PARENTING & HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE

Since 1984, CHEA has been hosting an annual homeschool event that features workshops for homeschoolers at all stages, an exhibit hall with curriculum, resources, and services, children's and teen conventions, high school graduation, and much more. Join other homeschool families from across the state as you are encouraged and equipped for the school year ahead. This is an event you don't want to miss!

Conference Registration

Speakers

We are excited for all the workshop speakers who will be joining us this year. They bring experience from a variety of backgrounds, and we are eager for you to hear what they have to share with us in May.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Kristi Clover

Kristi Clover is a home organization and #momlife expert. She’s also the author of M.O.M. = Master Organizer of Mayhem and Homeschool Basics, the host of the Simply Joyful Podcast, and a popular conference speaker. Her passion is to help Christian women find sanity and joy in the throes of mom life. She loves to share about her adventures in motherhood and home life through a variety of media that you can find at KristiClover.com. Kristi lives in San Diego with her husband, Steve, and their five children.

Be sure to connect with Kristi online for an extra dose of encouragement. She’s @KristiClover on most social media networks.

Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig (with his wife Megan) is a host of the internationally-attended Homeschool Summits and has spoken at homeschool conferences around the country. Daniel wrote Kickstart as a plan for homeschooled students to think through life calling and launch successfully into adulthood. His passion is to encourage homeschool parents and young people to love and embrace Biblical discipleship. Daniel is a homeschool dad of four children.

LaNissir James

A homeschooling mom and leader, LaNissir has a passion to serve the home-educating community. She provides social, spiritual, academic, and supervisory support for families in local groups and encourages and, as an HSLDA high school consultant, equips homeschool graduates to transition into colleges, careers, and vocational schools.

LaNissir is wife to Lorenzo. Together they have seven homeschooled children (five girls and two boys) with ages ranging from elementary to young adult. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, photography, and kayaking.

Sean McDowell

Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Sean is also the co-host for the Think Biblically podcast and author, co-author, or editor of over twenty books. He still teaches one high school Bible class, which helps give him insight into the prevailing culture so he can impart his observations to fellow educators, pastors, and parents alike.

See www.seanmcdowell.org for Sean’s blog, articles, videos, and many other resources.

Durenda Wilson

With more than thirty years of home education experience, Durenda Wilson is a trusted voice and resource at homeschooling conventions and on The Durenda Wilson Podcast.

Durenda and her husband, Darryl, have been married for 34 years. They have eight kids (seven graduated so far) and ten grandchildren. As an author, speaker, and podcaster, her greatest joy is reminding parents how doable and effective homeschooling is and that they are qualified for the job! Her books include The Four Hour School Day, The Unhurried Homeschooler, Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart, and Raising Boys to Men.

Hal & Melanie Young

Hal & Melanie Young are the award-winning, best-selling authors of Raising Real Men, No Longer Little, and Love, Honor, and Virtue and the hosts of the Making Biblical Family Life Practical podcast. They are publishers, writers, bloggers, and popular conference speakers internationally, known for their Christ-centered focus and practical, real-life stories. They are the parents of six real boys (all grown!) and two real girls and live in noisy, messy happiness in North Carolina.

WORKSHOP SPEAKERS

Deahdra-Lynn Atencio

Deahdra-Lynn Atencio is a wife, mom, author, and has been home educating for years. She and her husband pulled their oldest out of school after fourth grade and the rest, they say, is history. Deahdra-Lynn is passionate about helping families at all stages. She has a degree in Sign Language Studies and worked briefly at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. She has taught natural childbirth classes, written a unique parenting book, and is active in the family ministries at her church.

Greg Baran

Greg Baran feels blessed every day by his wonderful wife, Heather, and amazing son, Nate. When teaching college and secondary English studies, it was apparent to Greg from day one that most students struggeld with writing. Due to his background in English Composition, he knew this problem was correctable, and it became his mission to help students write clearly and effectively. That work started The Baran Method, and today, it drives Greg to help every child become a successful writer.

Carol Kerney

Carol Kerney’s mom was a storyteller. From a young age, she loved a good story. Then in middle school she began to hang out in the library after school. Staring at those long rows of books, each with a treasure inside, told her she wanted to write novels when she grew up. After teaching, motherhood, grandmotherhood, and retirement, she jumped feet-first into writing novels, authoring 26 books in just six years.

Davy Liu

Davy Liu identifies himself as a Chinese Forest Gump. He struggled with making straight A’s but later found his life calling in making straight lines. His artistic talent quickly led him to work for Walt Disney on classic films such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, and the Star Wars franchise. Davy is the founder of Kendu Kids. He is an innovative creator who brings stories of faith and hope to the world.

John McGowan

John is an attorney with a litigation practice in Los Angeles and is also an allied attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, the world’s largest legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom and parental rights. He and his wife, Juleene, are homeschooling their two boys, ages 15 and 16. John is especially passionate about CHEA’s mission to protect the God-given right of parents to direct the education and training of their children, as he serves as Vice President of CHEA’s Board of Directors.

