Jorge Elorza is Chief Executive Officer of Democrats for Education Reform. He served two terms as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, where he undertook bold actions to advance a social and racial justice agenda. This included taking the unprecedented step to engage the state Department of Education to turn around the city’s chronically underperforming school system, creating the city’s Eat, Play, Learn Initiative to expand out-of-school enrichment, and launching a nationally recognized African American Ambassador Group to bring Black leaders into the center of policymaking. Notably, he invested $400 million into repairing school buildings, and supported the expansion of high-quality public charter schools.

Born and raised in Providence, Mayor Elorza is a graduate of Classical High school, the University of Rhode Island, and Harvard Law School. Prior to being elected mayor, he was a legal aid attorney, he served as a Providence Housing Court Judge, and he co-founded the Latino Policy Institute while he served as a professor at Roger Williams University School of Law. Jorge lives with his wife, Stephanie, and his son, Omar, in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Providence.

Dr. Shirley Magazi is a strong proponent of a faith-informed approach to public advocacy and policy development rooted in Biblical principles, Christian ethics, and the call to steward society in truth and righteousness. She is actively involved in legislative reform, civic engagement, and national development from a biblical worldview, primarily in Namibia, Africa. She serves as the Executive Chairperson of the Christian Coalition of Churches and Organisations on Ethical Social Justice, through which she advocates for Christian Education, church involvement in public policy and legislative reform. She is the Founder of Family Protection Foundation and the Executive Director of Institute of Public Policy, Administration, and Governance. She also serves as a leadership coach and consultant servicing UN bodies, NGOs, Governments, Church and the Corporate Sector on governance and strategy. Together with her husband, they serve as pastors of Generation Christ Bible Church. Dr Magazi holds a Certificate in Life Coaching, Diploma in Theology, Bachelor Degree in Psychology, Master Degree in Public Health and a PhD in Business and Organisational Leadership. 

Michael Schuttloffel is the Executive Director of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). He served as Executive Director of the Kansas Catholic Conference from 2008-2018, where he was the lead advocate and spokesman on legislative and political matters for the Catholic Church in the state of Kansas. He played a central role in the passage of Kansas’s first school choice law, a tax-credit scholarship program signed into law in 2014. Previously, he was an advisor to the governor of Texas. From 1999-2006, he worked as a congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC, including as Legislative Director for a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. He graduated from the Honors Program at Villanova University in 1997 and completed a master’s degree in political science from Fordham University in 1998. Michael and his wife Misty live with their six children in Virginia.

Dr. D. Merle Skinner is the Executive Director of the Christian Family & Children’s Center, which he founded in 1981 with his wife, Barb. The Center serves Southwestern Pennsylvania and provides Christ-centered programs for families, including Champion Christian Childcare, Preschool, and K–12 Schools; Christian Counseling; Continuing Education; Organizational Consultation; Community Outreach focused on families; and Senior Ministry.

Dr. Skinner earned his Bachelor’s degree in Child Development from the University of Pittsburgh, his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Geneva College, and his Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University. He holds licensure and certifications in Professional Counseling, Christian School Administration, and Early Childhood Education.

In addition to his work at the Center, Dr. Skinner is active in public policy as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on American Private Education (PA CAPE), which represents seven statewide associations and more than 220,000 students across Pennsylvania. He also coordinates the National State CAPE Network, which connects active state affiliates of the Council on American Private Education nationwide.  He is the coordinator of the Association of Christian Schools International PA Coordinator and has received the ACSI Public Policy Advocacy Award.

A frequent speaker and consultant, Dr. Skinner addresses topics related to counseling, education, public policy, and leadership. He also serves as an Adjunct Psychology Faculty member at Colorado Christian University, working with dual-credit students.

Throughout his career, Dr. Skinner has held a variety of leadership positions, including serving as president, leader, and board member of organizations such as the Mountain Laurel Chamber of Commerce, the Laurel Mountain Ministerial Association, Westmoreland County Community College Child Care Advisory Board, The State Cape Network Coordinator, and ACSI Children’s Tuition Fund among others.

Dr. Skinner and his wife, Barb, have three grown daughters and two grandchildren.

Peter Murphy is Vice President for Policy at the Invest in Education Foundation and Coalition, based in Washington, D.C., which advocates in Congress for K-12 education freedom and choice and supports a nationwide coalition in favor of such policies.

He previously served as Policy and Communications Director at the New York Charter Schools Association, the statewide membership organization of charter schools in New York, and served in the Office of New York Governor George Pataki, where he helped develop the New York Charter Schools Act and the School Tax Relief (STAR) program. 

He has been published in numerous media outlets, including the New York Post, Washington Times, The Federalist, American Thinker, Education Next, Investor’s Business Daily, New York Daily News, Foxnews.com, Washington Examiner, Daily Caller, DC Journal, The 74, Boston Herald, and the Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Murphy received his master’s degree in public administration from Rockefeller College of the State University of New York at Albany, and his B.A. in economics from the University at Albany.

Jonathan M. Alexandre, Esq. is an attorney a Vice President of Governmental Affairs for Liberty Counsel.  Jonathan also serves as Legislative Counsel for the Maryland Family Institute. Jonathan was a Presidential Appointee serving on the Board of Directors for The United States Agency for Global Media for the Trump Administration.  

Jonathan serves as General Counsel for the Douglass Leadership Institute. Jonathan was formerly the Assistant General Counsel and Public Policy Coordinator for the Massachusetts Family Institute in Boston. Alexandre developed the Massachusetts Attorney Resource Council, a network of pro-family Massachusetts attorneys. Jonathan previously worked for The Jerusalem Center of Public Affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, as a Scholar in Residence, and the United States Army's Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. He is Married to His Wife Renee Alexandre. They are blessed with two daughters. And they are expecting a 3rd child in December.

Before serving as Acting Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Legislative Director for Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Alex was Legislative Director for Appropriations Committee member, Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06). Alex previously served as Legislative Assistant for House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman and further back got his start on the Hill interning with Senator Boozman of Arkansas.

Alex has a master’s in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College alongside bachelor’s degrees in History, Political Science, and Spanish, from Greenville University, where he captained the Track & Field team. Born and raised in Arkansas, Alex enjoys the outdoors- camping and hiking, and being married to his best friend, Caitlin.