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!
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.
A first generation homeschool graduate, the President and CEO of Unbound, and homeschool dad of seven, Jonathan has spoken for over a decade to parents, students, and groups across the country about effectively preparing young adults for life, the excitement and adventure of raising a family, maximizing higher education options, and how to be extraordinary at ordinary things. With a fresh, enthusiastic speaking approach, he consistently provides new perspective, practical advice, and honest hope to audiences of varied ages and backgrounds. Jonathan worked for nine years as a Director of Admissions for a private liberal arts college and has since worked in non-traditional higher education for over a decade. Jonathan and his family make their home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
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.
Amber O’Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and Charlotte Mason homeschooling mama who blends lifegiving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she’s known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog. Amber is also the author of Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture and A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to raise kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.
Renton speaks on biblical worldview and apologetics across the country. He has taught at both secular and Christian colleges and universities for over two decades. He and his wife homeschooled their oldest son, and are now homeschooling their two littles. Renton has spoken for many homeschool venues across the nation, as well as several podcasts from all over the nation, such as the Steve Noble Show, Schoolhouse Rocked, Parenting with Ginger Hubbard, the Heidi St. John Podcast, the Zan Tyler Podcast, and others. He holds five postgraduate degrees, including a PhD in apologetics from Westminster Theological Seminary. Renton is presently the director of the Center for Biblical Worldview in Greenville, SC.
Rachel Zwayne was born and raised in New Zealand. At the age of 14, her father’s ministry (Ray Comfort / Living Waters) relocated to Southern California, where she eventually met her husband and became the mother of five children. Rachel finds great delight in encouraging other women in their role as mothers, wives, and homeschoolers. She has done this in her capacity as a leader and teacher of multiple women’s groups, and as a conference and retreat speaker. Rachel has been married to Emeal (“E.Z.”) for 29 years. They live in Southern California and are enjoying being grandparents now. Rachel also has an online ministry called Joyful Mothers where she seeks to encourage mothers and wives in loving and serving their families.
Pastor Jack Hibbs is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. His teachings are heard on many international radio stations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and the Hawaiian Islands. He is a sought-after conference speaker and serves on several national executive boards, including the Family Research Council in Washington D.C., a nationwide advocacy group defending America's faith, family, and freedom. Pastor Jack and his wife, Lisa, have been married for over forty years and authored the book Turn Around At Home – Giving A Stronger Spiritual Legacy Than You Received.
Pastor Art Reyes is the Senior Pastor at Calvary Chapel Downey. He has a passion for the exposition of God's Word and a desire to see lives transformed because of it. He strongly believes that home education is an excellent way to train up the next generation. He serves the Lord joined by his wife, Briana, and their three children whom they currently homeschool, Caleb, Micah, and Moriah.
Carrie De Francisco is a wife and "retired" homeschooling mom of two homeschool graduates. She is the host of the popular podcast, Coffee With Carrie Homeschool Help, speaker, and author of several books including, Just Breathe (and Take a Sip of Coffee): Homeschool in Step with God. Through her consulting services, books, blog, and podcast, she helps moms simplify their homeschooling one step at a time, one day at a time, and one cup of coffee at a time.
Jodi Di Paola is a homeschool mom of four. She began her homeschooling career because she has a passion for letting kids just be kids, exploring their interests and passions through natural discovery and free from unnecessary burdens. Her interests include boating, hiking, exploring nature, entertaining at home, and spending time at the ranch with her family and their horses. She is also an avid fan of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and agrees with Bilbo Baggins that, “It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”
Dr. Lisa Dunne is a dynamic author, speaker, lifelong homeschooler, and the founder of Chula Vista Christian University, a mentor-driven, faith-based, debt-free model of higher education designed to counteract America's highly dysfunctional government school system. Dr. Lisa is passionate about the transformative power of education, the primacy of the local church, and the stable family as the cornerstone of healthy culture. As an expert in Gen Z educational methodology and psychosocial development, she helps pastors and parents partner together to launch church-based academic support centers. Learn more about her books, blogs, coaching, and resources at CVCU.us.
Dr. Julie Goodman-Bowling serves as Professor of Anthropology at California Baptist University, is an author, and passionate speaker. For nearly 17 years, Dr. Goodman-Bowling has inspired, instructed and mentored students in the areas of culture, culture change, and identity formation from an anthropological and distinctly Biblical perspective. As a wife and homeschooling mama of three amazing little ones, Dr. Goodman-Bowling encompasses family, ministry, and work – engaging life in layers.
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 is a second-generation homeschooling mom of eight children, ages 3 to 18, 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. Betsy has served the homeschooling community for years at various levels, graduated her oldest child, and loves to encourage and be encouraged by other moms as we all walk the road of education and discipleship through homeschooling.
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.
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.
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 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 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!
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.
With experience in both teaching and teacher development, John Paul has taught a wide range of subjects across both the Humanities and STEM. He also brings over a decade of experience in coaching youth sports. JP holds a B.A. in Classical Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College and an M.A. in Humanities and Classical Education from the University of Dallas and now works with Classic Learning Test, helping parents determine what and when constitutes meaningful assessments for their children. JP and his wife homeschool their six kids (three school-aged) in Santa Paula.
After graduating college, Brian Villanueva spent 10 years as a software engineer before starting a family. He and his wife have homeschooled their 3 daughters from day 1: the oldest is in college and the other 2 are close. Brian now teaches civics, philosophy, and robotics at their Christian homeschool co-op and uses his IT background to help other families navigate technology effectively and safely. He and his wife just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
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 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!
