Encouragement ... Inspiration ... Tools for Success!

Our convention speakers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to impart to Arizona's homeschool community. 
George Barna

Ken Ham

Friday Keynote Speaker 

Founder & CEO, Answers in Genesis
Friday morning Keynote Address (live via satellite):
Divided Nation: Culture in Chaos and a Conflicted Church
Ken Ham is the founder and CEO of Answers in Genesis and its two popular attractions: the acclaimed Creation Museum and the internationally known Ark Encounter, which features a life-size 510-foot-long Noah’s Ark. A sought-after Christian speaker and interview guest, in 2014 Ham attracted attention throughout America by debating Bill Nye, “The Science Guy.” Ham hosts the daily radio program Answers and has launched the new streaming service Answers TV. He’s also the founder of the award-winning Answers magazine. A prolific author of more than 30 books, Ham’s newest releases are Divided Nation (about today’s culture wars) and the devotional commentary Creation to Babel. Ken and his wife Mally have five children and eighteen grandchildren and reside in northern Kentucky.

Bryan Osborne from Answers in Genesis will be with us in person. See below for his workshop topics.

Connie Albers

Saturday Keynote Speaker

Connie Albers is a leading author, podcaster, and speaker dedicated to supporting parents and homeschoolers. With her book Parenting Beyond the Rules and podcast Equipped To Be, she provides positive parenting strategies for today's families. Featured on multiple media outlets, including Focus on the Family, FOX 35 Orlando, and The Busy Mom podcast, Connie is a trusted voice on balancing life's demands. Join her community and listen to the Equipped To Be podcast for advice, support, and inspiration. With 38 years of marriage and five adult children, Connie's expertise is rooted in truth and seasoned with her personal experience.
Saturday morning Keynote Address:
Parenting and Homeschooling Beyond the Rules

Connie Albers will also provide inspiration and heartfelt encouragement for homeschool moms at our Friday night special event. See below for program details and ticket information (coming soon).
Israel Wayne

Featured Speakers

Andrew Pudewa

Sonya Shafer
Andrew Pudewa is the founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. His seminars, presented around the world, address issues relating to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, practical experience, and humor.
Andrew's workshops: 
  • Cultivating Language Arts
  • Freedomship and Entrepreneurial Education
  • Teaching Boys and Teaching Girls 
  • Mastery Learning, Ability Development, and Individualized Education
  • The Three Best Things I Did as a Homeschool Dad
  • From Copywork to Composition

Hal & Melanie Young

Great Waters PressRaising Real Men
Beverly Parrish
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.
Hal & Melanie's workshops:
  • Gen Z:  Parenting in a Changed World
  • Middle School Madness
  • Struggling Learners in High School and College
  • What Gifted Kids Really Need
  • Relax Your Homeschool for Academic Success

Jeannie Fulbright

Beverly Parrish
Jeannie Fulbright has been writing curriculum, encouraging, and speaking into the lives of homeschoolers for more than twenty years. Her children, homeschooled with the Charlotte Mason model, all went to college on scholarship. Jeannie is the author of Apologia’s award-winning science series, several educational fiction books, as well as other Charlotte Mason-inspired curricula and books.
Jeannie's workshops:
  • A Charlotte Mason Education: Excellence Without Sacrifice
  • Five Steps to a Superior Science Education
  • Seven Essential Tools for Developing Self-Motivated Children
  • Cultivating a Christ Culture
  • How to Homeschool Multiple Children

S.D. Smith & J.C. Smith

Beverly Parrish
S.D. Smith is the author of The Green Ember series, a bestselling middle grade adventure saga. Smith's stories captivate readers across the globe who are hungry for "new stories with an old soul." Smith loves to speak to audiences about storytelling, imagination, and seeing yourself as a character in the story.

