August 29th - September 1st

National Summit

The following is the schedule for all events at the summit
August 29th - September 1st

National Summit

The following is the schedule for all events at the summit
Time Location Event Presenter
7:30 AM - 7:30 PM Registration Open
Registration Open
6:30 PM - Ballroom Foyer Welcome Reception Seth Dillon, The Babylon Bee Rob Schneider, Comedian
Welcome Reception

Gather with friends old and new for a kick off reception with live music,  h’ doeuvres, a cash bar and hear from actor, filmmaker and comedian Rob Schneider.

 

Time Location Event Presenter
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Registration Open
Registration Open
Kelly Schenkoske
Independent researcher
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Breakfast General Session - Change Maker Panel Keynote Speakers: Tulsi Gabbard, Jennifer Sey, Maud Maron, Shawn Thierry
Breakfast General Session - Change Maker Panel

Join us as we kick off Summit ’24 with breakfast that includes a panel with Tulsi Gabbard, Jennifer Sey, Maud Maron & Shawn Thierry moderated by co-founder Tiffany Justice. 

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Strategy Sessions
Strategy Sessions
Salon E How to be your own Investigative Journalist Luke Rosiak
How to be your own Investigative Journalist

Luke Rosiak, the reporter who broke the story of Loudoun County’s transgender rape coverup, walks through how any parent can become a detective in her school district, finding wrongdoing through Freedom of Information Act requests, databases, and other tools.

Salon D Not Just a Bill: Crafting Parental Rights Laws with Teeth! Tonya Shellnut, Matt Sharp, Jordan Carpenter
Not Just a Bill: Crafting Parental Rights Laws with Teeth!

A lot of bills call themselves a “parents’ bill of rights,” but many of them don’t provide meaningful protections for parental rights. Attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom will walk you through what makes for a great parental rights bill, give examples from states that are doing it right, and leave you equipped to advocate for strong laws in your home state.

Salon G How to Write for the Local Media Mary G. Vought, Vice President of Strategic Communications at The Heritage Foundation.
How to Write for the Local Media

Working with your local media, especially on topics like education or with your school board, is critical to shaping public opinion and awareness. Mary Vought, a communications and public affairs veteran, will dive into how to build and leverage these relationships in your state and local area and share her best tips and tricks for you to take home! 

Salon F History of Marxism James Lindsay
History of Marxism
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Strategy Sessions
Strategy Sessions
Salon D Title IX: Everything you need to know about Title IX, but no one is talking about Kim Hermann, Braden Boucek, Sara Parshall Perry, Alan Gura
Title IX: Everything you need to know about Title IX, but no one is talking about

For over 50 years, Title IX has prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in America’s schools. In April 2024, the DoEd issued new regulations that radically change the definition of sex to include gender identity and turn Title IX on its head. In this panel attorneys from Southeastern Legal Foundation, the lawyers representing Moms for Liberty in its Title IX lawsuit, will be joined by attorneys from Heritage Foundation and Institute for Free Speech as they explain Title IX, the 2024 changes, and what that means for you as a parent.

Salon E The 10 Laws of Fundraising Andy Olivastro and Carsten Walter
The 10 Laws of Fundraising

Join Andy and Carsten Walter as they discuss why and how fundraisers should focus on building relationships with those who have a mutual desire to make our country a better place through the ten laws that one of the greatest conservative movement fundraisers, John von Kannon, lived and worked by.

Salon F How to Work With Your School Board Jessie Thompson FCCSBMM , & Bryce Fiedler - CALN
How to Work With Your School Board

The education reform movement has made considerable progress in recent years, but political blowback and recalcitrant administrators have prevented major policy change in many school districts. This panel will feature leading organizations that have successfully advocated for reform, exploring the most effective reform strategies for curricular audits, academic goal-setting, parental rights, controversial subjects and materials transparency, holding administrators accountable, budget cuts, labor reform, and more.

