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Speakers
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Congressman Andy Barr
Congressman Barr has served as the U.S. Congressman for Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District since 2013. He is a senior or ranking member of numerous committees, including the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In 2021, he unveiled the Housing Promotes Livelihood and Ultimate Success (Housing PLUS) Act in an effort to end the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) exclusive reliance on the Housing First methodology. Many in Washington believe this reform legislation has the highest chance of passing in a divided Congress.
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Steve Buri
Steve Buri was appointed president of Discovery Institute at the end of 2011. The non-profit, non-partisan organization focuses on research, education, action, and cultural renewal, bringing together a global network of scholars, scientists, and policy experts. Previously, he served in various government capacities at the local, state, and federal levels, including senior positions in senate offices, campaigns, international bi-partisan political delegations, as well as city council, and mayoral roles in Washington state. He also co-founded Stewardship Partners and served as executive director there for several years.
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Tom De Vries
Tom De Vries, President/CEO of Citygate Network, has served as a church planter, multi-site church lead pastor, and church multiplication movement leader. Most recently, Tom filled the president/CEO role at the Global Leadership Network (GLN), an international ministry producing training and equipping through the Global Leadership Summit. Prior to the GLN, Tom was the general secretary of the Reformed Church in America. He holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Western Seminary, a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Seminary, and a B.A. from Wheaton College. Tom has a track record of innovation, strategic planning, and leading high-performance teams for increasing ministry impact.
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Barbara Duffield
Beginning her career as a tutor for children experiencing homelessness, Barbara Duffield moved into director roles where she collaborated with service providers, educators, federal agencies, and Congressional offices to address children’s issues. Now the Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection, she has led national efforts to strengthen federal protections and services for children and youth experiencing homelessness and helped establish scholarship programs for higher education. Barbara has also conducted trainings, authored policy reports, interacted with the media, and served on numerous commissions and advisory groups, including Sesame Street Workshop’s Trauma Initiative and the National Commission on Children and Disasters education group.
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Congressman Doug Lamborn
Congressman Lamborn earned a law degree from the University of Kansas before serving in the Colorado General Assembly from 1995 to 2006, in both the state House and Senate. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, the congressman has represented Colorado’s fifth district, providing strong leadership on pro-family and small business issues. He serves as a high-ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee, and is a ranking member of the Readiness Subcommittee, and the Strategic Forces subcommittee.
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Dr. Robert Marbut Jr.
Dr. Robert Marbut Jr. currently works at the Discovery Institute as a senior fellow. He has served as a consultant for homelessness service providers. His wealth of knowledge comes from his experience founding Haven for Hope in San Antonio and serving as the executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) to coordinate with 19 federal departments and agencies to address homelessness around the country.
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Steve McFarland
Steve McFarland practiced employment, commercial, and religious liberty litigation in Seattle, and has directed the religious liberty and pro-life advocacy of Christian Legal Society both in the late 90s and currently. He served as the first executive director of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and worked on prison reform at Prison Fellowship International, as well as in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, and the U.S. Department of Justice. Steve also worked as the Chief Legal Officer at World Vision/USA for almost 15 years.
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Aaron Mercer
Aaron Mercer serves as senior strategist for the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). A seasoned public policy professional, Adam has more than two decades of experience in church and ministry communications, as well as familiarity with the government and associations. After graduating from Cedarville, Aaron became a friend of ECFA and many of its members while working in Washington, D.C. for a senator, the National Association of Evangelicals, and National Religious Broadcasters. He and his family live and worship in Rochester, New York.
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Sabah Muhammad
As senior legislative and policy counsel for Treatment Advocacy Center, Sabah provides legal counsel and robust advocacy for the improvement and reform of state and federal laws and systems of care to positively affect those with severe mental illness (SMI). Previously, she served as a public defender, promoting college and career readiness with The Scholarship Academy and advancing community servant leadership through AmeriCorps Atlanta.?Sabah has earned both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor degree.
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Jeff Olivet
Jeff serves as the Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and has worked to prevent and end homelessness for more than 25 years. Throughout his career, he has worked extensively in the areas of homelessness and housing, health and behavioral health, HIV, education, and organizational development. Deeply committed to social justice, racial equity, gender equality, and inclusion for all, he has a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and a master's degree from Boston College.
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Brian Walsh
Brian spends much of his time as a Washington, D.C.-based attorney while also serving as the Executive Director of Faith & Giving, a multi-religious, multi-denominational initiative working to protect and promote faith-based and other charitable giving. With decades of notable experience in fundraising and marketing, Brian advocates for faith-based nonprofits, with special attention on securing tax-free charitable deduction legislation, as well as child and earned-income tax credit legislation.
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