A native Floridian, Ron DeSantis graduated from Dunedin High School, Yale University, and Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. His military decorations include a Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service and the Iraq Campaign Medal. After active-duty service, Governor DeSantis served as a federal prosecutor, where he targeted and convicted child predators. He still serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He was first elected to Congress in 2012, as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s Sixth District. In 2018, Ron DeSantis was elected as the 46th Governor of Florida. Shortly after taking office, Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 19-32 which includes a commitment to “Raising the Bar for Civic Literacy.” Governor DeSantis is married to Casey DeSantis, an Emmy Award-winning television host, and they are the proud parents of three beautiful children.

Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. is a lifelong educator, having served as a social studies teacher, baseball coach, and assistant principal. Commissioner Diaz received his bachelor’s degree from St. Thomas University, master’s degree from Nova Southeastern, and completed a Harvard Graduate School of Education program for principals. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, where he quickly became known as an expert in education. In 2018, Manny Diaz, Jr. was elected to the Florida Senate where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee. He sponsored numerous educational initiatives while a legislator to support Florida’s students, families, and public-school teachers. Mr. Diaz was appointed Commissioner of Education by the Florida State Board of Education in June 2022.

Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America’s most important, influential, and respected voices on cultural, political, and education issues. He is a graduate of Williams College (B.A.), the University of Texas (Ph.D), and Harvard Law School (J.D.). Dr. Bennett has written or co-authored more than 25 books including two New York Times number one best-sellers, one of them being the incredibly successful Book of Virtues. His latest book Tried By Fire: The Story of Christianity’s First Thousand Years has also quickly become a best-seller. His three-volume set of the history of the United States entitled America: The Last Best Hope, has been widely praised and adopted for use in schools around the country. Dr. Bennett served as the Secretary of Education under President Ronald Reagan, and as the nation’s first Drug Czar under President George H.W. Bush. He was formerly the host of Morning in America, one of the largest national talk shows in the country, and is now host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast.

Lieutenant Governor Jeanette M. Nuñez was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She was elected Florida’s first Hispanic female lieutenant governor in 2018. Lt. Governor Nuñez served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and was Speaker Pro Tempore from 2016 to 2018. She served as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and was appointed Chair of the Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. From 2007–2015, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez served on the Board of Kristi House, an organization dedicated to children who are victims of sexual abuse, and she served as a member of the Statewide Council of Human Trafficking. She earned a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University (FIU), and has served in the past as an adjunct professor at FIU. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez and her husband, Adrian, are the proud parents of three wonderful children.

Dr. Wilfred McClay holds the Victor Davis Hanson Chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College. Prior to that, Dr. McClay held the G.T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty at the University of Oklahoma, and was the Director of the Center for the History of Liberty. He is the author of the awarding-winning Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. Dr. McClay served for eleven years on the National Council on the Humanities, the advisory board for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and he currently is a member of the U.S. Commission on the Semiquincentennial, which is planning the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. Dr. McClay earned his Ph.D. from John Hopkins University.

Dr. Matthew Spalding is the Vice President of Washington Operations and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C., campus. Dr. Spalding is also the Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government at Hillsdale College, and he oversees the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship. He is the best-selling author of We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future, and is the executive editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, a line-by-line analysis of each clause of the U.S. Constitution. Dr. Spalding previously was vice president of American Studies at The Heritage Foundation. He earned his Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School.

Dr. Stephen Masyada is the Director of the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship and the Lou Frey Institute at the University of Central Florida, with his focus being on providing civics-centered professional development and resources to Florida K-12 teachers, students, and district leaders. He twice has received the J.R. Skretting Social Studies Science Award by the Florida Council for the Social Studies for his exceptional work. Dr. Masyada has more than ten years of experience as a Florida classroom teacher, and he was named Williston High School Teacher of the Year in 2004. He is a veteran of the Armed Forces, having served proudly in the United States Air Force. Dr. Masyada earned his B.A., M.Ed., and Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

Dr. Charles Kesler is the Dengler-Dykema Distinguished Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College. Dr. Kesler is also a Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute, editor of the Claremont Review of Books, host of Claremont’s “The American Mind” video series, and teaches in the Claremont Institute’s Publius Fellows Program and Lincoln Fellows Program. He is the former director of Claremont McKenna College’s Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World. Dr. Kesler received the prestigious Bradley Prize in 2018. He is an expert in American Constitutionalism, American Political Thought, Political Philosophy, and Greek and Roman Political Thought. Dr. Kesler earned his Ph.D. from Harvard.

