battle Creek, MI and is a graduate of Central Michigan University where he majored in Broadcast & Cinematic Arts.
Co-Pastor

Dr. Mia K. Wright

Co-Pastor and Director of Ministries
Fountain of Praise alongside her husband, Senior Pastor, Dr. Remus E. Wright.
Co-Pastor Mia’s unwavering determination and compassionate character serve as a beacon of inspiration, igniting the hearts and of those around her to strive for greatness.
As Co-Pastor and Executive Director of Ministry at The Fountain of Praise—a vibrant, 20,000-member congregation in Houston, Texas—Dr. Mia, alongside her husband, Dr. Remus Wright, leads with a commitment to biblical teaching, vibrant worship, and innovative digital ministry. Known for her theological depth and practical insight, she equips churches to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
A biblically grounded preacher and passionate leader, Dr. Mia is a sought-after speaker for conferences, retreats, and special events. Her TEDx talk, “What’s Your Unthinkable?”, and her book, Unthinkable: Do the Unordinary to Experience the Extraordinary, challenge audiences to break through limiting thought patterns, fostering the metacognitive renewal essential to experiencing the Ephesians 3:20 life God promises.
Dr. Mia’s leadership extends beyond the church. She co-chaired the Kinsey African American Art & History Collection at the Holocaust Museum Houston and regularly advocates for unity and action at faith-based and civic events. As a certified executive wellness coach from Pepperdine University, she supports holistic well-being among both ministry and corporate leaders.
A champion for women’s empowerment, Dr. Mia serves as Executive Director of Metamorphosis, Inc., an international organization transforming thousands of lives through conferences, mentoring, and humanitarian outreach in the U.S., Brazil, Tanzania, and South Africa.
Dr. Mia earned her Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, with research focused on social capital in virtual religious communities. She also holds a Master of Divinity with Honors from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from The University of Texas at Austin. Her corporate background includes leadership roles with Merck and AstraZeneca, where she was recognized for innovative training and customer engagement.
She is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, The Links, Incorporated, and serves on the board of advisors for the Holocaust Museum Houston. Her work has garnered numerous awards for community engagement and leadership.
A lifelong learner and global traveler, Dr. Mia has visited 68 countries, is passionate about languages and culture, and brings her love for people to every platform. She and Dr. Wright are the proud parents of three sons—a minister, an attorney, and a medical doctor, each fulfilling their own unique callings.