Liberty Chats

Steamboat Emerging Leaders Council Member Steven Hjelm sits down with Daniel Pae, Oklahoma's 62nd District Representative to talk about his time in office and his focus in policies during his time as the youngest serving member of the state Legislature at 23 years old.

Host Gabe Woolley, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council interviews Oklahoma State Superintendent, Ryan Walters. In a 15 minute excerpt of an hour long discussion, Gabe sits down with Ryan and talks about the major aspects of Oklahoma and American education. Ryan Walters taught eight years as a high school history teacher in his hometown at McAlester High School (MHS). During his time at MHS, Walters taught Advanced Placement (AP) courses in World History, U.S. History and U.S. Government. He also taught on-level history classes, special education classes and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes. The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) named Walters as an Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016. He is passionate about the students of Oklahoma and advocating for their immediate and long-term success. In September 2020, Governor Kevin Stitt named Walters as Secretary of Public Education. As Secretary of Education, he was responsible for various agencies, boards, and commissions, including the State Board of Education, College and University Boards of Regents or Trustees, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and the State Board of Career and Technology Education. Walters taught AP U.S. History at Millwood High School and McAlester High School. He is empowering teachers, parents and community leaders to improve Oklahoma’s education system for all students and previously served as Executive Director of Oklahoma Achieves, an education initiative of the State Chamber of Oklahoma that sought to get the business community more actively engaged in education. He is a lifelong advocate of improving Oklahoma’s education system and helping every student reach their full potential. A loving husband to his wife Katie, Walters has four children — Violet (6), Ella (4), Benjamin (2) and newborn Samuel. To watch the full interview with Ryan and Gabe, go to https://youtu.be/vz4xsA20O6o?si=_AVNnpkp-NHvqtqd Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Karl Honegger, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council Alumni Board interviews entrepreneur and educator, Lily Tang Williams. She is fighting to prevent the country she loves from becoming the country she left. Lily Tang Williams was a law school assistant professor at Fudan University, Shanghai, China who became an American entrepreneur and an educator. She is currently co-chair of the New Hampshire Asian American Coalition, elected Supervisor of the Checklist in Town of Weare, NH. She has been married to John Williams for 31 years and they have three adult children. Born to illiterate working-class parents in China’s western Sichuan province just before Mao’s Cultural Revolution, Lily Tang Williams grew up experiencing extremely poor living conditions, food rationing, social chaos, and Communist indoctrination. She learned to work hard, persevere, and be grateful for the opportunities she was given. Eventually, she graduated from Fudan University in Shanghai with an undergraduate law degree. After graduation, she was selected to continue as part of the law school faculty, as well as practice corporate law in Shanghai as China began to rebuild its economy. In 1988, Lily Tang Williams decided to study in the U.S., leaving her position with only $100 in her pocket and $1200 in debt to her American sponsor, a Fulbright professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Though she could not speak English fluently she was determined to achieve success in this country, earning a Master’s degree in Administration and Planning from the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Subsequently, Lily started work for Wyoming Home Health as a medical social worker, and later she worked as an executive for corporations in both Hong Kong and the U.S. Eventually, she went into business for herself, providing consulting and expert witness services in China-related business and legal cases. She and her husband also manage residential real estate properties they own. Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Karl Honegger, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council Alumni Board, kicks off season 2 of Liberty Chats speaking with Writer and Director, Jimmy Morrison, about Grid Down, Power Up, a documentary that brings to light the urgency to save the U.S.power grid, starring Dennis Quaid. Jimmy created the motion graphics for the film. Grid failure is a real and imminent threat, a devastatingly deadly occurrence leading to life-threatening shortages of heat, food, and water. If protective measures are not taken, we will experience catastrophic failures leaving citizens in states of starvation, death, destruction, and darkness for months. Reports released from Texas’ 3-day “snowmageddon” indicate a minimum death toll of 246, with some estimates climbing as high as 702. An outage of 1-2 years would lead to 10,000,000+ deaths. One thing is evident: the clock is ticking, and if nothing changes, the power may go out for good… Learn more about the Grid Down, Power Up at: https://griddownpowerup.com/#about Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Anastasia Ratcliff, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council, interviews Grace-Marie Turner, who leads the Galen Institute, a public policy research organization that she founded in 1995 to promote an informed debate over free-market ideas for health reform. Anastasia and Grace-Marie discuss aspects of the healthcare system in America and how policy coincides with the work of the Galen Institute. They also dive into the discussion of the importance of having a diverse market of healthcare options for people to choose from and the competitiveness that creates among companies. Grace-Marie Turner runs the Galen Institute, a public policy research organization that she founded in 1995 to promote an informed debate over free-market ideas for health reform. She has been instrumental in developing and promoting ideas for reform to transfer power over health care decisions to doctors and patients. She speaks and writes extensively about incentives to promote a more competitive, patient-centered marketplace in the health sector. She testifies regularly before Congress and advises senior government officials, governors, and state legislators on health policy. She was named by the Speaker of the House to serve as a member of the Long Term Care Commission in 2013. Previously, Grace-Marie served for a three-year term on the National Advisory Board for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and she served as a member of the Medicaid Commission, making recommendations to modernize and improve Medicaid.Grace-Marie Turner was named one of “Washington’s 500 Most Influential People” in 2022 by Washingtonian magazine for the second year in a row. She has