John Andrews (Colorado) ▾

Backbone America; Founder, Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University

Director of the Centennial Institute and cabinet member of Colorado Christian University. John is also a Denver Post columnist and a TV/radio commentator. He was previously president of the Colorado Senate, chairman of the State Policy Network, and director of TCI Cable News. John has also served on a foreign scholarships commission for President George W. Bush, was a speechwriter for President Nixon, an education appointee under President Reagan, and founded the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank in Golden, Colorado.

Linda Chavez (Colorado) ▾

President, Becoming American Institute; former US Expert to the UN Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities

Linda Chavez is President of the Becoming American Institute, a non-profit public policy organization in Boulder, CO. Ms. Chavez writes a weekly syndicated column that appears in newspapers across the country and is a political analyst for FOX News Channel. Ms. Chavez authored Out of the Barrio: Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation (Basic Books 1991) and An Unlikely Conservative: The Transformation of an Ex-Liberal (Basic Books 2002). In 2000, Ms. Chavez was honored by the Library of Congress as a “Living Legend” for her contributions to America’s cultural and historical legacy. In January 2001, Chavez was President George W. Bush’s nominee for Secretary of Labor until she withdrew her name from consideration. Ms. Chavez has held a number of appointed positions, including Chairman, National Commission on Migrant Education (1988-1992); White House Director of Public Liaison (1985); Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1983-1985); and she was a member of the Administrative Conference of the United States (1984-1986). Ms. Chavez was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Maryland in 1986. In 1992, she was elected by the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission to serve as U.S. Expert to the U.N. Sub-commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. In addition, Ms. Chavez was editor of the quarterly journal American Educator (1977-1983). Ms. Chavez was born in Albuquerque, NM, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Colorado and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from George Mason University. She currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.

David Weissbrodt (Minnesota) ▾

Professor/University of Minnesota Law School Founder/Human Rights Center (U of MN); Former US Member and Chair, UN Subcommission on Human Rights

David Weissbrodt is Regents Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and is a global authority on human rights and International law. Professor Weissbrodt’s scholarship and professional service have included: Chairperson for the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2001-2002), the only American citizen to head a U.N. political body on human rights since Eleanor Roosevelt served as Chairperson of the inaugural Human Rights Commission U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights of non-citizens for the Sub-Commission; and member of the Board of Trustees of the U.N. Trust Fund for Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Professor Weissbrodt has been instrumental in the creation and development of many key human rights institutions, including the Human Rights Center at the University of Minnesota. He has served as an officer or board member of Amnesty International, the Center for Victims of Torture, the (Minnesota) Advocates for Human Rights, Readers International, and the International League for Human Rights.

Helen Raleigh, CFA, DTM (Colorado) ▾

CFA, DTM (Colorado), Immigration Policy Fellow; Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University

Helen Raleigh, CFA, DTM, was born and raised in Communist China. She arrived in America in 1996 as a student. She knew no one and had less than $100 in her pocket. Like millions of immigrants with a craving for freedom, her pocket was light but her dreams were rich.

She took on three part-time jobs, including washing dishes at Chinese restaurants, while supporting herself through graduate schools. Through a combination of hard work and scholarships, Helen earned her master’s degree in business economics from the State University of New York, College of Oneonta, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Wyoming.Over the years, Helen worked for several fortune 500 companies, including Citibank. She has more than 16 years’ experience in the financial services industry in areas ranging from pension funds to risk management. She also holds the “gold standard” investment industry designation — the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter certification.

Helen’s upbringing, especially her experience as an immigrant, taught her to never let circumstances or any obstacles prevent one from reaching for the stars. Helen firmly believes that how one’s life turns out has everything to do with the effort and choices one makes. Everyone has the power within him/herself to live a better life if he/she puts their mind and action to it. Based on this strong conviction and her extensive experiences, Helen founded a purpose-driven business, an investment advisory firm — Red Meadow Advisors, LLC. The mission of her business is to help other Americans achieve financial freedom in their lives.

In addition to her business activities, Helen is the author of several books, including Confucius Never Said, the 2015 silver winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). She has also published numerous columns about China, immigration, international affairs, and the free market economics. Her writing appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Townhall.com, theFederalist.com and other national media.

Helen serves as an immigration policy Fellow at the Centennial Institute and she is a leading voice for a free market based legal immigration reform. She graduated from the Leadership Program of the Rockies (LPR) and won the 2013 “Defender of Capitalism” award. In October 2016, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights appointed Helen to the Colorado State Advisory Committee. In November 2016, Helen was recognized as a “distinguished toastmaster” (DTM) by Toastmaster International for her achievement in both communication and leadership.