Dr. Matthew Mehan is the Director of Academic Programs for Hillsdale College in Washington D.C., and is an Assistant Professor of Government for the Van Andel Graduate School of Government. Dr. Mehan has also taught for the College’s Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program for undergraduates. He has been teaching and designing humanities curricula for twenty years. Dr Mehan has consulted national leaders and heads of state, and has written for various outlets both scholarly and popular, including The Wall Street Journal. He earned a B.A. in politics, an M.A. in English, and a Ph.D. in Literature – all from the University of Dallas.

Dr. Samuel Gregg is a Distinguished Fellow in Political Economy and Senior Research Faculty at the American Institute for Economic Research, and is an affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute. Dr. Gregg is the author of sixteen books and has written and spoken extensively on natural law theory, political economy, and economic history. He serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Heritage Foundation and is a Fellow of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He is a regular writer of opinion pieces that have appeared in publications such as Investors Business Daily, First Things, Washington Times, National Review, and Business Review Weekly. Dr. Gregg earned a Ph.D. in Moral Philosophy and Political Economy from Oxford University.

Dr. Bradley Watson recently joined the faculty of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C. campus. Prior to that, he was the Professor of Politics at Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania, where he held the Philip M. McKenna Chair in American and Western Political Thought, and was Co-Director of the Center for Political and Economic Thought, a research and public affairs institute dedicated to the scholarly exposition of freedom, Western civilization, and the American experience. He is also a Senior Scholar of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and a Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute. Dr. Watson holds advanced degrees in law, philosophy, and political science.

Dr. Mark David Hall is the Herbert Hoover Distinguished Professor of Politics and a Faculty Fellow in the William Penn Honors Program at George Fox University. Dr. Hall is also the Director of the John Dickinson Forum for the Study of America's Founding Principles, associate faculty at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, and a senior fellow at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion. He has written or co-edited twelve books and more than one-hundred journal articles, book chapters, reviews, and other pieces. He is the author of Did America have a Christian Founding? (2019). Dr. Hall earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Michael Breidenbach is an Associate Professor and Chair of History at Ave Maria University and Senior Affiliate for Legal Humanities at the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Breidenbach’s research interests include the history of political, legal, and religious thought, especially in early America and the Atlantic World with a particular interest in religious liberty, church and state, and the relationship between religion and politics. He is the author of Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America (2021). He has written for publications such as The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and First Things. Dr. Breidenbach earned his Ph.D. in History from King’s College, Cambridge.

Dr. Richard Samuelson recently joined the faculty at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C., campus. Prior to that, from 2007-2022, Dr. Samuelson served as an Associate Professor of History at California State University, San Bernardino. He is an historian of the American founding and of American politics and constitutional thought and has written extensively on John Adams, the Adams family of Massachusetts, and on the constitutional politics of the founding more largely. His essays and reviews have appeared in The Review of Politics, The William and Mary Quarterly, Commentary, The Claremont Review of Books, The Public Interest, and other publications. Dr. Samuelson earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Lucas Morel is the John K. Boardman Professor of Politics and Head of the Politics Department at Washington and Lee University where he teaches American government, political philosophy, and race and equality. Dr. Morel’s research interests include Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Ralph Ellison, and Black American politics. He is a trustee of the Supreme Court Historical Society and a consultant on Library of Congress exhibits on Lincoln and the Civil War. Dr. Morel serves on the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. He has written for the Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, and Richmond Times-Dispatch. Dr. Morel earned his Ph.D. in political science from The Claremont Graduate University.

