Methods, systems, and computer program products for using a personal conference to privately establish and control media connections with a telephony device are disclosed. According to one method, a media connection is established between a first user and a personal conference instance. The first user is connected to the personal conference instance via a telephony device, such as a PSTN phone. A plurality of second media connections is established between a plurality of second users and the personal conference instance in a manner that conceals existence of the personal conference instance to at least one of the second users. Media packets from the second users are mixed and sent to the first user. Media packets from the first user are sent to the second users. The first user dynamically controls at least one aspect of the personal conference call instance.