Myron Steeves, JD ▾

Attorney; Professor, Trinity Law School

Myron Steeves has served as a law professor at Trinity Law School since 1992. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Professor Steeves has practiced law in the nonprofit area, particularly advising churches. Professor Steeves frequently speaks on issues including the integration of faith and law, legal careers as tools for Christian ministry, law and public policy, and law and theology.

Tom Carroll ▾

Former CIA Clandestine Service Officer & Middle East Specialist – International Security

Tom Carroll is a former officer in the Clandestine Service of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He served under cover with the CIA in the Middle East, including many years in Istanbul, Ankara, and elsewhere in the region. Tom and his wife converted to Roman Catholicism while living in Istanbul. Tom speaks, writes, and consults on Islam, the Middle East, and associated topics, including espionage, national security, and counterintelligence. Dr. Margo graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his doctoral degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He presently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Executive Master’s Public Administration Program at Golden Gate University. He also serves as a Research Fellow for William Jessup University’s Public Policy Institute and previously as editor-in-chief for William Jessup University’s Journal of Innovation and Implementation. Dr. Margo has published a range of articles including in the California Journal of Politics and Policy and last year published the book Less Work for Less Pay. For the past year, Dr. Margo has served as a Commentator for G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice, providing insightful expertise and practical solutions on national and international economic and administration concerns.

Brad Hughes ▾

G.L.O.B.A.L. Commentator, Biblical Worldview; Board member, Tabor Foundation.

Brad Hughes is a Fellow in Worldviews and Economics at the Colorado-based Centennial Institute. He retired as a Director of Strategy for a Fortune 500 company and has been a Director (or above) for six different entities in six different industries, including Fortune 200, SME, nonprofit, religious, think tank, and the university environments. He holds five degrees and has engaged in advanced studies concerning economics, apologetics, and worldview analysis. Brad has written about these subjects for the American Thinker, the Centennial Review, the Schwarz Report, the Western Journalism Center, the Forcing Change magazine, and others. He has completed international assignments in Europe and Russia and is a Biographee of record in Who’s Who in America.

Julie O’Connell ▾

Professor of English and Chair, Faculty Development Comm at Felician University

Michael J. Norton, J.D. ▾

Attorney, Thomas N. Sheffel & Associates, P.C.

Michael Norton is an attorney with the Denver, CO law firm of Thomas N. Scheffel & Associates, P.C., a full-service law firm that focuses on estate planning and probate litigation, business law, and complex civil litigation.Michael is also president and general counsel of the Colorado Freedom Institute, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting religious freedom for Coloradans and for people across America in the public square, in our schools, and for our churches.

The Colorado Freedom Institute also fights for the sanctity of human life and for traditional marriage and families. After a number of years in the private practice of law, beginning in 2011, Michael served for five years with Alliance Defending Freedom where he led efforts to prosecute healthcare frauds by abortion providers. He also successfully represented several for-profit and non-profit organizations in their fight against the Obamacare abortion-pill mandate.In 1988, Norton was appointed United States Attorney for Colorado by President Ronald Reagan. During his five-year term as United States Attorney, Norton directed the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal and civil justice priorities in the State of Colorado.

Norton earned his J.D. degree in 1968 from American University’s Washington College of Law Washington, D.C. He is admitted to all Colorado courts, to several federal district courts, including Colorado, to several United States Courts of Appeals, and to the United States Supreme Court. In 2009, Norton earned a Masters of Divinity degree from Denver Seminary.

Ernie Walton, JD ▾

Assistant Dean, Regent University School of Law

Dean Walton serves as Assistant Dean of Admissions, Academic and Administrative director of Regent Law’s Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, & the Rule of Law, and Lecturer, where he has taught various courses, including International Law, National Security Law, Sales, and International Business Transactions.

Outside of his work at Regent, Ernie served as a law clerk to the Honorable D. Arthur Kelsey of the Virginia Supreme Court. He also practiced law in Southern California at Tyler & Bursch, LLP, where he specialized in civil litigation and business law. He also simultaneously served as an associate attorney at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, a non-profit law firm that specializes in protecting religious freedom. Through Advocates, Ernie represented various churches in RLUIPA cases and helped defend pastors who were arrested for evangelizing on public property, among other things.