Tiffany Hoben is currently a Regional Civic Literacy Captain for the Florida Department of Education and has worked in Social Studies Education for over 18 years in the state of Florida. She taught Civics, U.S. History and was also an elementary teacher, while also serving in the Army National Guard. She later became the Social Studies Curriculum Specialist in Manatee County and then transitioned to a position as a Professional Learning Specialist. In those roles she provided coaching, professional development and support to schools and teachers across the district. Tiffany attended the University of South Florida and holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership.

Kathy Hansberry has been involved in education for 21 years primarily as an elementary and middle school teacher. She is trained in classical education which focuses on using primary source documentation in subjects of history, Roman history, Latin, logic, and debate. She recently ran a flagship K-5 mentor center to equip students for success, and support teachers with classroom resources. As a Civics Coach, she has had opportunities to support educators by teaching in Civics summer professional developments throughout the state. She also participated in expert panel discussions for CPALMS Civics Seal of Excellence as an elementary educator.

Richardo Delfosse, J.D. is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Also, he is a graduate of FAMU College of Law where he received his Juris Doctorate degree. In 2018, he became an Adjunct Professor for Valencia College, and teacher for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). During his time at OCPS he taught Civics and was the Social Studies Department Chair and served as an administrative dean. He was a Finalist for OCPS Teacher of the Year award for the 2020 - 2021 school year, and recognized and honored as a A+ teacher by News 13 in Orlando, FL. Richardo Delfosse, was a member of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity Inc.

Jasmine Peralta is the Regional Civic Literacy Coach for Brevard in Osceola Counties. Before joining the Department of Education, Jasmine was a classroom teacher for 10 years and primarily taught middle school social studies. She graduated with honors from the University of Central Florida with two bachelor’s degrees: Political Science-Pre Law, Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Education. Outside the classroom, Jasmine is also a collegiate and professional soccer referee.

Cindy Marcelin is a Social Studies educator with over 16 years of experience. She has taught a variety of subjects ranging from United States History to Advanced Placement courses that includes World History, Human Geography and United States Government and Politics. Cindy was recognized as an outstanding Advanced Placement Reader by College Board for the past five years. The School Board of Broward County has recognized Cindy as an innovative technology integration leader. Cindy has also served as the Social Studies Department Chair and Professional Learning Community Facilitator for a total of 7 years in Broward County Schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Cindy was chosen to present an award on the Oscars in the year 2020 and represent teachers nationwide who continue to serve students during what some may say was the most challenging time to be an educator.

Jessica Hasle is currently a Regional Civic Literacy Coach for the Florida Department of Education and has worked in Social Studies Education for over 15 years in Pinellas County, Florida. She taught Civics and U.S. History at the middle school level for 8 years where she also served as Social Studies Department Chair. Jessica then transitioned to a position at the district level as the 9-12 Social Studies Instructional Staff Developer. In that role she provided coaching, professional development and support to schools and teachers at the high school level for almost 7 years. Jessica attended Florida State University and graduated in 2007 with a B.S. in Secondary Social Science Education. While teaching, Jessica pursued further education at the University of South Florida and graduated in 2011 with a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction in Secondary Social Science Education.

Dr. Jonathan Den Hartog is Professor and Chair of the Department of History in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences at Samford University. Prior to that, Dr. Den Hartog taught for thirteen years at the University of Northwestern in Minnesota. He specializes in the religious and political history of the colonial, revolutionary, and early national periods of America, and is the author of Patriotism and Piety: Federalist Politics and Religious Struggle in the New American Nation (2015). Hartog has published articles in Early American Studies and The Journal of Church and State and his writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Hill. Dr. Den Hartog earned a Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. David Ramsey is Interim Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Government at the University of West Florida where he teaches constitutional law and political philosophy. Dr. Ramsey is the author of Antitrust and the Supreme Court (2012), and he has contributed chapters to several recent books. He is currently working on preparing a digital edition of the papers of Roger B. Taney, who served as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1836 to 1864, and wrote the majority opinion in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857). Dr. Ramsey earned his Ph.D. in political science from Baylor University.

