2008 CONVENTION - SPEAKERS

Guest Speakers

Voddie Baucham, Jr. is a graduate of Southwestern and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries. He has done additional post-graduate work at the University of Oxford, England. He is the author of Family Driven Faith, The Ever Loving Truth, and the Telly Award-winning ELT Bible study curriculum. He has served as an adjunct professor at Union University in Jackson, TN, and the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, TX. He and his wife, Bridget, have been married since 1989. They have four children and reside near Houston, TX. You can learn more about Voddie Baucham at http://www.voddiebaucham.org.

Dianne Craft has a master's degree in special education, is a certified natural health professional, and a former homeschool mom. She is currently a learning specialist for the Home School Legal Defense Association. She is president of Child Diagnostics, Inc., a private consultation firm in Denver, CO. In her daily practice, she sees families from all over the country, helping them find ways to make learning easier for their children. She has created teaching tools for parents and teachers, such as, The Right Brain Phonics Program, Brain Integration Therapy Manual, and The Biology of Behavior CD set. Dianne is passionate about making learning easier for children everywhere. You can learn more about Dianne Craft at http://www.diannecraft.org.

Bill Jack is an educator with ten years experience in secular schools and fourteen years with The Caleb Campaign, a creationist youth ministry. Bill Jack is a faculty advisor for Worldview Academy, an academic leadership program that seeks to train Christian students to think and live in accord with a Biblical worldview so that they will serve Christ and lead the culture. Bill has appeared on numerous national radio and television programs and is the producer of several apologetics and worldview training DVDs. Bill's passion is to raise up a generation who have the vision to reach their culture with the gospel, who have the valor to engage that culture with the truth, and who rely on the virtue of the Word of God. Bill and his wife, Tabby, and their three children live in Colorado. You can learn more about Bill Jack at http://www.worldview.org/about/faculty.php.

Featured and Workshop Speakers

Carol Barnier is a coast-to-coast conference speaker, author, and fellow homeschooler. She has written for Focus on the Family®, Crosswalk, Home School Enrichment, The Old Schoolhouse®, and Proverbs 31 Magazine. Her first book entitled How To Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and On To Learning addresses the fun, thrills and challenges of homeschooling highly distractible children. Her second book, entitled, If I'm Diapering a Watermelon, Then Where'd I Leave The Baby? tackles the truths to be addressed and strategies to be adopted in order to survive membership in the "highly distractible mom club" (of which Carol is a lifetime member). Her workshops not only leave you laughing, but also leave you with a bundle of practical material to use right away.

Dewitt Black received his Juris Doctor degree in 1973 from Memphis State University Schoolof Law and his Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1979. He has been practicing law for thirty-three years and is licensed to practice in his native state of Arkansas, in addition to the District of Columbia and South Carolina. Dee joined Home School Legal Defense Association in 1990 as senior counsel. For the past sixteen years, he has been responsible for legal matters involving the association's members in as many as seventeen states. Dee and his wife, Ricci, have four children, all of whom have been homeschooled.

Becky Cooke homeschooled her three children through high school. Her husband, Jim, and she augmented their children's education with community college courses, tutoring, small group classes, and extracurricular activities. She enjoys using these same skills to help parents continue teaching their children through high school. After having graduated their children from high school, Becky helped to develop Home School Legal Defense Association's Homeschooling Thru High School program, including its new high school website section. She brings a wealth of experience and friendly advice to share with families who are navigating these challenging, yet exciting years. She speaks at homeschool meetings and conferences and writes articles and brochures on high school topics. She co-authors monthly, high school email newsletters which provide tips, resources, and current information to homeschooling parents nationwide. In addition, Becky provides personal consultation to HSLDA members with homeschool questions.

Dr. Bruce K Eagleson is a practicing emergency physician. He and his wife have exclusively homeschooled their four children for twenty-two years. They have three high school at home graduates and are still homeschooling the youngest. Their oldest is a college at home graduate as well as a Ph.D. candidate. Dr. Eagleson sees himself as a homeschool evangelist. Bruce is nationally recognized as the founding chairman of the national homeschool advocacy group, National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leadership. The Eaglesons have served for twelve years on the board of directors of the Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania (CHAP) and currently chairs that board. In addition, Dr. Eagleson is the author of the CHAP book Keys to Homeschooling in the Keystone State. Bruce also writes a regular column for the CHAP Magazine. Bruce has presented at many conferences, including HOME (Homeschoolers of Maine), ENOCH of NJ, Mass HOPE, TEACH CT, CHAP, Sandy Cove's and Harvey Cedars' Bible conference homeschool weeks, and the National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leadership. Topics he speaks on include: character lessons from historical figures, apologetics, a vision to homeschool, creation, getting started in homeschooling, what to do after high school,and many Bible topics. His presentations, while on serious topics, are light hearted and fun.