Salon G What does it mean to Abolish the Department of Education? Lindsey Burke, Director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation
What does it mean to Abolish the Department of Education?

The US Department of Education is on a losing streak. Not only is it unconstitutional, but the department is making its own case for closure by promulgating policies that are either ineffective or illegal (or both). Join Lindsey Burke to hear about how closing the department is a victory for parents and what comes next. 

12:45 PM - 2:15 PM Lunch General Session - The Culture War Frontline - Media Matters panel Sebastain Gorka, Jan Jekielek and Adele Malpass.  Moderated by Tiffany Justice.
Lunch General Session - The Culture War Frontline - Media Matters panel

Join us in the ballroom for our Lunch General Session as we award this years Liberty Sword!

You will hear from Dr. James Lindsay followed by a panel discussing the role media is playing in shaping our culture and country with Sebastain Gorka, Jan Jekielek and Adele Malpass.  Moderated by Tiffany Justice.

2:30 PM - 3:20 PM Strategy Sessions
Strategy Sessions
Salon D The 3 R’s of State Legislative Success Charlie Misseijer
The 3 R’s of State Legislative Success

This panel highlights our very own MOMS who efficiently carry out a grassroots ground game through their M4L State Legislative Committees. The conversation will drill down into what it takes to effectively prepare for upcoming legislative sessions, and how that preparation translates into success on legislation within M4L’s mission in statehouses across the country.

Salon F The Politicization of Education Michael Young
The Politicization of Education

Michael Young will be discussing the intellectual roots of the radical political ideology calling itself “Social Justice” (AKA “woke”) that is currently hijacking our schools. He will explain what this ideology believes, what arguments woke activists uses to advance this ideology, and how you can articulately and confidently stand your ground in a debate when they attack your beliefs.

Salon G Anti-Semitism through the Ages Laurie Cardoza Moore
Anti-Semitism through the Ages

We are witnessing an explosion of antisemitic attacks against Jews around the globe. Is this a new phenomena, or just an age-old hatred that is manifesting in this, our generation? Now, more than ever, Christians, Jews and all people of conscience must recognize this ancient hatred and our responsibility to confront this global threat head-on. God told Abraham; “I will bless those who bless you and curse him who curses you, and he who ignores you… I will utterly destroy.” The blessing of The Almighty on a nation will be determined by how that nation treats our Jewish brethren and Israel.

Salon E The Importance of Healthy Families: Boyhood and the Changing Role of the Man in American Life Brenda Hafera, Assistant Director and Senior Policy Analyst for the Simon Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation & Delano Squires, Research Fellow in the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family at The Heritage Foundation.
The Importance of Healthy Families: Boyhood and the Changing Role of the Man in American Life

Fathers, like mothers, matter. But today, many boys and men are struggling to flourish without the sense of purpose that comes from being rooted within marriages, communities, churches, and country. Brenda Hafera and Delano Squires will discuss what is causing the changing role of the man in American Life and why defending marriage and family shouldn’t be a partisan matter.

3:30 PM - 4:20 PM Strategy Sessions
Strategy Sessions
Salon D Moms Know Best: Protecting Kids from Secret Gender Transitions in Schools Kate Anderson, January Littlejohn
Moms Know Best: Protecting Kids from Secret Gender Transitions in Schools

Schools across the country are socially transitioning children—treating them like the opposite sex while hiding it from their parents. Come hear how you can protect your children from these dangerous policies. Kate Anderson, a mom and attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, will walk you through the law and what it means for your family. She’ll then be joined by Tammy and Autumn Fournier and January Littlejohn, as they tell their personal stories of facing and challenging these policies.

Salon E Helping Teachers Leave the Union Aaron Withe, The Freedom Foundation
Helping Teachers Leave the Union

Aaron Withe will discuss the influence of the teachers unions over our political system and how we can eliminate their influence once and for all.