J.C. Smith is a seventeen-year-old author, musician, and screenwriter. Josiah is a student and ministry leader in Grandview, West Virginia, where he lives with his family. He is the co-author of Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key.
Sam's workshops:
  • Five Anchor Words for Every Kind of Writer
  • Every Parent's Three Simple Keys for Imagination
  • How to Coach Your Creative Child
Sam & J.C.'s workshop:
  • Storytelling and Your Legacy: S.D. and J.C. Smith, Father and Son Co-Authors Live Q&A

Tauna Meyer

Beverly Parrish
Tauna Meyer is the founder of ProverbialHomemaker.com and author of the curriculum Sound Words for Kids: Lessons in Theology. Tauna is a homeschooling mom of six who speaks to women with encouragement that is relatable and tools that work in real life! She and her husband, Aaron, serve as leaders with OCEANetwork, Oregon's Christian homeschool organization that works to protect and expand homeschool freedoms in their state.
Tauna's workshops:
  • Homeschool Success for the Type-B Homeschool Mom
  • Getting It All Done with Loop Scheduling
  • First Things First: Cultivating Bible Habits and a Gospel-Centered Home
  • Marriage Mistakes Homeschool Moms Make (and How to Avoid Them)
  • Loving the Preschool and Kindergarten Years

Bryan Osborne

Beverly Parrish
Bryan Osborne is passionate about reaching the lost with the gospel! As an expert in the use of exciting, apologetics-based evangelism and chronological Bible teaching, this former athlete connects with audiences through real-life stories and facts that confirm the truth of the Bible. He is a gifted communicator who speaks at conferences and in churches for Answers in Genesis, and his blog helps parents and ministry leaders to combat biblical illiteracy.
Bryan's workshops:
  • One Blood, One Race, One Savior
  • Quick Answers to Tough Questions
  • Combating Compromise with the 7 C’s of History

Colene Lewis

Beverly Parrish
Colene Lewis homeschooled her daughters through high school in a home where learning was a joy and a way of life. Alongside her husband, Tom, Colene served on the board of AFHE for over 13 years. She encourages homeschooling families with speaking, writing, and service.
Colene will also be speaking on Thursday at our You Can Homeschool! Mini-Conference (9:30 AM - 12:30 PM).
Colene's workshops:
  • Educational Styles and Curriculum
  • Homeschool Hints from Calvin and Hobbes
  • Homeschooling: Real Hard and Real Blessings
  • A Richer Read-Aloud

David & Shirley Quine

Beverly Parrish
David and Shirley Quine have been blessed by God, sharing 51 years of marriage, life, 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 which assists parents in the discipleship of their children.
David & Shirley's workshops:
  • Are They Ready?
  • Art & Music: Windows into Worldviews
  • Literature: Filling Our Children's Hearts, Souls, and Minds with Truth

Kathy Becker

LaNissir James
Kathy A. Becker is no stranger to home education. She and her husband entered the homeschool arena in the 80s at the beginning of the movement when many wondered if it was even legal.  She writes and speaks in her role as an educational consultant for Memoria Press, one of the major providers of homeschool curriculum.
Kathy's workshops:
  • The Importance of Poetry in Your Child's Life
  • Why Fairy Tales?

Dr. Jan Bedell

Dennis DiNoia
Dr. Jan Bedell began a journey in 1992 that transitioned her from desperate homeschool mom of a struggling learner into a Master NeuroDevelopmentalist. Jan found hope and help for her daughter through The NeuroDevelopmental Approach that ensures the brain is ready for learning.
Dr. Jan will also be speaking on Thursday at our Getting Started Homeschooling with Special Needs Mini-Conference (2:00-5:00 PM).
Dr. Jan's workshops:
  • ADD/ADHD Solutions
  • When Does Homeschooling Really Begin?
  • Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner
  • Riding the Reading Roller Coaster of Dyslexia
  • Create a Positive Learning Environment

Jean Burk

Jeannie Fulbright
Jean Burk is the author of the award-winning College Prep Genius program and is a frequent Fox News Contributor. Both her children were homeschooled and earned scholarships because of their standardized test scores. She has taught students how to ace these tests all over the USA and other countries.
Jean's workshops:
  • There's a New Test in Town: The CLT
  • Build an Amazing Homeschool Transcript
  • High School 101
  • Homeschooled Students Wanted: No Accreditation Necessary

