Capitol Day is fast approaching! We here at FPM would like to share some exciting news about the speakers for Capitol Day. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain wisdom from these prominent figures in the homeschooling community. These speakers come from a wide range of backgrounds, and their goal at Capitol Day is to prepare participants on how to be active and influential delegates in their local and state government. Don’t miss out on learning from these influential advocates!
We are so grateful for these individuals taking the time out of their day to come speak at Capitol Day!
Our Speakers!
Brian W. Jones is a public servant and State Senator in California, currently representing the state’s38th Senate District. He has a background in business and has held various roles including working as a general manager at a pizza franchise, car salesman, associate pastor, and commercial real estate agent. He is married and has three adult children. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as mountain biking, adventure motorcycling, hunting, and fishing. Jones has a strong commitment to improving his community and has served as a Santee City Council member and a state assembly member representing California’s 77th and 71st Assembly Districts. In the state Assembly, he focused on supporting small businesses and members of the Armed Forces and veterans. Jones has also served on various committees and caucuses in the state Senate, including the Senate Outdoor Sporting Caucus, the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee. The 38th Senate District encompasses a large portion of San Diego County.
Nathan Pierce began working at Family Protection Ministries (FPM) in 2002 to protect homeschooling in California. He was homeschooled himself from kindergarten through high school and received a B.A. in Political Studies from the Master’s College. Currently, he serves as FPM’s Executive Director, Legislative Liaison, and conference speaker to homeschool leaders, parents, and teens. He works behind the scenes at the State Capitol, meeting with legislators to advocate on behalf of homeschoolers. In 2018, Nathan received the Christopher J. Klicka Award for legislative work protecting homeschool freedoms. He and his wife Betsy were married in 2004 and have eight children. They are involved in their church, and homeschool their own children.
John McGowan is an attorney with his own litigation practice in Los Angeles and is also an allied attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, a leading national legal organization advocating for the right of people to freely live out their faith. He and his wife, Juleene, have two boys who have been schooled in the home since birth. 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.
A fourth generation San Francisco Bay Area native, in 2021 Brian Eschen moved from his hometown in the East Bay Area to the Central Valley in order to help run the Institute for Principle Studies. His deep roots in California and love for his home state gave him an instant connection with Mike Winther and the message of liberty promoted by IPS, which started when he attended the inaugural Biblical Principles of Government course. Currently Brian also runs a family-owned real estate investment company with his twin brother Jeff. His love for education led him to volunteer his time teaching local homeschool students in an outreach ministry his brother and he started. Since 1999, Brian has been happily married to his beautiful bride Teresa. They were thankful for the opportunity to homeschool their three children, Brianna, Josiah, and Risa – all now graduated.
Frank Erb serves as Missionary Pastor to the California State Capitol in Sacramento. He has served in this way full-time since 2008, providing pastoral outreach, in-depth expository Bible-teaching, biblical discipleship, and pastoral counseling and guidance for State Senators, Assembly Members, Statewide Leaders, Constitutional Officers, Department Heads, Legislative Staff, Lobbyists, Sergeants-at-Arms, Security staff, and others. Beyond the Capitol, Frank speaks and teaches in churches and to other groups, and provides Biblical coaching for leaders of all kinds. Frank reaches out to all leaders, regardless of their political party or perspective, realizing that what all people need most is the inner transformation and spiritual maturity that can only come through the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. When elected officials’ hearts and minds are changed, God is glorified, they are blessed, and God’s word guides them in making wiser decisions.
You can learn more about Frank and his ministry, sign up to receive monthly email updates, or partner with him at FrankErb.org, or on Facebook as @FrankErbPastorToTheCaliforniaStateCapitol
As the Deputy Director of Generation Joshua, Jeremiah Lorrig travels America teaching youth the principles and practice of conservative politics and working on political campaigns. These pursuits have been his passion and calling for over a decade. Jeremiah has worked with Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Arlington Group, HSLDA, and over one hundred political campaigns. For the last decade, he has coordinated Generation Joshua’s campaign deployments, involving thousands of volunteers in scores of competitive races nationwide. He has also administered three political action committees. In 2011 and 2012, he represented the Young Republican National Federation in the International Young Democrat Union, a pro-democracy alliance for greater freedom and small government as a delegate to the London and Sydney meetings. He also leads historic and cultural tours of Europe teaching about the roots of American liberty.
Drew Olender began with Family Protection Ministries in 2020 as a research assistant monitoring and analyzing executive orders, emergency regulations and mandates. He currently works at FPM as a legislative assistant and media editor. He is a current college student, after receiving both homeschool and public education. He is currently attending the University of Nevada, Reno, and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
We are so thankful for these speakers and their tireless work on securing our homeschooling freedoms.