Dr. Jeffrey Polet is the Director of the Ford Leadership Forum at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. Prior to that, Dr. Polet was a Professor of Political Science at Hope College. He has published on a wide range of scholarly and popular topics including Contemporary European Political Thought, American Political Thought, the American Founding, constitutional law and education theory and policy. His work has also appeared in more popular venues such as The Hill, The American Conservative, and First Things. He serves on the board of The Front Porch Republic, and he is also a Senior Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal. Dr. Polet earned his Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Ronald J. Pestritto is Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship and professor of politics at Hillsdale College, where he teaches political philosophy, American political thought and American politics. Dr. Pestritto holds the Charles and Lucia Shipley Chair in the American Constitution. He is the author of seven books, including American Progressivism: A Reader and Woodrow Wilson and the Roots of Modern Liberalism, and his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal and the Claremont Review of Books. Dr. Pestritto earned his Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate University.

Kelli McNair-Lee is a teacher with 18 years classroom experience in Seminole County, Florida. She earned a B.A. from USF, an M.A. from University of Oklahoma and is a doctoral candidate in American History at Liberty University. She is certified in Social Studies and endorsed in both Gifted Education and Reading. Her teaching experience includes 10 years in Social Studies and 8 years in Reading. Her strongest motivation is to create informed and engaged American citizens. To do this she employs reading strategies with which to improve student comprehension of the primary sources that inform American History and to comprehend grade-level texts.

Traci Van Zyl is the Regional Civics Literacy Coach for Orange County Public Schools. She earned her Bachelor's in Social Science Education from the University of Central Florida and is finishing her Master's in History from Grand Canyon University. Prior to joining the Florida Department of Education, she spent eight years with Seminole County Public Schools; six years teaching Civics and two years in an administrative capacity. She was honored as a Central Florida News 13 A+ Teacher and was also a Barnes and Noble “My Favorite Teacher” award recipient. Traci has a passion for Civics and Government and thoroughly enjoys collaborating with teachers to prepare students to become civically engaged citizens.

Reginald McKelvin Jr., has served as the Regional Civics Literacy Coach for Palm Beach County since March 2022. Reginald is concluding his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Liberty University. He has an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, a M.S. in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University, and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Florida A&M University. Reginald is currently certified in Social Sciences for grades 6-12 and Educational Leadership PK-12 with the Florida Department of Education. His area of concentration is government studies with an emphasis on student rights. Reginald has taught the subjects of Civics and Government, U.S. History, World History, and Financial Literacy.

The Honorable Charles T. Canady serves as a Florida Supreme Court Justice and was first appointed in 2008. In 2002, Justice Canady was appointed to the Florida Second District Court of Appeals by Governor Jeb Bush. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Canady served four terms in the United States House of Representatives where he was a member of the House Judiciary Committee, and for three terms, he was the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution. From 1984 to 1990, Mr. Canady served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives. Justice Canady has been selected three times by his colleagues on Florida’s highest court to serve as Chief Justice. He is a native of Lakeland, Florida, and he earned his law degree from Yale.

Dr. James Wallner is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Clemson University and a senior fellow at the R Street Institute in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the Clemson faculty, Dr. Wallner taught at American University and The Catholic University of America. He previously served as the Group Vice President for Research at The Heritage Foundation, and spent over a decade on Capitol Hill earlier in his career working in senior positions in both the House of Representatives and United States Senate. Dr. Wallner researches and writes about the theory and practice of democratic politics with a focus on the separation of powers, Congress, and the federal policy process. He earned a Ph.D. in Politics from The Catholic University of America.

Dr. Joseph Postell is Associate Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College, and he previously taught Politics at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. His research and teaching focus is on American political institutions, particularly Congress, political parties, and the administrative state. He is the author of Bureaucracy in America: The Administrative State’s Challenge to Constitutional Government (2017). Dr. Postell’s scholarly writings have appeared in a variety of academic journals and law reviews, including American Political Thought, the NYU Journal of Law and Liberty, and the Georgetown Review of Law and Public Policy. He is a frequent contributor to popular journals such as the Claremont Review of Books, Law and Liberty, and National Review. Dr. Postell earned a Ph.D. from the University of Dallas.

