Speakers

Keynote presenters

Gian Gamboa

Gian Gamboa is a Youth Conference MC, Speaker, and Worship Leader with one mission: to help young people develop a personal relationship with Jesus so they can become everything God created them to be. Having delivered over 1,000 talks nationwide, he brings high energy and a whole lot of heart to every stage. Gian’s dream is for every young person to fall in love with Christ. He loves giant burgers, 90’s movies, and lives in Austin with his wife and three kids. Gian is the (self-proclaimed) #1 fan of Taco Bell.

Alli Hoffman

Ali Hoffman has a passion for Jesus, the Catholic Church, her family, and investing deeply in community. She served with NET Ministries for two years then after graduating from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a degree in Catholic Studies and Family Studies, she moved back home to the great state of Texas where she was co-youth coordinator at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Carrollton for six years. She now travels the globe full time, preaching the Gospel and making disciples.

**Father Rufino Corona**

Father Rufino Corona, TOR, is a campus minister at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he studied as an undergraduate. Shortly after his graduation from FUS, he entered the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and was ordained in 2020. Since his time in formation, he has taken any and every opportunity to proclaim the good news of Christ's loving mercy and his desire to draw us closer to his Most Sacred Heart through the ministries of preaching and spiritual accompaniment. Basically, he considers himself to be a campus minister who wants to share Christ's heart with whoever will let him.

Oscar Rivera

Oscar Rivera was raised in the inner city of Waterbury, Connecticut, and was taught at an early age how to be a survivor. His method of avoiding the streets and its promises became the art of Hip Hop. Oscar's energy and passion for the faith makes his approach: inspirational and real-to-life.
Oscar is a Franciscan University Alumni (2010), and earned his Master of Arts in Theology from St. Leo University (2015). He takes his knowledge of the faith and inspires the youth, and young adults of today's culture through his music, talks, retreats, and personal testimony. He brings a message of hope in times of despair, love during times of hate, and encourages all to faithfully follow God, no matter the obstacles. His life has been devoted to the New Evangelization of the Gospel. His upbeat contemporary approach to the good news has made the message easy to understand, follow, and relate to. Christianity is not boring, and Oscar does not intend to be either.

Sister Elfie Del Rosario

Sister Elfie Del Rosario, FMA, affectionately known as “The Happy Nun,” is a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco). Born in Nigeria and raised in the Philippines, she later moved to New Jersey, using her psychology degree to teach children with special needs. Sister Elfie joined the Salesian Sisters in 2009 and now serves as the vocations director for the eastern U.S. province. Passionate about engaging with youth, she shares encouragement and brings them closer to Jesus and Mary — often with the help of her bubble machine, filled with her signature-scented solution. Learn more at www.happynun.com.
She has worked with young people since 1995. She has experience in youth and young adult groups, early childhood and elementary education and religious education. Her passion is sharing the love and the mercy of Jesus with the young and inspiring them to become saints, while being joyful and fully being their unique selves well. Both characteristics are drawn from her Salesian Charism, founded by St. John Bosco, under the patronage of St. Francis de Sales.
Currently, she is the Vocation and VIDES Directress of the Salesian Sisters in the Eastern United States. { VIDES - Volunteers In Development, Education, & Solidarity, or VIDES, is a volunteer missioner program that works together with members of the Salesian Family to promote social justice, solidarity, and generosity by living a simple Christ-centered life while serving the poor and the marginalized.}

Very Rev. Thomas J. Reitmeyer, JCL

Father Reitmeyer was born on August 6, 1978, in Norfolk, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Genetics from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX (2000). He then served seven years with the College Station Police Department in various roles, including patrol officer and detective. Fr. Reitmeyer left the police department to work for a local parish as he continued to discern a vocation to the priesthood. He entered the University of St. Thomas and St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston and earned a Master of Arts in theological studies, a Master of Divinity, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. Fr. Reitmeyer was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez on June 6, 2015. He received a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Catholic University of America (2022).

Fr. Reitmeyer’s assignments include: parochial vicar of St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin (2015 - 2016); parochial vicar of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Killeen, TX (2016 - 2017), parochial administrator (2017 - 2018), pastor (2018 - 2021) of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Round Rock, TX, most recently as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (2021 - Present) and Dean of the Austin North Deanery (2025 - Present).

In addition to his parochial assignments Fr. Reitmeyer has served as a member of the Priest Personnel Board (2018 - Present), Admissions and Scrutinies Committee for the Permanent Diaconate (2018 - 2022), Priestly Life and Formation Committee (2017 - 2019), Coordinator of Early Ministry Program (2019 - 2021), Priest Pension & Trust Committee (2021 - 2024), Ecclesiastical Judge for the Diocesan Tribunal (2022 - Present), and member of the Presbyteral Council (2025 - Present). He is a native speaker of English and is proficient in Spanish.