Mary Ann Eagleson is, by God's sovereign grace, a committed Christian. She has been married to Bruce Eagleson for thirty-one years, and is a home educating mom of twenty-two years for their four children, ages twenty-six to sixteen. She has a Master of Arts in Religion, focused on Christian education, and has a passion for exploring how God uses home education as one of His greatest tools to shape us into His image. She and her husband serve on the board of the National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leadership, a national advocacy group for home education. They are also currently serving on the CHAP (Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania) board, and have done so for twelve years. Mary Ann has been involved with several home education co-ops as a participant as well as in leadership roles, one of which started in their basement.

Julie Hiramine is the founder and executive director of the ministry Generations of Virtue that equips parents to empower their children to be pure in our culture today. As a noted speaker, author, and Christian leader, Julie has encouraged and impacted parents both in the US and internationally through her speaking and written materials. Julie is based with her husband, Kay, and family in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and at their other home in Conesus, New York. Julie is homeschooling her five daughters: Brianna, Stacia, Alissa, Hana, and Mikayla.

Chris Hogan and his wife, Anne, homeschool their eight children in the skilful art of wise living as a person, partner, parent, provider, and proclaimer. Chris led his family's Ford dealership to winning the highest honor Ford Motor Company offers, "The President's Award," for four consecutive years. He is currently the president of Noble Call Institute, a teaching elder of Noble Family Fellowship, a certified FranklinCovey® facilitator, and the president of the Advanced Training Institute International. He coaches and consults leaders of families, businesses, and ministries, helping them gain wisdom to lead, understanding to establish relationships of trust, and knowledge to take the next step in resolving issues. Chris has traveled to eighteen countries and stayed in over ninety homes. He speaks internationally and has developed the Noble Partners and Noble Parents Life Role Seminars. Chris's vision is to help families develop the full potential of their lives and homes for the purpose of making disciples who are fervent in spirit, mighty in the scriptures, and noble in character. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Dick and Dorothy Karman live in Portland, OR, and are the founders of the Oregon Christian Home Education Association Network. Their family ministry, Christian Home Education Support Services of Oregon, has hosted and managed home school events for over twenty years. Dick worked as a Portland police officer for twenty-eight years. Now retired, Dick and Dorothy are one of the founding couples of the National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leadership, their children are adults, and they have three grandchildren. They have no greater joy than to report to you that their children walk with the Lord.

Diane Kummer and her husband, Tom, homeschooled their two children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. They used a variety of teaching options, including co-ops, community college, online courses, part-time attendance at a private Christian school, and parent-taught subjects. Diane has a heart to inspire moms in their teaching. She is excited about encouraging other parents to keep going and to have fun while teaching high school. After having graduated their children from high school, Diane helped to develop Home School Legal Defense Association's Homeschooling Thru High School program, including its new high school website section. She brings a wealth of experience and friendly advice to share with families who are navigating these challenging, yet exciting years. She speaks at homeschool meetings and conferences and writes articles and brochures on high school topics. She co-authors monthly, high school email newsletters which provide tips, resources, and current information to homeschooling parents nationwide. In addition, Diane provides personal consultation to HSLDA members with homeschool questions.

Betsy Ray is a warm, compassionate, and fun-hearted teacher. She and her husband, Brian, have been married twenty-nine years and have eight children, ages twenty-seven to nine, andtwo grandchildren. All were/are being homeschooled through their secondary years. Betsy home educates her children, helps manage a six-acre farm, grows and preserves large amounts of food, is a part of local and statewide homeschool leadership, and is active in her community, exercising her gifts of hospitality, teaching, and counseling other women. She is also a key support to her husband, Dr. Brian Ray, in his international work as president of the National Home Education Research Institute.

Dr. Brian Ray is the president of the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) and founding editor of the quarterly, refereed, academic journal Home School Researcher (est. 1985). He has published numerous journal articles and books, been repeatedly interviewed by major media, served as an expert witness in court cases on homeschooling, and testified to legislatures regarding educational issues. Dr. Ray is a leading international expert in research on homeschooling. In addition, he has been both a classroom teacher and a university professor through the graduate level. He earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from Oregon State University and his Master of Science in zoology from Ohio University. Brian and Betsy have been married twenty-eight years and have eight children, all of whom they have home educated since birth,and two grandchildren.

After graduating in 2000 at the Virginia Homeschool Convention, Donnie Rosie attended the Miracle Mountain Ranch's Camp Apprentice Ministry Program, graduating in 2002. Donnie now serves MMR's director, Dr. Lew Sterrett, as director for his Sermon on the Mount ministry. He enjoys traveling, volunteer firefighting, church, and speaking for youth events and church services across the U.S. and Canada. Donnie has an Associate of Science degree and is working on a Bachelor of Science in Business from Edinboro University of PA. His life goal is to grow and love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to share through speaking, mentorship, and example.