Kathleen Cotter Clayton

Brook Wayne
Kathleen Cotter Clayton is the daughter of Dr. Joan A. Cotter, author and developer of the RightStart™ Mathematics program. Kathleen is involved with curriculum development and has written or co-authored 17 manuals. She teaches online middle-school classes, designs and creates mathematical quilts, loves to travel, and speaks across the US and Canada.
Kathleen's workshops:
  • Math: Does It Matter How You Teach?
  • Math Myths, Math Anxiety, and Math Learning Challenges

Kevin Conover, MA

Colene Lewis
Kevin Conover was handcuffed to an atheist to debate the existence of God for 24 hours by BuzzFeed on YouTube. When he's not handcuffed to atheists, he teaches Christians how to share and defend their faith. He provides resources to families, homeschool communities, and church groups to prepare their kids for a skeptical culture.
Kevin's workshops:
  • Stunning Historical Discoveries that Give Proof for the Bible
  • The Amazing Scientific Accuracy of the Bible

Bryan Davis

Heather Haupt
Bryan Davis is the author of several fantasy/adventure series for youth and adults, including his bestselling Dragons in our Midst series. He is also a veteran homeschooling dad, and he and his wife, Susie, are an author/editor team as they cook up fascinating, wholesome stories for the entire family. 
Bryan is presenting a two-session seminar in the Teen Program:
  • The Hero's Journey Tale: Seeking Truth through Storytelling

Darcy Day

Dr. Carlos Valiente
Darcy Day is a Spelling to Communicate practitioner and mom to Brady, age 20, who has Down syndrome and speech apraxia. Spelling to Communicate has allowed her son to convey his thoughts, ideas, dreams, and hopes. Darcy runs a practice in Phoenix and has witnessed many spellers with Ds who are showing full competence.
Darcy will also be speaking on Thursday at our Getting Started Homeschooling with Special Needs Mini-Conference (2:00-5:00 PM).
Darcy's workshop:
  • Teaching Communication through Spelling

Dennis DiNoia

Carol Gary
Dennis DiNoia, M.A.Ed has been immersed in education for over 30 years. He holds a M.A. in Education from the University of South Florida. To his online students across the entire United States, he is affectionately known as “Mr. D.” Mr. D has worked with students on five different continents! Attendees enjoy his inspiring hands-on presentations.
Dennis's workshops:
  • Student-Led Learning
  • Making Your Test Scores Soar!
  • The Ten Attitudes of an Entrepreneur

Kerin Groves

Linda Crosby
Kerin Groves is a career coach, consultant, educator, and researcher. Her clients include young adults, entrepreneurs, mid-life career changers, and restless wanderers. She enjoys helping young people become productive, independent adults and showing parent educators how to intentionally weave career exploration into K-12+ education and everyday home life.
Kerin's workshops:
  • Career Exploration for Students: A Parent's Roadmap
  • Failure to Launch: When Adulthood Doesn't Go as Planned

Aaron Gruben

Dr. Paul Beljan
J. Aaron Gruben is a Texas veterinarian, dad of six, and an author of varied genres whose books often highlight forgotten historical topics. By combining careful scholarship with imaginative storytelling, he hopes to make truth much more interesting than pure fiction. Post Tenebras Lux Books strives to improve lives and revitalize old truths through quality Christian stories and studies.
Aaron's workshops:
  • One Million Tales of Adventure for Boys and Girls: Making History Interesting
  • Viking Christianity
  • On Saturday afternoon, kids at the AFHE Convention will enjoy Aaron's extended interactive workshop "Authentic Medieval Code of Christian Servanthood" — don't miss this fun time with swords, songs, and stories!

