Salman Bhojani
Texas State Representative
Born in Pakistan to a large family, Salman Bhojani immigrated to the Lone Star State when he was 19 years old. After becoming a naturalized citizen, Salman earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas and became a small business owner—purchasing convenience stores across the DFW Metroplex. He went on to earn a law degree from Southern Methodist University and a Comparative Law Diploma from Oxford University and eventually founded his own law firm, Bhojani Law PLLC. After finding a home in Euless with his young family, Salman continued to focus on his law practice and businesses. In 2018, Salman made national headlines when he was elected to the Euless City Council, becoming the first person of color to hold elected office in Euless. He went on to become the Mayor Pro Tem. In 2022, Salman won his race for State Representative with 58% of the vote. Salman is the first Muslim and the first South Asian ever elected to the Texas Legislature. He is also the first person of color ever elected to represent House District 92.
Steven T. Collis
Clinical Professor of Law and Faculty Director at UT School of Law
A law professor at the University of Texas School of Law, Steven T. Collis is one of the leading academics in the nation on the First Amendment, religious freedom, and productive discourse. His scholarship has been cited by numerous state and federal appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court. He is also the faculty director of Texas’s Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center and its Law and Religion Clinic. Before joining the faculty at Texas, he was a research fellow at Stanford Law School and an equity partner at Holland & Hart LLP, where he chaired the firm’s religious institutions and First Amendment practice group. The author of three critically acclaimed books related to thriving in a pluralistic society, he has been interviewed by and quoted in various news and media outlets, including The New York Times, Bloomberg, NBC, CBN News, NPR, The Washington Post, PBS, and numerous podcasts and television shows. Reviewing his latest book, Habits of a Peacemaker, the American Library Association has said, “In this time of sharp political divides and overwhelming feedback, Collis is a much-needed voice of reason and compromise.”
Stephanie Elad
Board of Trustees, Frisco Independent School District.
Stephanie Elad is a principled and courageous leader whose honesty, independence, and unwavering commitment have made her a trusted voice in education and the community. First elected to the Frisco ISD Board of Trustees in 2022, her trailblazing victory drew statewide and national attention. In 2025, she secured re-election with the endorsement of The Dallas Morning News, a recognition of her credibility, leadership, and impact.
Beyond her governance role, Stephanie is an accomplished Human Resources executive with deep expertise in organizational culture, leadership, and people strategy. Her professional background informs her thoughtful approach to policy and decision-making, always centered on what best serves students, parents, staff, and the broader community.
Stephanie is also a sought-after speaker, frequently addressing civic, education, and community groups, and she has been featured on national media, including two guest appearances on The Glenn Beck Program. Known for connecting policy, culture, and community issues in a way that is both clear and compelling, she has earned respect across diverse audiences.
Tina (Ramirez) Lee
President, Hardwired Global
Tina (Ramirez) Lee serves as the Founder and President of Hardwired Global and brings to the organization 25 years of experience as a teacher, foreign policy expert and authority on international human rights law and religious freedom. Previously, she served as a policy advisor for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a foreign policy advisor for the U.S. Congress, where she founded the bi-partisan International Religious Freedom Caucus, and former Director of Government Relations and International Programs at Becket Law.
Tina has published extensively and is the editor of a series of Children’s books based on lessons about religious freedom that teachers she trained wrote, which were published by Hardwired and include Fruitopia, Watch the Birds, Ribbon Rainbows, The Peaceful Garden, and A Common Goal. In addition, she has is the author of Iraq: Hope in the Midst of Darkness (2017) and a contributing author and editor of Human Rights in the United States: A Dictionary and Documents (2010 and 2017) and author/editor of Human Rights: Great Events From History (2019). She holds a certificate from the International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, a MA in Education from Vanguard University, and a MA in International Human Rights from the University of Essex, UK.
She has worked in more than 30 countries, testified before the U.S. Congress and United Nations, and is a contributing author of several publications, including the Journal of Social Science Education. In 2012, she was awarded the Second Annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Humanitarian Award for her congressional work defending their community worldwide. Her unique expertise in education, which was recently featured in the Emmy-nominated PBS series The Good Road, has been shown to help communities plagued by violence and extremism toward religious and ethnic minorities to embrace a culture of pluralism and respect for the human rights of others. She is a former High School history teacher and continues to serve as a substitute teacher in Oregon where she lives with her family.
Dr. Bob Roberts Jr.
Pastor at GlocalNet
Dr. Roberts is a pastor and renowned bridge builder who has dedicated his life to promoting and advancing religious freedom, peacemaking and civil engagement. He is the founder of GlocalNet, a ministry dedicated to mobilizing the church to bring about transformation in the public square, co-founder of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN), an organization committed to promoting religious freedom through ntentional cross-cultural relationships, and newly appointed president of the Institute of Global Engagement (IGE), an organization that catalyzes freedom of faith worldwide so that everyone has the ability to live what they believe. With decades of experience in peacemaking and international religious freedom, Dr. Roberts’ groundbreaking work has earned him respect and recognition from the United Nations, U.S. Department of State, World Economic Forum, ambassadors, international royal families, and policy leaders worldwide. For over 30 years, Dr. Roberts led Northwood Church near Dallas, Texas, where he is now the Founding Global Pastor. He is also a prolific author of six books and the host of the Bold Love podcast. Dr. Roberts holds a Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a BA from Baylor University.