Salon F Community Schools: Engaging Government, Disengaging Parents Kelly Schenkoske
Community Schools: Engaging Government, Disengaging Parents
Salon G How We Got Here: Dewey, Mann and the Robber Barons Alex Newman
How We Got Here: Dewey, Mann and the Robber Barons
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Dinner on your own
Dinner on your own
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Dessert Reception
Dessert Reception
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Evening with President Trump President Donald J. Trump
Evening with President Trump
Time Location Event Presenter
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Registration Open
Registration Open
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Ballroom Foyer Grab and Go Breakfast
Grab and Go Breakfast

Stop by the ballroom foyer for a grab and go breakfast and join us at The March for Kids at the DAR Constitution Hall.

1776 D Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006

Must have FREE ticket to enter.  Register here: https://marchforkids.com/

 

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM DAR Constitution Hall The March for Kids
The March for Kids

Join us at The March for Kids at the DAR Constitution Hall.

1776 D Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006

Must have FREE ticket to enter.  Register here: https://marchforkids.com/

 

The March for Kids is a collaboration of dozens of grassroots organizations from all corners of the country, unifying together for one purpose: parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children.

 

 

 

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Registration Open
Registration Open
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Cocktail Reception
Cocktail Reception

Meet up with friends as we prepare for the “Such A Time As This” Awards Dinner.  The cocktail reception will include music, hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Ballroom “Such a Time as This” Awards Dinner Gala Keynote speaker Glenn Beck
“Such a Time as This” Awards Dinner Gala

The Moms for Liberty “Such A Time As This” Awards Gala Dinner is the highpoint of the Summit!  A true celebration of all the moms and dads standing up today for their children.  We will award 7 Founders Awards and hear from Keynote Speaker Glenn Beck.

Time Location Event Presenter
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Registration Open
Registration Open
9:00 AM - 11:30 AM Ballroom The Blessings of Liberty General Session Breakfast Keynote Speakers: Dr. Alveda King, Rick Green, Marissa Streit, Zoe Tara Zeigherman, Zach Kessel, Danielle Shapiro
The Blessings of Liberty General Session Breakfast

The Blessings of Liberty Breakfast

Start your Sunday morning with a performance from the children in Liberty Kids Club.

Hear from American icon Dr. Alveda King.

Marissa Streit, CEO, PragerU will lead a panel with Zoe Tara Zeigherman, Zach Kessel, Danielle Shapiro as they discuss their experience with antisemitism and religious liberty in school.

Rick Green, Patriot Academy will speak on Restoring American Exceptionalism One Family At A Time: With passion and humor, Rick outlines the timeless principles of liberty which allowed America to become the most successful nation in history; not perfect, not infallible, and certainly not indestructible, but something exceptional & extraordinary… truly unique in all of history. Rick will share powerful stories and principles from the American story and leave the audience with specific action steps for applying those principles to our personal and family lives while preserving them for future generations.

Enjoy a musical performance from Kamryn Green.

 

Jamie Hinkle

Jamie is a proud wife, mom of three daughters, and photographer. She served as a Moms for Liberty chapter chair in Virginia for 2.5 years and now serves as the M4L Coalitions Coordinator. In this role, Jamie is dedicated to building relationships, fostering collaboration and amplifying organizations fighting to preserve America’s founding principles. Strong relationships create powerful partnerships, and together, we will protect liberty for future generations.

Deborah Flora

Deborah Flora is an Award-Winning Filmmaker, National Speaker and Parental Rights Advocate. As a Mom, the Founder of Parents United America and the Senior Vice President of Public Policy of ACE Scholarships, she has been on the front line fighting for parental rights and educational freedom nationwide.

Deborah also has an extensive media background including hosting a daily Salem radio show and being featured on numerous national media outlets.  As a Partner in Lamplight Entertainment with her husband Jonathan, an 82nd Airborne Veteran, she has also produced numerous projects, including the acclaimed documentary Whose Children Are They? which screened in theaters nationwide exposing the hidden agendas in our public schools.

