Founding Forward is a national non-profit charity dedicated to educating and empowering individuals to participate in and uphold our system of self-government. As the leading voice in civic education, our work is guided by a belief in the importance of the founding principles established by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As National Director, I brought to Founding Forward my lifelong devotion to our country’s heritage and liberty plus a background in law and government. I apply that background to civic education, guiding Founding Forward’s efforts to create a citizenry engaged in our democratic process. I promote civil discourse based on the common ground we find in our country’s founding principles. Through my executive role at Founding Forward, I help ensure a future rooted in liberty by educating the next generation of leaders.Prior to Founding Forward, I was Chief Executive Officer of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, an organization that promoted patriotism, recognized civic duty, and provided history and civic education opportunities for students and educators. After Freedoms Foundation merged with the like-minded Union League Legacy Foundation to form Founding Forward, I continued in a leadership role as National Director of the new organization. A graduate of Brigham Young University, I served as counsel to a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I defended First and Fifth Amendment freedoms at Pacific Legal Foundation and advocated for market-based policy solutions through a book and other writings published by the Cato Institute. In addition to practicing at one of the nation’s largest law firms, I served as counsel to several major financial institutions. I’ve also held leadership roles at other education-focused nonprofits. My respect for our country’s heritage and desire to protect our freedoms was instilled in me during childhood. My mother placed a copy of the famous painting, A Prayer at Valley Forge, above our mantle, where it provided a constant reminder of the price of freedom. Through my father, a statesman, I saw the importance of public service. I’ve enjoyed a varied career, but my heart has always been in civic education, historical research, and writing.