Women of Prism

HOW WE BEGAN

In 1999, Renee Ronika envisioned attending Spirit-led events that included every woman—from the working mother to the divorced creative, the stay-at-home mom to the college dreamer, or the professional single to the retired adventurer. That year, the Lord emboldened her to stop waiting for an invitation and launch the ministry of her dreams, thus Renaissance Women’s Conferences began. After two successful events, Renee paused event hosting to pursue her academic and career goals.

Through her professional, ministerial,  and personal experiences, God has since equipped Renee to empower others to lead and serve confidently from a whole heart, exactly where they are.

In 2013, Renee returned to her initial dream and Prism was launched. While the wait was long, the timing was perfect. Renee invited others into her vision, asking Nicole Cottrell and Jennie Forsberg to join her in fostering and allowing women to walk in their true identities in Christ.

Prism values community, identity, and freedom—all of which we know are extravagantly given in and through Jesus.

Every gathering is designed to equip women to understand their roles in both the Kingdom of God and their respective environments.

Renee Ronika

Founder and Visionary

Renee’s passion is giving women permission to be themselves in what God has called them to do. For seventeen years, she has served hundreds of hopeful writers and determined academics as an English instructor. Concurrently as an interculturalist, Renee trains university faculty in better understanding and teaching international students. Renee commits to honest faith and bold vulnerability as a writer, speaker, event host, and minister. Her thoughts on Christianity and womanhood appear in What a Woman Is Worth (Civitas Press, 2013) and Provoketive Magazine. Renee resides with her husband Gregory, a pianist and composer, and their three observant, loquacious children in the Wild West–her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona—where she’s discovered green grass and true community after twenty years of living abroad and throughout the country. She speaks her mind and is the woman you want in your corner.

Nicole Cottrell

Director of Excellence

Nicole loves to empower women to walk in their true identities in Christ, where freedom and love reign. She entered the blogosphere in 2010 when she debuted her popular blog Modern Reject. While daily wrestling with big questions and shattering common Christian clichés, Nicole received national recognition for her writing and landed on the Top 200 Christian blogs list. She is also the Founder and CEO of Love & Startups, an organization committed to strengthening​ ​​marriages between entrepreneurs and​ ​​non-entrepreneurs​, a venture she’s appropriately suited for as wife to Jonathan, a serial entrepreneur, and mother to three animated, adventurous children. Nicole is a speaker you will hear at any one of Prism’s multiple gatherings. She likes to push buttons. And​ ​​you’ll love that about her.​

Jennie Forsberg

Creative Director

Jennie values freedom and longs to see women equipped, so they can greater impact their own church homes. A master of creating lovely and welcoming environments, Jennie shows hospitality to women across Phoenix, day in and day out. She and her husband Ben planted Citizens Church in Phoenix, where she leads the children’s ministry, serves as Creative Director, and guides ministries to fruitfulness. She blends her talents and passions to bring about aesthetic beauty and creative abundance. Jennie also lends her unique eye and style to a local event planning company, Modern Gig Co., where she also serves as Creative Director. Jennie is mom to four spirited, fun children. She is our sassy voice of reason and the friend you’ve always wanted.

Rachel Oludiji

Worship Leader

Singer-songwriter Rachel O. began her musical journey as a teenager. She initially wrote worship songs for her youth group, and that blossomed into her becoming one of the worship leaders at her church. She describes her songs as “simple prayers with melodies.”

Rachel has sung in church choirs, festivals, weddings and outdoor concerts over the past decade. Her debut album Borderline was released in the fall of 2009 and is comprised of life experiences through which listeners from any walk of life can find encouragement. Since the release of Borderline, Rachel has performed in showcases in Nashville, TN, was a nominee for the 2009 ISSA Christian Songwriting competition, and her music has been featured on the Woman of Substance internet radio show. Rachel has had the opportunity to open for Christian artists such as The City Harmonic, Future of Forestry, and Chris August. Her album Discovery released in 2014.

Erin Igono

Event Manager

Erin’s purpose is encouraging others to live in the freedom of their purpose in Christ through practical application and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Dubbed by her husband Josiah as “The Home Architect,” she is a stay-at-home mother of three and a student at Grand Canyon University, studying Advertising and Graphic Design. Erin is passionate about experiencing life and learning truth while living free in the love of Christ. She wants women to encounter God’s love and know what they are meant to do in the kingdom so they can move forward boldly. As our administrative voice of reason, she balances order and ignites creativity.

Francesca Mariani

Intern

Francesca is Prism’s first intern, through a sponsorship with Arizona State University (ASU). She is in her senior year at ASU, studying marketing (Currently she’s trying to figure out where God wants her after she graduates). Her name means “free-one” and she desires to live life accordingly: completely free in surrender, walking out her identity in Christ. She is a leader by spiritual gifting and wants to see women in the church stop being silenced or told they can’t lead or teach. She is a captivating visionary and an enthusiastic assistant, which makes her not only her own best friend but also one of our favorites, too.