Danni Gugel

Dr. Justin Gardner
Danni Gugel is the Senior Director at The Nectar Group. She works to support children and adults with traumatic brain injuries, learning challenges, or disabilities, and she loves being able to present workshops to different communities to enhance their resources and knowledge of how to improve cognitive function.
Danni's workshops:
  • Teaching Your Neurodiverse Mini-Me
  • Conquering Executive Function Woes

Heather Haupt

Nicole Ryberg
Heather Haupt is the homeschool mother of three knights-in-training and two lovely ladies. Heather inspires and equips families towards intentional parenting, pursuing god, and delighting in the adventure of learning. She is the author of Knights-in-Training: Raising Honorable, Courageous, and Compassionate Boys and Go Global: A Literature-Heavy, Movement-Rich Learning Adventure.
Heather will also be speaking on Thursday at our You Can Homeschool! Mini-Conference (9:30 AM - 12:30 PM).
Heather's workshop:
  • Conquering Your Fear of Educational Gaps

Antoinette LaGrossa

Antoinette LaGrossa
S.D. Smith
Antoinette LaGrossa is a veteran homeschool mom of five children. Having experienced her son's frustration with multiple math programs, she knows firsthand the struggle that can come with teaching math. She is passionate about helping home educators — sharing hands-on learning tips, encouragement, and her practical experience with five very different children (no cookie-cutter molds here!).
Antoinette's workshops:
  • Follow the Child: How Montessori Can Spark Your Child’s Motivation
  • The How to Guide for Hands-on Phonics, Handwriting, and Grammar (pre-K to early elementary)

Nancy Manos

Dr. Justin Gardner
Nancy Manos taught her two daughters from preschool through high school and found it to be a rich, rewarding, and sometimes challenging experience. Nancy is passionate about encouraging and equipping parents in the homeschool adventure. Nancy and her husband James served together on the AFHE Board of Directors for 13 years, and Nancy was the Executive Director for 3 ½ years.
Nancy's workshops:
  • Order Promotes Peace: Organization Ideas for Your Homeschool
  • Starting a Small Homeschool Co-op: Enrichment for the Learning Adventure

Karim Morato

Dr. Justin Gardner
Karim Morato has been teaching and serving the Hispanic community for over 25 years through educational advice, mentoring, and counseling. She currently serves in HSLDA's consulting department. Karim collaborates with English-speaking and Spanish-speaking leaders who are advancing the homeschooling movement. Originally from Guatemala, Karim emigrated to the United States in 1992.
Karim's workshops:
  • La Historia de Karim
  • TBA

Patrick Nurre

S.D. Smith
Patrick Nurre grew up in the beautiful state of Montana. As a second grader, he found his first big dinosaur bone in the alley behind his home. Today, Patrick is a popular speaker and teacher on geology and worldview. He conducts summer geology camps and field trips, including his Yellowstone Creation Adventure for families, and is the author of seventeen geology handbooks.
Patrick's workshops:
  • Let Your Kids Pick Up the Rocks
  • Genesis and the Ice Age
  • Yellowstone through the Lens of Scripture

Randy Osborn

Dr. Justin Gardner
Randy Osborn responded to Jesus as his Lord and Savior as a child. As he grew older, he learned to love God’s Word and His people. Randy graduated from Oklahoma State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has ministered in local churches since 1987. He has also taken ministry teams on short-term mission trips to Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Poland, Belarus, and east Asia.
Randy's workshops:
  • Randy will lead the Teen Program on Friday, taking the group through the otLIVE and ntLIVE interactive presentations from Walk Thru the Bible to learn the big story of the God's word in a new way
  • Saturday morning featured workshop for parents:
    Scripture Engagement: The Most Predictive Indicator of Spiritual Growth

Mike Schutt

S.D. Smith
Mike Schutt is the executive director of Worldview Academy, and has been a Worldview faculty member since 2002. At Trinity Law School he served as Director of the Institute for Christian Legal Studies, and  he also taught on the faculty of Regent Law School for 20 years. Mike’s book, Redeeming Law: Christian Calling and the Legal Profession is an exhortation on Christian integrity in the law.
Mike's workshops:
  • Confusing Times, Confused Neighbors
  • In the Teen Program on Saturday afternoon, Mike will present sessions on "Truth" and "Success."