 Deborah is a Club for Growth Fellow, a member of the American Enterprise Leadership Network, the Independence Institute’s Center Right Coalition and serves on the Leadership Program of the Rockies Advisory Council. She has also served on several national boards, overseeing multimillion dollar budgets, including currently as a Board Member for ACE Scholarships and Cantinas Arts Foundation. Deborah earned her degree at SMU as a President and National Merit Scholar and has spoken around the world with organizations like Youth for Christ International including in the former Soviet Union.

 

Kimberly Hermann

Executive Director for Southeastern Legal Foundation

Kimberly Hermann serves as Executive Director for Southeastern Legal Foundation. Since 2009, she has been working with SLF where she has dedicated her legal career to the freedom-based law movement.

Katie Gorka

Katie Gorka was director of The Feulner Institute’s Center for Civil Society and the American Dialogue at the Heritage Foundation from 2020 to 2022. In 2016, Katie joined the Trump Transition Team and then served as a senior advisor in the Office of Policy at the Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019, where she focused on strategies for prevention of terrorism and targeted violence and combatting use of the internet for terrorism and human trafficking. From June to August 2019, she served as the press secretary for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

As President of the Threat Knowledge Group from 2014 to 2017, Katie provided expertise and training on irregular warfare and terrorism to the FBI, US Army Special Forces, Marine Corps, and law enforcement. From 2009 to 2014, was the Executive Director of the Westminster Institute, which conducted research and education on threats posed by extremist ideologies.

Katie was born in Boston and grew up in various places on the East Coast, from Franconia, New Hampshire, to Asheville, North Carolina. She earned her B.A. in Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her M.Sc. in Politics of the World Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She lived in Budapest, Hungary for twelve years, where she worked on aspects of the post-communist transition, including projects to help rebuild civil society.

James Lindsay

Founder of New Discourses

An American-born author, mathematician, and political commentator, Dr. James Lindsay has written six books spanning a range of subjects including religion, the philosophy of science and postmodern theory. Dr. Lindsay is the Founder of New Discourses, an organization dedicated to shining the objective light in the subject darkness. Dr. Lindsay is currently promoting his new book “Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody.” Dr. Lindsay has been a featured guest on Fox News, Glenn Beck, Joe Rogan, and NPR.

Erika Donalds

Founder & Chairman of OptimaEd
Chair of American First Policy Institute Center for Educations Opportunity

Education expert and entrepreneur Erika Donalds is the Founder and Chairman of OptimaEd and the Chair of America First Policy Institute’s Center for Education Opportunity. Erika is known as a national expert on education policy and school choice and is a frequent media commentator and speaker. A seasoned business executive, she has offered her expertise to help further the expansion of high-quality school choice options and to improve accountability and governance in America’s schools.

Erika is a former elected member of the Collier County School Board and served as a visiting fellow for The Heritage Foundation Center for Education Policy and Guest Faculty for the Leadership Institute’s School Board Programs. She previously sat on Florida’s 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission, Governor DeSantis’ Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development, and the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees. She is an advisor for Heritage Foundation Advisory Council on Education Reform, Classical Learning Test, Moms for Liberty, and the Independent Women’s Forum Education Freedom Center.

Prior to launching Optima, Erika spent 20 years in the financial services industry. She was Chief Financial Officer/Chief Compliance Officer and Managing Partner at a multi-billion-dollar investment management firm, responsible for finance, compliance, and operations.

Erika holds a BS in Accounting from Florida State University and a Master of Accountancy from Florida Atlantic University, where she is a Distinguished Alumni Honoree. She is a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).

Erika and her husband Byron have lived in Naples since 2002 and have three sons – Damon, Darin, & Mason.

Pat Blackburn

National Director of Chapters

Pat Blackburn is a retired educator and mom.  She taught in both charter and regular public schools before taking her retirement and devoting her time as a mom and educational advocate.  Believing strongly that every citizen should be an active participant in their local government and community, she has dedicated her free time to service.  Pat served as President of the Education Foundation in Indian River County, Florida. She also served as Treasurer for Taxpayer Association of Indian River County.   She is currently the National Chapter Chair Coordinator for Moms for Liberty.  Moms for Liberty is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots organization.  Moms for Liberty is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government. She envisions a public school system in America that is reflective of the principles of freedom granted by our Creator. “God has called me, and equipped me, to do my part in service to Him and our country.”