Dr. Abbylin Sellers in an Associate Professor in the Department of History and Political Science at Azusa Pacific University. Her areas of emphasis are American politics and public policy, specifically American government, the presidency, and welfare policy. Dr. Sellers received a prestigious Fulbright Award for the 2022-23 academic year, and is currently teaching at the Yokohama National University and Hosei University in Japan. She is teaching the Study of the United States, and her pedagogy focuses on American constitutional democracy and the American presidency, offering Japanese students a unique perspective on the American and Japanese governments. Dr. Sellers earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. James Todd is an Associate Professor of Politics at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Dr. Todd specializes in American governmental institutions, constitutional law, American politics, and political science research methods. His current research focuses on the Supreme Court's influence in American society, and he traces the evolution of Supreme Court power in America. Dr. Todd directs the Palm Beach Atlantic Mock Trial team, and he is the Academic Director of the LeMieux Center for Public Policy. He spent ten years practicing law, working in real estate law and as an in-house attorney in the oil and gas industry. Dr. Todd earned a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, and a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.

Senator George S. LeMieux served as Florida’s 34th United States Senator from 2009- 2011. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Gunster Law Firm and has been lead trial counsel in federal and state courts, in civil and regulatory matters, and before juries, judges and arbitrators for more than twenty years. Sen. LeMieux previously served as Florida’s deputy attorney general, as the governor’s chief of staff, and as co-chair for Governor-elect Ron DeSantis’ transition team. He is the founder of the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and he and Laura Mize are the authors of “Florida Made: The 25 Most Important Figures Who Shaped the State” and of the children’s history book, “Florida Heritage Kids: Adventures from Spanish Settlement to the Modern Era.” Sen. LeMieux earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Chris Sprowls is the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives for the 2020-2022 legislative term, and he has represented Florida’s 65th House District from 2014 to 2022. Speaker Sprowls served as the House Judiciary Committee Chair from 2016-2018, and as the House Rules Committee Chair from 2018-2020. He is a strong advocate for free-market economic policies and for policies that strengthen Florida families. Mr. Sprowls served as an Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, which serves Pasco and Pinellas counties. As a prosecutor, he tried dozens of jury trials, many involving serious felonies such as murder, kidnapping, and child molestation, and he worked to provide a voice for the community’s victims and to deliver justice. Speaker Sprowls earned his J.D. from Stetson University School of Law.

Judge Joseph Boatwright serves as a Putnam County Court Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, and he was elected to the bench in 2012. The Seventh Judicial Circuit encompasses the counties of Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia, and Judge Boatwright currently hears criminal and civil traffic cases at the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka, Florida. Judge Boatwright previously worked for the State Attorney’s Office in Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit, and he also spent time in private practice. Judge Boatwright earned a J.D. from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and a Master of Laws degree in taxation from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

Mr. Aldred was a classroom teacher at Wharton High School in Tampa, FL for the past 17 years. During that time, he taught World History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, and was the lead teacher for the law-related education program. He has experience teaching Advanced Placement classes and has served as an adjunct professor of law at Hillsborough Community College since 2009. He is also a former Teacher of the Year (2018) for Wharton High School and is a certified Master Trainer for Hillsborough County. Mr. Aldred received his B.A. from the University of Florida and his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Mr. Aldred is currently a Regional Civics Literacy Coach. His area includes K-12 schools in Hillsborough County.

