As a popular author and speaker, Heidi St. John has been speaking on marriage, family and cultural issues for over 15 years. Her passion to encourage moms and set them free to boldly become who God has created them to be will challenge encourage you. Heidi has been married to her college sweetheart since 1989, and their family now includes seven children and three grandchildren!  Jay and Heidi reside just outside of beautiful Vancouver, Washington, where they have homeschooled some of their kids all the way through high school and are still finishing up with a few at home. Heidi is the author of seven books.  Her most recent book, Bible Promises for Moms is the latest in the MomStrong collection. She has also recently released Prayers for the Battlefield: Staying MomStrong in the Fight for Your Family and Your Faith and Becoming MomStrong: How to Fight With All That’s In You For Your Family and Your Faith, which focuses on helping mothers build a solid biblical foundation for their families.  Join Heidi at MomStrong International, an online ministry where thousands of women come together for weekly Bible Studies, Scripture Writing, online and in real life fellowship.

Nancy Bjorkman
Pre-Track:
Homeschool 101

After years of being a homeschool skeptic, Nancy began homeschooling her four children in 1992. Now, after over 30 years, she has become known as the Homeschool Mom Whisperer for many and a champion of the cause. She has spoken at homeschool conferences in over 10 states where she is known for her enthusiasm, energy, and encouragement. She finds joy in empowering parents to join the journey of homeschooling. Though she stays busy as a bookstore owner, mentor, and speaker, her favorite times are spent with her growing family (grandkids – yeah!). She and her husband own HEPPNER’S LEGACY, a homeschool store in Elk River, MN, where they delight in ministering to the unique needs of families year-round, and where parents say, “Come for the books. Stay for the Therapy.™”
legacyhomeschool.com

Kristin Lackie
Pre-Track: Homeschool
through Highschool

Kristin Lackie is a homeschool parent and educator. She and her husband live
in Minnesota and are currently homeschooling their four children who span the
middle and high school years. With an in-the-trenches perspective, Kristin brings
humor and reality to what can sometimes feel like a daunting task –
homeschooling all the way to graduation day. Committed to saving both money
and time, Kristin presents practical but often overlooked strategies to graduate
college debt-free through credit-by-exam options and dual enrollment utilizing
every available opportunity to maximize the middle and high school experience
while casting a vision for college and beyond. By helping families evaluate
academic goals and career direction, Kristin is committed to educating and
equipping both students and families to build a strong spiritual and scholastic foundation from which students
can launch positioned to act on the Lord’s call. You can find more information at CreditsBeforeCollege.com.

Jamie Erickson
Conference Speaker
Fellow Northlander

Jamie Erickson holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Public Speaking/Oral Interpretation from Pensacola Christian College. After teaching for several years in both the early childhood and elementary levels, she, along with her formerly homeschooled husband, Dain, brought the learning home in 2006. When she’s not curating memories, hoarding vintage books, or playing ringmaster to a circus of her own making, Jamie can be found encouraging and equipping a growing tribe of mothers all across the globe on the Mom to Mom Podcast, through her blog The Unlikely Homeschool, at national conferences, and in her book Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child With Confidence.  theunlikelyhomeschool.com

James R. Mason, Esq.
Live Zoom Conversation
President, HSLDA

Jim has represented homeschooling families in a wide range of challenging situations since 2001 and has set precedents that have expanded freedom for the homeschool community. Under Jim’s leadership, HSLDA’s 4th Amendment litigation work has changed the way three states (NC, PA, and NM) approach social services investigations. In Wilson v Russo, HSLDA won a $700,000 settlement for our client, a single parent whose children were wrongfully seized by a rogue child protective services investigator.
Jim was instrumental in litigating the 2008 California case Jonathan L., in which a state appellate court reversed its previous ruling that homeschooling was illegal. This put an end to years of controversy over the legal status of homeschooling in California and set a precedent that affects other states as well.
Jim became the president of HSLDA in 2022 after serving as vice president of litigation and development for seven years. Jim also serves as the president of HSLDA Action and board chairman of ParentalRights.org and ParentalRightsFoundation.org.
HSLDA.org