Douglas Rothgaber has been happily married to his wife, Nada, for almost thirty-five years. God really changed their lives when their son came along twenty-four years ago. Both were trained and worked as professional educators and look what God did! Together they home educated their now graduated son, Joshua, in rural Grantville, PA. Doug is a graduate of Penn State University, where he had the privilege of playing football under the legendary JoePa and was instrumental in starting the first ever Penn State Ice Hockey Club which to this day continues to be a formidable force in national collegiate club ice hockey programs. Since coming onto the CHAP Board thirteen years ago, Doug has served as the past coordinator of the convention registration, currently serves as the treasurer, and has spent numerous work vacation days on Capitol Hill on behalf of homeschoolers. Doug and Nada have always had a passion for education outside the box of the public school system. They have a heart for the homeschool family which is discipling their children as God directs.

When Doug and Nada Rothgaber first heard about homeschooling, they thought it would never work. Nada had been educated in both private and public schools and did both her undergraduate and graduate work at Penn State University. Before "coming home" to care for and homeschool their son, Nada taught for thirteen years in both the public schools and at the college level. The Rothgabers have one son, Joshua, a homeschool graduate. He is now twenty-four years old. Doug and Nada have served on the board of the Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania (CHAP) for thirteen years. Nada serves as the CHAP board secretary and the CHAP Convention speaker chairman. Many times, Nada has felt like the Biblical Aaron as she serves with her husband in the legislative realm, which is living proof that God can use an unwilling servant in areas they don't like and feel unqualified! Doug and Nada have always had a passion for education outside the box of the public school system. They have a heart for the homeschool family which is discipling their children as God directs. Nada's many topics include ones on educating children who don't learn in the typical school methods, the future of home education and the forces going to battle with home education, how to be an influence in your legislature, and how to home educate just one child.

As a mother of eleven children (including one with special needs), Mary Sayre has a total of eight-nine child-years of homeschooling experience. Needless to say, she has a wealth of practical information to share! Before becoming a stay-at-home mom with the birth of her first child, she worked as a registered nurse. Happily married for twenty-five years, she resides with her husband, Dr. Rodger Sayre, in the hills of northeastern PA. She is a popular inspirational speaker for homeschool support groups.

Mike Snavely was reared in rural South Africa, the son of missionary parents. Throughout his life he has been fascinated with wildlife and had a wide variety of interesting experiences there. After graduating from Oak Hills Christian College in Minnesota in 1979, he returned to South Africa to work for the National Parks Service in the world-famous Kruger Park. Following this, he began a career as an African wildlife artist. In 1985, he married Carrie, who grew up near Hershey, PA. Carrie attended Lancaster Bible College and was an executive secretary for the PA Turnpike Commission before becoming a full-time mom. In 1986, they returned to South Africa with TEAM and served by teaching at Durban Bible College. Since returning to the U.S., they have developed a ministry of teaching creation (vs. evolution) using nature and wildlife as a basis. They founded Mission: Imperative in 1995. Mike is the author of Creation or Evolution A Home-Study Curriculum and the ministry has produced seven DVDs, so far. Mike and Carrie have three children—Luke (1986), John (1989), and Laura (1991)—who are home-educated.

Camden Spiller is a homeschool graduate in his mid-twenties. He is the oldest of seven children homeschooled by their father since the early '80s. In 2005, Camden founded Homeschool ALUMNI, a nonprofit organization serving homeschool graduates.

Jim and Karen Stobaugh have four home educated adult children. They have a strong burden for the new leadership group that God is calling forth from the home schooling community. Jim has written the well received, and one of the best resources for the 2005 SAT exam, SAT and College Preparation Course for the Christian Student (1998, second edition 2005) as well as a language arts critical thinking literary series, American and world history unit studies, and two new books—A Fire That Burns but Does Not Consume: Devotions for Thoughtful Christians (2003) and Reading Companion for Fifty Classics (2004). Jim and Karen reside in Hollsopple, PA. Education: Jim: B.A., cum laude, Vanderbilt U., M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary, M. A., Rutgers University, Merrill Fellow, Harvard University, D. Min., Gordon Conwell Seminary. Jim has coached SAT prep off and on since 1977; Karen graduated from Emmanus Bible College and Barrington College (B.S., magna cum laude).

Todd Wilson, author of Help! I'm Married to a Homeschooling Mom, Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe, and The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons, is a dad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd's humor and gut-honest realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions across the country and a guest on Focus on the Family.