Jaclyn Holimon has worked in Social Studies education for 17 years, beginning her career in Colorado teaching American History, Geography, and U.S. Government. She then taught 7th grade Civics in Lee County for 8 years. Civic education is one of her greatest passions, empowering students to become engaged citizens. Jaclyn became a leader in Lee County by collaborating with teachers across the district to create curriculum crosswalks and pacing guides. She was acknowledged for her dedication by receiving the 2019 Lee County Teacher of the Year for Law-Related education award. She was a 2020 Lee County Golden Apple Recipient and in 2021 she was the Lee County School District Teacher of the Year Finalist. Jaclyn earned her B.A. in social studies at University of Northern Colorado and is pursuing her M.A. in Curriculum Instruction & Technology at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Byron Lee currently serves as a Civics Literacy Coach with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). Prior to that, he taught 7th Grade Civics in Palm Beach County where he also functioned as Social Studies Department Chair, Grade level chair, and Athletic Director. Byron earned his B.A. from The University of Tampa and an M.S. from Barry University. Byron aims to advocate for teachers and students and empower them to develop and adopt a growth mindset so they can reach their full potential. He believes that instilling a growth mindset among teachers and students can help them both to take on and overcome challenges.

Travis McKellar has been a teacher for over twenty years. He attended the University of Southern Maine, graduating with a B.A. degree in history. Travis started teaching civics and U.S. History after moving to Fort Myers, Florida, from New England. While teaching civics, he won Lee County Teacher of Distinction twice in three years, was a semifinalist for Lee County Teacher of the Year and started his own debate club with the FCDI grant. Travis transitioned to being an FLDOE Civics Literacy Coach in March 2022. In his free time, Travis has authored a series of books. His goal is to increase civic literacy across the state and ensure all students and teachers are familiar with the civics benchmarks and standards.

Trent England is the founder and executive director of Save our States, a non-partisan national organization that defends the Electoral College and provides arguments against the National Popular Vote campaign. Mr. England previously served as executive vice president and was the David and Ann Brown Distinguished Fellow at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. He also served as Executive Vice President of the Olympia, Washington-based Freedom Foundation. In addition, he served as a legal policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation where he focused on criminal law, constitutional issues, and judicial nominations. Mr. England earned his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law.

Dr. Daniel Bennett is Associate Professor of Political Science and the Assistant Director of the Center for Faith and Flourishing at John Brown University. Dr. Bennett is an expert on the intersection of politics, law, and religion in the United States. He is the author of Defending Faith: The Politics of the Christian Conservative Legal Movement (2017). Dr. Bennett’s articles have appeared in national and regional media, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He enjoys teaching and working with students. His areas of interest include constitutional law, religion and politics, and American government and politics. Dr. Bennett earned his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University.

Cord Byrd was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis as Florida’s 37th Secretary of State in May 2022. Secretary Byrd previously represented Florida’s 11th District in the Florida House of Representatives being elected in 2016, 2018, and 2020. He has spent his life fighting to ensure the Constitution’s promise of individual liberty, economic freedom and limited government. Secretary Byrd has served his community, state and country by teaching at-risk youth at a public middle school, practicing law, speaking to civic groups about government and the Constitution, supporting veteran programs, and helping immigrants become citizens. Secretary Byrd earned his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law.

Dr. William B. Allen is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Allen has taught and served at a number of higher education institutions, including American University, Harvey Mudd College, James Madison College, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and Michigan State University. He has also served on a number of commissions and boards, such as the National Council on the Humanities, the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the Hoover Institution, and St. John’s College. Dr. Allen has published several books including George Washington: America’s First Progressive and Rethinking Uncle Tom: The Political Thought of Harriet Becher Stowe. Dr. Allen earned his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. Joshua Dunn is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Director of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Dunn’s research and teaching interests focus on public law, education policy, and political theory. He has published several books, including Complex Justice: The Case of Missouri v. Jenkins (2014), and From Schoolhouse to Courthouse: The Judiciary's Role in American Education (2010). Dr. Dunn taught previously at the College of William & Mary, and he was a fellow at the Miller Center of Public Affairs. Dr. Dunn earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Tonjua Williams is the President of St. Petersburg College. Dr. Williams began her tenure with St. Petersburg College in 1986 and has risen through ranks by excelling in a variety of academic and administrative roles culminating in her appointment as President in 2017. She has served in nearly every area of the college: from recruiter to adjunct faculty to provost. In 2016, Dr, Williams was awarded the prestigious Aspen Presidential Fellowship for College Excellence. She is also a graduate of Leadership Tampa Bay, Leadership St. Pete, the Chancellor’s Leadership Program, and the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Florida. Dr. Williams earned her Ph.D. from Barry University.