Keith Wharton

Director of Information Technology

Keith Wharton has many decades of broad management and hands-on experience in the technology space, with a focus on application implementations.  He has also obtained a Master of Science in Computer Science.  His breadth of knowledge and experience is a good fit for the broad application and technology footprint that is in use in this organization.  He is committed to the principles of limited government and separation of powers that has made this country great, and the organizational principles around the rights of parents to raise and education their children free from the intrusion of government and their surrogates. 

Charlies Misseijer

Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs

Charlie Misseijer is the national Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs at Moms for Liberty. He is a freedom fighter for truth and from government interference. With a career spanning 25 years in education, law, and public policy, Charlie now works with M4L’s State Legislative Committees, state legislators, and other allies to support, craft, and employ policies that respect and protect the fundamental rights of parents to know what’s best when it comes to their child’s education, care and upbringing, while vociferously and strategically opposing policies and practices that seek to usurp those rights. Married twenty-five years to the love of his life, Tamra, they have eight children and one grandchild.

Melissa “Missy” Karwowski

M4LU Program Director

Missy comes from the business world, with a diverse background in marketing, operations, data analytics, and tech consulting. She is a mom of 3 beautiful girls and wife to an Air Force Loadmaster for the best 22 years of her life. When she’s not on a deep dive into political issues or apologetics, she loves to play the piano, hike very tall mountains, and explore the world through mom-and-pop ice cream shops and local brewpubs. After seeing the spread of concerning ideologies and policy, she took the first step into local politics as the Judge of Elections for her precinct. She has been a proud supporter of M4L since her sister-in-law started their local chapter in Washington County, PA. When M4L was targeted by the SPLC, Missy knew (they/we/M4L) must be on the right track. She is thrilled to join as the new Program Director of M4LU, supporting the team to equip the leaders needed in this current and future generation.

Colette Cooper

Human Resources & Compliance Manager

Colette’s varied background has prepared her for her roles as Human Resource and Compliance Manager for M4L and M4LF, and Treasurer of her Brevard County, Florida chapter. She managed a literacy program for Utah’s Governor and First Lady (1999-2002), advocating for reading to children statewide. With experience in human services, including advocacy for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, and human resources expertise in soft skills and policy development, Colette works diligently in all she does. Present at the Madison Meetings where Moms for Liberty began, she’s humbled to support this vital grassroots effort and it’s members. Colette is a devoted wife, mother of five, and daughter of God.

Lisa Bowden

Event Manager

After graduating from Penn State University in 1994, Lisa went to work for ARAMARK Corporation for eight years.  She began her career with ARAMARK as a National Trainer, working all over the US instructing end-users on their proprietary software.  In 1999, she became the assistant CFO for the Southeastern region of ARAMARK. After the birth of her second child, Lisa decided to take on the most challenging role of her life, Stay- at-Home Mom.  In 2015, Lisa became involved with the South Brevard Debutantes and quickly went through the chairs of involvement, ultimately becoming the Vice President.  She worked with over 300 juniors/seniors, during her nine years of involvement with the organization, putting them through the 15-month leadership program.  Her favorite part of the program was hosting the annual debutante balls, which yields groups of 300 plus attendees.  She now serves as a board member to the Debs & Gents of South Brevard.  In 2023, Lisa became the Event Coordinator for Moms for Liberty and enjoys the management process of pulling together large events for the organization.  Lisa is married to Sean for the last 28 years and they have three children, Lauren, Matthew and Brycen. 