Fr. Reitmeyer will continue to serve as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Austin until February 9, 2026, when he will begin to serve full-time as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. A temporary parochial administrator will be appointed to serve the parish until Bishop Garcia, in collaboration with the Personnel Board, can discern a permanent pastor.

Bishop Daniel Garcia

Bishop Daniel E. Garcia was born on August 30, 1960, and grew up in Waco and Cameron, Texas. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and has three younger sisters.

He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Tyler Junior College in 1982, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from the University of St. Thomas in Houston in 1984, while attending St. Mary Seminary. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity in 1988. Bishop Garcia was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Austin on May 28, 1988, by Bishop John E. McCarthy. In 2007, he earned a Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Throughout his ministry, Bishop Garcia served in numerous parishes and leadership roles. His first assignments were as associate pastor at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Cristo Rey Parish, and St. Louis King of France Parish, all in Austin. From 1992 to 1995, he served in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston at St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Humble, Texas. In 1995, he was named the founding pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Austin, where he guided the community through its formation and multiple building projects, including the construction of a permanent church and sanctuary.

Beyond parish ministry, Bishop Garcia held several diocesan roles, including service in the Vocation Office, Priests’ Personnel Board, College of Consultors, and the Presbyteral Council, where he also served as chair. He was Dean of the Austin North Deanery and contributed to the Liturgical Commission, Diaconal Advisory Committee, and served as Master of Ceremonies for the Bishop’s Office.

In 2014, he was appointed Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin by Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez. The following year, Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Austin.

In 2018, Pope Francis named Bishop Garcia the Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey, California. Pope Leo XIV named Bishop Garcia as the sixth bishop of Austin and he was installed on September 18, 2025.

Bishop Garcia has served on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Communications and the Committee on Divine Worship. He also chaired the Subcommittee on Divine Worship in Spanish and currently continues to serve on that subcommittee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Relief Services. He currently serves as the Chair of the newly established Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation which commenced their work November 2025. (Biografía)

Workshop presenters

Sister Isaac Marie, O.P.

Sister Isaac Marie, O.P. grew up on a farm and always wanted to be a teacher. The Franciscan Sisters who taught her in elementary school provided a joyful witness of religious life, taught her a love for the saints, and handed on a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of God’s creation. Sister Isaac Marie is a Dominican Sister of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist who has taught high school science for several years; she loves talking with young people about the universal call to holiness and encouraging them to begin striving for sainthood now.

Father Ryan Higdon

Father Ryan Higdon is the pastor of St. Louis Parish in Waco. He’s been a priest in the Army, at St. Mary Catholic Center at A&M (Gig ‘em!), has run nine marathons, and is always planning his next hike or adventure. When he was in high school, he had a powerful encounter with Jesus during retreat in Austin and knew God was asking something big of him, and he has never looked back. God has led him to amazing experiences all over the world, but the best things he gets to do are celebrate Mass and hear confessions.

Rev. Joseph Daheim

Fr. Joseph Daheim was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Austin by Bishop Joe Vasquez on June 3, 2017. In 2019 he was appointed as the priest moderator for the diocesan *Courage* and *EnCourage* apostolates. The *Courage* apostolate accompanies men and women who experience same-sex attractions in living chaste lives through prayer, fellowship, and mutual support. The *EnCourage* apostolate supports family members and friends who have someone in their life that experiences same-sex attractions or gender discordance by accompanying them as Jesus does, with truth and compassion. As a priest, Fr. Joseph enjoys “sharing the beauty of God’s fatherhood, especially during the sacrament of reconciliation and the offering of the holy Mass.” Fr. Joseph tries to live by the counsel of St. John Paul II: “Be not afraid,” follow God with a generous heart, trusting that he loves us and has our true good in mind.

Father Sam Bass

Father Samuel Bass, age 37, was ordained to the priesthood in 2022 and currently serves as parochial vicar of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park.

 Growing up in Austin, Father Sam had many interests, including reading, singing, baseball, and model trains. After graduating from McCallum High School, he received a scholarship that led him to Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he studied English and earned a liberal arts degree in 2011. 

 While in college, he began to explore Catholicism. He participated in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, and in 2013, he was baptized and joined the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil. Several months later, Father Sam began to hear the call to the priesthood or religious life.  

 Therefore, he moved back to Austin, joined St. Louis King of France Parish in Austin, and listened for God’s voice. Helping those in need through home visits with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul influenced his decision to become a parish priest.  

 After his ordination in 2022, Father Sam’s first priestly assignment was at Santa Cruz Parish in Buda. He was appointed to St. Margaret Mary Parish in 2024.  