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...

Keith D. Yates started training in 1965 and became one of the youngest black belts in the country when he earned his rank at 17. He established a reputation as one of the top kata champions in the Sou...

Keith D. Yates started training in 1965 and became one of the youngest black belts in the country when he earned his rank at 17. He established a reputation as one of the top kata champions in the Southwest and won the Texas State title in 1971. A prolific writer and respected teacher, he holds the 10th dan in American Tae Kwon Do. He began the first college "karate for credit" program in the Southwest in 1972 at Southern Methodist University. He was an adjunct professor at SMU for seven years in both the Physical Education and Communications Departments. In 1976 he founded the American Karate And Tae Kwon Do Organization. He is in too many halls of fame and other honors to mention. He has produced video documentaries on martial arts history and has his own YouTube channel as well as a smartphone app covering the training patterns for American Tae Kwon Do. Dr. Yates has been featured in multiple publications, in newspapers, and has been profiled on many news and cable TV programs and national radio talk shows. He graduated from SMU in 1971 with a degree in Graphic Design and did his Master's thesis at Dallas Theological Seminary on "The Demystification of Ki.” He received a Doctorate of Humanities in 2019 from the Great Plains Baptist Divinity School with an emphasis on Biblical martial arts and sciences. Dr. Yates is the Chairman of the Board of the Gospel Martial Arts Union. He served for several years on the advisory board of Chuck Norris’s KickStart Kids and is also High-Dan Board Chairman of the American Karate Black Belt Association. In 2017 he retired from a career as Director of Creative Services and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. Keith and his wife Linda have four grown children and ten grandchildren.

Robert Popovian is currently Vice President, US Government Relations at Pfizer Inc. Robert brings over two decades of experience in numerous facets of biopharmaceutical and health care industry with a...

Robert Popovian is currently Vice President, US Government Relations at Pfizer Inc. Robert brings over two decades of experience in numerous facets of biopharmaceutical and health care industry with a strong track record of expertise in Health Care Policy and Economics, Government Relations, Medical Affairs, and Strategic Planning. Robert has published and presented extensively on the impact of biopharmaceuticals and health policies on health care costs and clinical outcomes, including authorship in clinical and healthcare delivery journals and published expert source in First Word, The Hill, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Pink Sheet, Managed Healthcare Executive and Bloomberg News amongst many others. He also writes a regularly published column in Morning. He is a sought-out speaker at healthcare policy and medical conferences on topics such as payment and delivery reform, pricing, reimbursement, biosimilars, biopharmaceutical innovation and health economics. He currently serves on the Board of Councilors of University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy and Board of Advisors for Capital RX. He is one of the few researchers who has studied and published both clinical and policy related economic analysis as well as one of a handful who have studied and published empirical data regarding emerging payment models in the US healthcare system and for biopharmaceutical reimbursement. He was also one of the first to secure inclusion of health outcomes data regarding labeled indication of a biopharmaceutical. Robert completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy degrees at the University of Southern California with honors. He has also completed a residency in Pharmacy Practice/Adult Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Los Angeles County – University of Southern California Hospital and a fellowship in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy at University of Southern California. Robert is married to Maylin Megran Popovian; they have two daughters, Katrina and Natalya. They have residences both in Los Angeles, CA and Washington, DC.

Both of Ron’s parents were born and raised on farms. Their work ethic and small-town values were naturally passed along to their own children. As a result, Ron has worked hard all his life. As a boy,...

Both of Ron’s parents were born and raised on farms. Their work ethic and small-town values were naturally passed along to their own children. As a result, Ron has worked hard all his life. As a boy, he mowed lawns, shoveled snow, delivered papers, and caddied for a few extra bucks. At the age of 15, he obtained his first tax-paying job as a dishwasher in a Walgreens grill. He rose through the ranks as a soda jerk, fry cook, and finally night manager before reaching the age of 16. He gained early acceptance to the University of Minnesota, so he skipped his senior year of High School and worked full time while obtaining his degree in business and accounting. In 1977, after graduating with a BSB-Accounting degree, he married his wife Jane, and started working as an accountant at Jostens. He also continued his education by enrolling in an MBA night program. In July of 1979, Ron and Jane moved to Oshkosh to start a business with Jane’s brother. The company -PACUR- began producing plastic sheet for packaging and printing applications. From operating the equipment, to keeping the company books, and selling its products, Ron has been involved in every function of the business. It is this body of experience and private sector perspective that he now brings to the Senate. Ron came to Washington because the federal government is bankrupting America. He thinks it is important for citizen legislators to ally with those who are seriously facing that reality. Ron’s manufacturing background has taught him to attack the root cause of a problem, not mere symptoms. He believes huge deficits, slow economic activity, high unemployment and woefully inadequate job creation are severe symptoms of the problem – but not the root cause. The ever expanding size, scope and cost of government is. Ron is Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and also serves on the Budget, Foreign Relations, and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees. He resides in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with his wife Jane. They have three children and two grandchildren.

Daniel Allott is an opinion editor at The Hill. A former deputy commentary editor at the Washington Examiner and a Washington Fellow at the National Review Institute, Allott’s writing has appeared in...

Daniel Allott is an opinion editor at The Hill. A former deputy commentary editor at the Washington Examiner and a Washington Fellow at the National Review Institute, Allott’s writing has appeared in dozens of publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Politico, USA Today, and National Review. Allott received a Master of Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. He was born in Reading, England, and lives in Northern Virginia.