Erika Peters Sheets

Political Director

Erika is married to husband Matt, and they have two young adult children. Erika co-founded the Moms for Liberty – Johnson County, KS chapter in August of 2021 and served as Vice Chair until moving to Chapter Chair in November 2024. Erika is responsible for leading our 320+ chapters in identifying, vetting & endorsing candidates for their local school boards and supporting them in their efforts to help their candidates win. When parents win, their children win!

Tina Descovich

Co-founder and Executive Director

Tina Descovich has a long record of fighting for students and parental rights in Florida, and at the national level. She was elected to the Brevard County, FL school board in 2016. She was selected by her peers to serve as Chairman in 2018. While on the school board she was a member of The Florida Coalition of School Board Members and served as the organization’s president in 2018.

As a graduate of Valdosta State University with bachelor’s degree in communication, Tina worked as a consultant on projects ranging from helping fast growing startup companies, to creating and implementing strategic and communication plans. She served on the executive planning team for the National Air, Space and Sea Foundation planning airshows and on the executive staff for the United States Army Commanding General of the Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee.

In 2021, Tina co-founded Moms for Liberty, a grassroots national non-profit organization that works to unify, educate, and empower parents to defend their parental rights, which has grown to over 300 chapters in 48 states with over 130,000 members and she currently serves as the organization’s Executive Director. In September of 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Tina to the Florida Commission on Ethics.

Tina has been a frequent guest on all major cable news stations, talk radio, leading podcasts, and penned opinion pieces in some of America’s largest newspapers. These appearances include Fox, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CSPAN, The Glenn Beck Show, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Newsmax, and on CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes. In November of 2023 she and her co-founder were awarded Fox News’ “Most Valuable Patriot” Award.

Tina and her husband Derek have five children. She is passionate about America and is dedicated to protecting liberty and freedom for the future of all children.

Monique Miller

State Representative for Florida House District 33.

Monique has traveled to over fifty countries and has lived and worked in socialist countries. That experience made her appreciate even more what makes America great and unique: Our founding documents and a true understanding that our rights are derived from God, rather than government.

Monique Miller has enjoyed a distinguished career in the computer and cybersecurity industry for over twenty-five years. She has held strategic roles in iconic companies such as Hewlett Packard and now consults federal and state governments on securing our 911 and emergency communications systems against cyber-attacks.

Monique’s love of her two children and three grandchildren led her to become an activist in the fight for parental rights in education.

Monique earned a Master of Business Administration from Emory University and studied physics as an undergraduate at Loyola University in New Orleans. She and her husband volunteer at their church.

In her free time, Monique enjoys scuba diving and supporting Florida Giant Dog Rescue.

Catalina Stubbe

Director of Outreach

Catalina is a successful mother of four, rooted in her love of God and family. She is always advocating for the wellbeing of children. She has been featured on Fox & Friends with Kayleigh McEnany, War Room with Steve Bannon, Linea De Fuego (Univision) and more. She is a Colombian American businesswoman, journalist, philanthropist, strategy adviser, contributor and commentator, and humble servant to the Lord.

Pat Blackburn

National Director of Chapters

Pat is a retired educator and mom. She envisions a public school system in America that is reflective of the principles of freedom granted by our Creator. “God has called me, and equipped me, to do my part in service to Him and our country.”

Rosalind Hanson

Director of Development

Rosalind is the Mom to a joyful son, and like most parents, the pandemic afforded her a peek behind the classroom door. As Moms for Liberty’s Director of Development, Rosalind ensures our donors are kept up to date on our work, which is made possible by their generous financial support and the efforts of our over 130,000 volunteer members.

Tia Bess

Director of National Engagement

Tia is a mom of three with a blended family. Bess resides with her partner on a farm in Clay County, FL. She has been a member of Moms for Liberty since March 2021 when the pandemic led her to voice concerns regarding her children’s school in her district. Bess was born in Philadelphia, PA but left for Norfolk, VA at the age of seven due to gang violence in the area. Shortly after the move to Virginia, her family moved to Jacksonville, FL where she learned that her zip code didn’t define her, a message she hopes to spread to America.