Larry Schweikart

Dr. Justin Gardner
Larry Schweikart, a native Arizonan, graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Political Science and an MA in history, then earned a Ph.D. from University of California, Santa Barbara. He taught in classrooms from 7th grade through college, and is the co-author of the New York Times #1 bestseller A Patriot’s History of the United States, the bestselling homeschool history textbook in America.
Larry's workshop:
  • Teaching the Pillars of American Exceptionalism

Pam Spinker

S.D. Smith
Pam Spinker loves Jesus and is a wife and homeschooling mom of six. Not long into her homeschooling journey, she realized that she was no longer able to answer the question “what are you good at?” After journeying to rediscover her Kingdom purpose, she heard the Holy Spirit’s calling to guide other moms on their own journey of remembering Whose they are and who they are created to be.
Pam's workshops:
  • How to Homeschool: Practical Steps for Getting Started
  • His Girl: Made in God's Image to Do Great Things

Nicole Thomas

Sheri Orr
Nicole Thomas created Nicole the Math Lady to respond to what many homeschool parents consider a major obstacle: teaching math. Nicole the Math Lady now serves tens of thousands of students each day. Nicole Thomas holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Economics and Psychology from Stanford University and resides in Orlando, Florida with her family.
Nicole's workshops:
  • Sticky Math: Six Strategies to Make Math Come Alive
  • Curriculum Speed Dating: How to Find Your Math Match

DAILY SCHEDULES

Lenspiration
Lenspiration

Download the workshop schedule, handouts,
and complete workshop descriptions here.

Join with your fellow homeschool moms (grandmoms are welcome, too!) for this special night of encouragement with Connie Albers!

Connie Albers is a leading author, podcaster, and speaker dedicated to supporting parents and homeschoolers. With her book Parenting Beyond the Rules and podcast "Equipped To Be," she provides positive parenting strategies for today's families and helps Christian women discover and develop their gifts, strengths, and talents to navigate all seasons of life. Featured on multiple media outlets, Connie is a trusted voice on balancing life's demands.
This will be an intimate, interactive evening of warm fellowship, heartfelt encouragement, and fun. We will RETREAT by stepping out of the swiftly moving current of our busy lives for a couple of hours, and RECHARGE as we listen, ponder, and fellowship together.

Friday, July 14 | 6:30-8:30 PM | Room 162-163
Cost is $19 per person
Dessert and beverages provided

Tickets may be added to your online registration (available to AFHE members), or purchased onsite (space available). Only 140 tickets will be sold!

Recordings

RESOUNDING VOICE - WORKSHOP RECORDINGS
ONSITE CONVENTION SPECIAL:  (price TBA) FULL SET MP3
Enjoy the AFHE Convention all year long! Purchase a full-set MP3 of the workshop recordings on-site July 14-15 (price TBA).

THREE DAY POST-CONVENTION SPECIAL ONLINE
Sunday, July 16 – Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Purchase the full-set MP3 recordings at this special price (TBA)
store.resoundingvoice.com 

Note: Workshops taught by a few speakers will be available for purchase
on-site only. A list will be published prior to Convention. All others can be purchased following the Convention on the Resounding Voice website.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOPS:  The full-set MP3 recording includes exhibitor workshops from those vendors who have granted permission. This includes many, but not all of the exhibitor workshops. Also available for individual purchase on-site and following.

Speaker Inquiries

Speaking at the AFHE Convention is by invitation. We seek to engage speakers whose content and message fit AFHE’s philosophy, vision, and mission, and do not conflict with the AFHE Board of Directors’ biblical worldview.

As part of our careful speaker selection process, we will review speaker packets that are sent to us. Speaker packets are reviewed in August/ September for the following year’s AFHE Convention and selections are finalized before the end of the year. If we are interested in having you speak, we would contact you most likely in October or November.

Speaker packets should include biographical information, workshop titles and descriptions, and a recording or two of the speaker teaching for our review. Due to the high number of inquiries we receive, we are only able to follow up with those whom we invite to speak.

AFHE Convention
Attn: Speaker Coordinator
P.O. Box 2035
Chandler, AZ 85244
Email: speakercare@afhe.org