Keisha Toni Russell
Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute
Keisha Russell is Senior Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights. Prior to joining First Liberty, Keisha was a Teach For America corps member in Atlanta Public Schools. As an elementary special education teacher, she taught students with ADD, emotional behavioral disorders, and learning disabilities. Keisha is most passionate about protecting religious freedom for children in America’s schools. Her religious liberty commentary has been published in and she has appeared in national and local news media. She earned a Bachelor’s in Communications from University of Central Florida and a Master’s in Teaching from the University of Southern California. Keisha attended Emory University School of Law, where she was heavily involved in Emory’s prestigious Center for the Study of Law and Religion and served on the Emory Journal of Law & Religion. She was a law clerk for the Center’s Restoring Religious Freedom Project where she worked on religious liberty litigation. In her final year of law school, Keisha worked as a law clerk for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on national and international matters affecting Israel.
Nate Schatzline
Texas State Representative
Nate Schatzline is a proud Christian, devoted husband, and father of two boys and a daughter. He serves as a pastor at Mercy Culture Church and is the founder of For Liberty & Justice, a movement mobilizing the local church to stand for truth. Nate is also a board member for The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization based in Fort Worth, and recently became the Texas State Director of the National Faith Advisory Board.
First elected to the Texas House in 2023, Nate quickly became a bold conservative voice in Austin, known for defending Texas families, protecting children from radical ideology, and standing unapologetically for life, liberty, and biblical values.
Raised in a ministry-driven family, Nate learned the importance of faith, hard work, and family. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, where he met his wife, Adrienne. The two have been married for 13 years, and he later graduated Summa Cum Laude with a master’s degree in political science from Liberty University.
Over the past decade, Nate and Adrienne have led youth and young adult ministries focused on discipleship. He has also served as a professor of economics, supported political campaigns such as Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne’s, and overseen mentorship programs for at-risk students. Nate continues to dedicate his life to empowering the next generation to live with purpose, honor God, and defend truth.
Shannon Minter, Esq
Vice President of National Center for Lesbian Rights
Shannon Price Minter is a transgender man and the longtime legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, one of the nation’s leading LGBTQ legal advocacy organizations. Shannon has litigated dozens of landmark cases, including several victories in the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a national expert on LGBTQ law and has received widespread recognition, including awards from Cornell Law School, Stanford Law School, the Ford Foundation, California Lawyer Magazine, the National LGBT Bar Association, and the U.S. Department of Justice LGBT Pride Group. Shannon is committed to building bridges between conservative religious leaders and groups and LGBTQ people.
Joseph (“Joe”) Shehan
North Texas State Director, LifeWise Academy
Joe Shehan, a Fort Worth native, serves as the North Texas State Director for LifeWise Academy, where he is passionate about bringing Bible education to public school students during school hours. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Texas and an M.A. in Diplomacy from Norwich University. Before joining LifeWise, Joe worked as a Legislative Correspondent for a U.S. Congressman from North Texas, advocated for those least among us with Bono's, the ONE Campaign. He also spent 15 years as a DFW high school social studies teacher and coach working in the inner cities and suburbs of North Texas. He is married to his high school sweetheart, and together they have three beautiful daughters, along with three dogs and two cats who keep life lively at home.
Anna Marie Sifford
IB and AP US History teacher, Dallas ISD
Ms. Anna Marie Sifford is an award-winning educator, global citizen, and advocate for intercultural dialogue in public education. Now in her 19th year in public education, she teaches U.S. History at Sunset High School, where she serves as the department's lead. Ms. Sifford enjoys presenting at professional development events for educators on creating universal, globally minded, experiential classrooms that foster empathy. She has won International Educator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and was the recipient of the Rotary Club's "Service Above Self" award - given to one Dallas ISD high school teacher each year.
She is the founder of Action Allies United, a student-run nonprofit empowering youth through service and global collaboration. Under her leadership, the organization has led two delegations to Morocco—first delivering $10,000 in earthquake relief aid, and later providing robots to four schools in Fes, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and Essaouira, to promote women in STEM. In 2025, Ms. Sifford's organization will host its first Moroccan student exchange in New York City as a part of their "Her Bridge" program.
As a Marshall Memorial Fellow, Ms. Sifford engaged with leadership at NATO and the European Parliament across six European cities, advancing her work in diplomacy and civic education. She also participated in the TEACH Initiative through the Houston-based Bilateral Chamber - a partnership between the Texas city and Doha, Qatar. This initiative took her to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar. Most recently, Ms Sifford was chosen to participate in the "50 Faces / 50 Years" campaign for the anniversary of the UAE.
She holds a Master’s in American History from Gettysburg College (2024), a Master’s in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University (2006), and a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from SMU (1998). She worked at the United Nations under the Department of South-South Cooperation, but before entering education, she worked at the New York City-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
A partner of the World Affairs Council of Dallas–Fort Worth and its Junior World Affairs Councils, she has traveled to 37 countries across Europe, the Levant, and North Africa, cultivating opportunities for students to engage as global citizens. A proud Booker T. Washington High School alumna, Ms. Sifford remains deeply committed to Texas public education—as both a teacher and the parent of an 11-year-old son in the prestigious Theatre Academy at Greiner Middle School.
Marium Uddin
Legal Director, Muslim Legal Fund of America
From 2022 to 2023, Marium S. Uddin served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Prior, Attorney General William Barr appointed Marium to begin hearing cases as a United States Immigration Judge in April 2019.
From 2016 to 2018, she served as an Assistant Chief Counsel with the Office of the Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. From 2015 to 2016, she served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. From 2011 to 2015, she served as an Assistant Public Defender with the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office. From 2010 to 2011, she worked as a criminal defense and immigration attorney in private practice. From 2005 to 2010, and also from 2001 to 2002, she served as an Assistant District Attorney with the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office.
Marium earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1996 from Rice University and a Juris Doctor in 2000 from The University of Texas School of Law. She is a member of the Texas State Bar.