Betsy Pierce

Betsy is a second-generation homeschooling mom of eight children, ages 2 to 17, and considers herself blessed beyond measure to raise them. She and her husband Nathan met while at The Master’s University and moved to Placer County in 2004 when Nathan began his work at Family Protection Ministries, now a calling for the whole family. She has served the homeschooling community for many years at various levels and is looking forward to the first family graduation in 2024!

Nathan Pierce

Nathan began working at Family Protection Ministries (FPM) in 2002 to protect private homeschooling in California. He was homeschooled himself from kindergarten through high school and received a B.A. in Political Studies from The Master’s University. Currently he serves as Executive Director and Legislative Liaison for FPM and on the CHEA Board of Directors. He works behind the scenes at the State Capitol, meeting with legislators to advocate on behalf of homeschoolers. He and his wife Betsy homeschool their own eight children.

David & Shirley Quine

God has been faithful to David and Shirley for 52 years of married life. He has given them a shared life, passion, and ministry. Their passion is to equip the next generation to “stand firm” in Christ in the 21st century. Together, they created Cornerstone Curriculum, a homeschool curriculum that assists parents in the discipleship of their children. David has a Masters degree in curriculum and instruction design, and Shirley is an early childhood education specialist. The Lord has given David and Shirley the reward of nine wonderful children and sixteen grandchildren.

Gretchen Roe

Gretchen Roe has 21 years of home education experience with her six children, all of whom have now graduated. With a degree in psychology and child development, she has spent the last 27 years in positions of homeschool advocacy, developing special bonds with families of children who work harder to learn. With Demme Learning since 2014, she served first as a Special Needs Placement Specialist, now as the company’s Community Outreach Coordinator.

Penny Ross

Penny Ross taught her own three children at home from birth through high school graduation. She led a PSP at her church and now runs Tools for the Home Educator, an independent consulting business. She offers encouragement, support, and training through consultations, coaching, webinars, and workshops. Her specialty is in helping families clarify their homeschooling goals and then assisting them in mapping a pathway to success. Penny is married to her college sweetheart, Greg, and together they delight in seven grandchildren.

Caleb Schroeder

Caleb Schroeder is a California pastor, homeschool graduate, and speaker who holds two Master’s degrees in Math Education and Biblical Studies. He was a public educator for 18 years before becoming a Senior Pastor. As an educator, homeschool graduate, and homeschool dad of six, he has a passion for home education and discipleship. He has been a convention keynote and popular homeschool practicum speaker. He was also a cast member in the documentary, Schoolhouse Rocked: The Homeschool Revolution.

Leah Schroeder

Leah Schroeder is a product of a homeschool education. She went on to receive a degree in Liberal Studies-Teacher Education from The Master’s University. She has been married to Caleb for 21 years, and they have six children, one of whom is a homeschool graduate. She and her husband serve at Faith Community Church of Palmdale, where they met. She loves encouraging mothers to endure through the challenges and delights of homeschooling, to the glory of God!

Mike Schutt

Mike Schutt is the Executive Director of Worldview Academy. He has served students as a faculty member since 2002. He was a professor at Trinity Law School and Director of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, where he directed CLS’ Law School Ministries. He also taught on the faculty of Regent Law School for 20 years. Before entering academia, Mike practiced law in Fort Worth, Texas. He is an honors graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.

Vicki Stormoen

Vicki Stormoen has been privately homeschooling since 1994. She and her husband, Ron, have nine children, seven of whom have graduated from Heritage Christian School, a Southern California PSP. She is still homeschooling her remaining two children through HCS, where she currently serves as the Principal. Vicki also teaches homeschool literature and writing classes and is a former Classical Conversations tutor. She is passionate about the vision of private Christian homeschooling as a means to raise a godly generation for the glory of God.

Christa Svoboda

Christa always dreamed of having many children who she would school at home. Now she has six, aged 1 to 14 years. A second-generation homeschooler, Christa received her master’s in elementary education and loved being a classroom teacher before beginning life with a new mission of motherhood. She recently hosted a podcast, Seek Wholly Living, where she had conversations with other expert moms who choose to pursue motherhood with hope, joy, and purpose!

Julie Walker

Julie Walker was a schoolteacher and homeschool leader for many years. She and her husband home educated their three sons. After their youngest son graduated, she returned to school, completing her MBA at Biola University. In 2007 Julie began working with IEW, where she has produced, directed, and helped to write many IEW video-based programs, including the Structure and Style® for Students video courses. She currently hosts the Arts of Language podcast with Andrew Pudewa.

Roger Wheelock

Roger Wheelock is President of Greater Than I Ministries, a non-profit established to provide creative biblical worldview teaching materials. Roger is an ordained pastor, worship leader, and songwriter with over 30 years of experience in Christian leadership. His passion is to help light a fire in Christians to lead our culture by applying the brilliance of the Word of God in every vocation and location of life; to know what we believe and to make a difference in this decaying world around us!