Dr. Mark Bauerlein is Professor Emeritus in English at Emory University and is a Senior Editor at First Things. Dr. Bauerlein is best known as the author of The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or Don’t Trust Anyone Under 30), in which he shows the connection between the notorious decline of young Americans in knowledge and inclination to read, and the emergence of a new form of adolescent culture closely related to digital technology. He served as the Director of the Office of Research and Analysis for National Endowment for the Arts from 2003-2005. Dr. Bauerlein advised the Florida Department of Education on its “Common Core-free” new B.E.S.T. K-12 English Language Arts standards. He publishes in popular periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Dr. Bauerlein earned his Ph.D. from UCLA.

Representative Michael Bileca served eight years in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010-2018. Rep. Bileca served as Chairman of the House Education Committee from 2016-2018 when he sponsored and helped pass major education reform laws. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Mr. Bileca to the Miami Dade College District Board of Trustees, and he currently serves as Board Chair. Mr. Bileca is the Executive Director of the Dennis Bileca Institute for Character and Excellence, a foundation that primarily funds schools focusing on virtue-based education with an emphasis on a classical liberal arts curriculum. Mr. Bileca is a successful healthcare entrepreneur, and he earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Dr. David Bobb is a nationally recognized leader in civic education, having worked for 25 years at the intersection of civics engagement and education reform. Dr. Bobb is the President of the Bill of Rights Institute, one of the nation’s leading providers of free education resources and professional learning programs for secondary school teachers of American civics and history. He has designed online educational programs used by more than half a million participants and that engages the hearts and minds of students. Dr. Bobb has written widely for national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, and Perspectives on Political Science. David Bobb earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston College.

Bill McCollum served as the 36th Attorney General of Florida from 2007-2011, where he positioned Florida as a national leader in the fight against child pornography and internet child predators. Prior to that, Mr. McCollum represented Florida’s 8th Congressional District in the House of Representatives from 1981-2001. Rep. McCollum held several leadership positions in Congress, including Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence, and Founder and Chairman of the House Task Force on Terrorism. Mr. McCollum served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1969-1972, and he retired from the Naval Reserves as a Commander in 1992, having served as an officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps for 23 years. Mr. McCollum earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.

Senator Bill Montford served in the Florida Senate from 2010 to 2020, representing parts of the Florida Panhandle around Tallahassee. Previously, he served on the Leon County Commission and as Leon County Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Montford’s public education career spans four decades fulfilling his desire to truly make a difference in young people’s lives. He began his career as a math teacher and went on to serve 26 years as a school administrator, including 18 years as a high school principal. Mr. Montford was a caring and compassionate principal who touched the lives of tens of thousands of students. Sen. Montford currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. He earned his M.S. from Florida State University.

Dr. Elizabeth Spalding is Vice Chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, the Founding Director of the Victims of Communism Museum, and a Senior Fellow at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. Dr. Spalding has taught a variety of subjects, including U.S. foreign policy, national security, international relations, presidential leadership, religion, and politics at Pepperdine University, Claremont McKenna College, George Mason University, and the Catholic University of America. She is the author of The First Cold Warrior: Harry Truman, Containment, and the Remaking of Liberal Internationalism (2006). Dr. Spalding earned a Ph.D. in international politics and political theory from the University of Virginia.

Jesika serves as the K-12 Regional Civics Literacy Coach for Flagler, Volusia, and Seminole Counties. Before transitioning to the Florida Department of Education in March 2022, Jesika spent eight years with the Volusia County School District; five as a 7th grade Civics teacher, and three as a Middle School Social Studies Intervention Specialist. In her role as Civics Literacy Coach, Jesika helped to create and later present Breakout #3, American Equality, at five locations during the Civics Literacy Excellence Initiative Summer 2022 Learning Series. Jesika’s priority is to advocate for Civic Literacy, Civil Discourse in the classroom, and empower K-12 educators in implementing the revised benchmarks.