Merrill Matthews, Ph.D., is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation, a research-based, public policy “think tank.” He is a health policy expert and weekly contributor at Forbes.co...

Born in Kerrville, Konni was raised in the small town of Banquete where her father was the high school principal and her mom the school secretary. Konni graduated from the University of North Texas (U...

Born in Kerrville, Konni was raised in the small town of Banquete where her father was the high school principal and her mom the school secretary. Konni graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. She and her husband, Phil, met at UNT and raised their two daughters in Tarrant County. Senator Burton previously owned a wedding consulting business. Since 2008, Konni has been active behind-the-scenes in helping conservative candidates get elected at all levels of government. As senator, Konni is a steadfast advocate for the rights and liberties of individuals, ensuring those enshrined in the U.S. Bill of Rights are protected at the state level. Konni is a small-government legislator, believing each level of government has limited, defined roles in which they should operate. A fiscal conservative, she works to direct spending to core functions of government and works to reduce both taxes and spending. During the 84th Texas Legislature, Senator Burton worked with both House members and Senators to pass a large criminal justice reform package. Konni does not hesitate to cross party lines to pass legislation which protects the constitutional rights of all Texans.

Tom Giovanetti is president of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), a public policy research organization based in Dallas, Texas. Prior to joining IPI in 1992, Mr. Giovanetti was a freelance pol...

Tom Giovanetti is president of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), a public policy research organization based in Dallas, Texas. Prior to joining IPI in 1992, Mr. Giovanetti was a freelance policy writer and the director of product development for a small manufacturing company in Dallas, where he designed several patented products and gained real-world experience in how taxes and regulations affect small business. Mr. Giovanetti writes for IPI and for other publications on a wide variety of policy topics including tax reform, intellectual property, Social Security personal accounts, communications policy, Internet governance, education reform, the broadband revolution, and out-of-control government spending. In addition to being published in leading papers including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Investor's Business Daily and The Dallas Morning News, he also appears regularly on a number of radio and television programs. Mr. Giovanetti represents IPI many national and international organizations, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), where IPI is an accredited NGO. IPI was also accredited as an observer organization with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), where he argued against UN involvement with Internet governance, and with the UN's Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Mr. Giovanetti also participated during meetings of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property, and represents IPI as a stakeholder during trade agreement negotiations such as the current Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

As President and Chief Executive Officer of East-West Ministries International, Donald “Kurt” Nelson provides leadership and oversight to all worldwide ministry endeavors in the 50+ countries in which...

As President and Chief Executive Officer of East-West Ministries International, Donald “Kurt” Nelson provides leadership and oversight to all worldwide ministry endeavors in the 50+ countries in which East-West currently operates. After serving with East-West for 15 years, Nelson became President and CEO in June 2010 and has served with East-West for a total of 21 years. He assisted in launching the Institutes for Emerging Itinerant Evangelists in Russia, Central Asia, and India, and he currently serves on the Board of Directors, the Executive Leadership Team, and the StratOps Team. Nelson also personally leads East-West short-term trips to Russia, Latin America, South Asia, Central Asia, and East Asia. Prior to East-West, he served as Vice President of Global Missions Fellowship (GMF - now E3 Partners), where he directed the Russia Field and the Marketing / Communications Department. Also while at GMF, he led evangelism teams to many countries including Russia, Haiti, the Ukraine, Latvia, Japan, and Latin America. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina, his Master’s degree of Theology in World Missions from Dallas Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree in Missions Leadership from Columbia International University. Nelson and his wife, Pat, have been married for 30 years and have nine children (three of whom were adopted from Russia), six grandsons and one granddaughter.

Mike had the great privilege of being born into a Christian home in Louisville, Kentucky with parents who modeled a consistent Godly lifestyle. Though he at times challenged the faith of his parents,...

Mike had the great privilege of being born into a Christian home in Louisville, Kentucky with parents who modeled a consistent Godly lifestyle. Though he at times challenged the faith of his parents, God graciously brought him to a saving knowledge of himself as a young man. In college, Mike was deeply impacted by a college ministry called the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and felt a call towards ministry. Following college, God graciously directed Mike to a strong local church in Denton Texas where he initially studied under the Pastor for a year before joining the church. Mike’s plans were always smaller than God’s and he desired to return to his home area to pastor a local church. God chose to keep him in Texas, allowing him to attend the University of North Texas, earning an MBA in 1994; and Dallas Theological Seminary where he earned a Masters of Theology in 2003. In Texas he also met and married the love of his life, Kerry and they now have three teenaged boys. Mike left the business world and joined Denton Bible’s staff in 1999 and has served there working in Missions since that time. Mike is a testimony of God’s gracious care for His children as God has guided Mike through his life, giving him much more than he ever could have expected or imagined. Mike currently serves as the missions pastor at Denton Bible where he loves to speak of God’s goodness and especially feels blessed to serve alongside and teach other men involved in ministry around the world.