Women's voices are vital in the church, the academy, and the world. IVP's women authors are expert practitioners, gifted writers, and leading voices in today’s most important conversations. We invite you to discover their books and explore more resources that inspire reflection and spiritual growth, including articles, videos, and podcasts where women authors share their stories and insights. Join us in honoring the work of women, learning from their experiences, and broadening our perspectives.
All IVP Women Authors
Kate Lawson-Hedger (MA, Virginia Theological Seminary) has ministered in various roles, including serving as a children's ministry director, piloting a prayer ministry, and developing spiritual formation resources for both children and adults. She currently serves in development at Bread for the World and lives with her husband in Northern Virginia.
Christine Lawton (PhD, St. Louis University) is a lifelong Christian educator who has served as youth and family minister in various churches, teacher in Christian schools, and professor/director of the Christian education program at Concordia University Irvine. She is the author of several Bible studies and Sunday school curriculum resources. She lives in Washington State.
Phyllis J. Le Peau (1944-2022) worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for over two decades in St. Louis and the Chicago metro area. She is the author or coauthor of several Bible study guides, including Ephesians, Women of the New Testament, and Grandparenting in the LifeGuide Bible Studies series. She and her husband, Andy, have four married children and thirteen grandchildren.
Tara Beth Leach (MDiv, Northern Seminary) is a pastor, author, and speaker. The senior pastor at Good Shepherd Church (Naperville, Illinois), she has also served communities in the Chicago suburbs as well as Southern California. As the author of Emboldened, Radiant Church, and Forty Days on Being a Six, the cofounder of Propel Ecclesia, and cohost of The Pastor's Table podcast, Tara Beth writes and speaks widely about women in ministry and church leadership. She hastwo beautiful and rambunctious sons and has been married to the love of her life, Jeff, since 2006.
Jane Leadbetter leads the regional coordinators as part of her work on the Messy Church team. With experience in early childhood education, she has also worked in children's ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool for twelve years. Jane has authoredand coauthored several volumes in the Messy Church series.
Mary T. Lederleitner is founder and executive director of Missional Intelligence. She has a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an MA in intercultural studies from Wheaton College, and teaches as an adjunct professor at both institutions. She is a veteran mission leader and researcher who has served for two decades with the Wycliffe Global Alliance in a variety of international leadership roles. She serves on the OM Global Board and as a board member for Catalyst Services. She isalso the author of Cross-Cultural Partnerships.
Helen Lee is an author, wife, mom of three young men—which means she lives at Costco in her spare time—and the dog mom of a Mini Bernedoodle named Simba. She has written books for adults and is working on her first middle-grade novel. Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World is her first picture book.
Yulee Lee (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the cofounder and chief executive officer of Khora Collective, a nonprofit organization committed to developing nontoxic Asian American Christian leaders. She also serves as the chief operating officer at Stuff You Can Use. A former pastor with twelve years of ministry experience, Yulee is also a visiting professor of organizational and change leadership at Wheaton College. Yulee and her husband, Dave, have one child and live in Southern California.
Karen Lee-Thorp has written or cowritten more than fifty books and Bible studies, including the LifeChange series and the Doing Life Together series in the Purpose-Driven line. A former senior editor at NavPress, she is now a freelance writer living in Southern California with her husband, Greg.
Zion Lester became interested in her dad's work on a Saturday morning when she was seven years old. Since then, she has grown to become a community leader, writer, and speaker. She has also continued to regularly serve with Love Beyond Walls and encourages others her age and younger to volunteer too.
Hear More from Women Authors
In this interview, IVP authors Carmen Joy Imes, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, E. K. Strawser, Nijay Gupta, Rob Dixon, and Sandra L. Glahn reflect on Women’s History Month and the importance of hearing women—and what we miss when we don’t. Gilmore-Young and Gupta are hosts of the IVP podcast Hear Women.
What good gifts has God given your children? Amy and Rob Dixon, authors of the IVP Kids book "Penny Preaches," help parents and caregivers discern, embrace, and cultivate the vocational giftings of the children in their lives.