been published in hundreds of major newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today, and has appeared on countless radio and television programs. She edited Empowering Health Care Consumers through Tax Reform and has contributed to numerous other books. She speaks widely, including at Harvard University, the London School of Economics, Oxford University, and the Gregorian University at the Vatican. Grace-Marie is founder and facilitator of the Health Policy Consensus Group which serves as a forum for analysts from market-oriented think tanks around the country to analyze and develop policy recommendations. She serves on the boards of the Steamboat Institute and the Winston Fellowship and is a volunteer policy advisor to the Catholic Medical Association, Paragon Health Institute, Docs4PatientCare, and other organizations. In the mid-1990s, Grace-Marie served as executive director of the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform. For 12 years, she was president of Arnett & Co., a health policy analysis and communications firm. Her early career was in politics and journalism where she received numerous awards for her writings on policy, politics and economics. Learn more about the Galen Institute at: https://galen.org/ Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Domine Clemons, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council, interviews Erika Donalds, CEO of Optima Ed, on the recent success of Optima Ed's virtual reality school. They also dive into the value of Classical Education methods and how we can maximize educational freedom and school choice. Erika Donalds, CPA and CGMA, is the Chief Executive Officer of Optima Ed, an education experience company dedicated to expanding high quality school choice. A mother of three boys and former finance executive with a passion for education, she has offered her expertise in business to help further the expansion of parental choice and to improve accountability and governance in Florida’s public schools. Prior to launching Optima, Erika was Chief Financial Officer/Chief Compliance Officer and Partner at DGHM​, an investment management firm. She served with the company for almost 20 years and was responsible for the finance, compliance, and operations, in addition to serving on the firm’s Management Committee. Erika holds a BS in Accounting from Florida State University and a Masters in Accountancy from Florida Atlantic University. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Erika is a former elected member of the Collier County School Board. During her tenure, she co-founded the Florida Coalition of School Board Members and served as the group’s President. She was appointed to Florida’s 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission by then-Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran, and recently served on Governor DeSantis’ Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development. Erika now serves on the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees, and on advisory boards for Classical Learning Test, Moms for Liberty, and the Independent Women’s Forum Education Freedom Center. Learn more about the Optima Foundation and Optima Ed at: https://optimaed.org/ Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Stone Washington, member of The Steamboat Institute's Emerging Leaders Council, interviews Dr. Alveda C. King on the issues impacting African-American communities today and how to reach that community with conservative values that allow all people to flourish. Dr. Alveda C. King is from Atlanta, Georgia, and serves as the Chair of the Center for the American Dream at AFPI. She is the daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A.D. King and the niece of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King is the founder of Speak for Life, fighting for the sanctity and dignity of all life – from the womb to the tomb. She currently serves as a FoxNews contributor and host of the FoxNation show “Alveda King’s House.” Dr. King is a former college professor, served in the Georgia State House of Representatives, is a former presidential appointee, and 2021 recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. Follow Dr. King's work at https://www.alvedaking.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @alvedaking. Subscribe to The Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Amber Athey, a Steamboat Institute Senior Tony Blankley Fellow, interviews John Rich, country music star and owner of Redneck Riviera. John discusses everything from his music career to cancel culture. This conversation is sure to leave you inspired and ready to defend liberty! John Rich is a multi-platinum hit generator and music industry leader whose creative talents are matched only by his business savvy. Whether through a raucous party anthem or a sober reflection on hard times in the heartland, Rich's ability to capture the American zeitgeist in song has made him one of the most successful and prolific entertainers in the music business today. And in 2011, Rich impressed Donald Trump and American TV audiences with his business acumen and leadership skills, winning NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice and raising $1.5 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Now, the multi-faceted Rich is applying his talents to his latest venture, a lifestyle brand called Redneck Riviera that launched in 2014 with an apparel line geared to what he dubs the 'WORK HARD PLAY HARD' crowd. In just 6 short years, the brand offers apparel, a boot line, a bar in the heart of downtown Nashville on Lower Broadway, a jerky line, and an impressive spirits division that serves up three American made whiskies offered nationwide. Along with all of these successes, Rich found time to host a show on Fox Nation, the streaming service for Fox News called The Pursuit! With John Rich that launched in early 2020. The show became one of the services' most popular series and is now showing on Fox Business Prime as one of the flagship shows of the network's new original programming launches of 2021. Subscribe to the Steamboat Institute Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Host Cody Wisniewski, a member of the Steamboat Insitute Emerging Leader Council interviews Ilya Shapiro about his new book and the recent news of his resignation as Executive Director of Georgetown University's prestigious law school's Center for the Constitution. Ilya is a Senior Fellow and Director of Constitutional Studies for The Manhattan Institute and the author of Supreme Disorder: Judicial Nominations and the Politics of America’s Highest Court (2020). Recently named Executive Director of Georgetown University's prestigious law school's Center for the Constitution. Shortly before he was to assume his new position in January, Ilya was placed on administrative leave by the University after he spoke out against President Biden's statement that his next Supreme Court nomination would be based on race and gender. IIlyadiscusses his redoubled efforts as an outspoken advocate for the First Amendment and combating cancel culture in America. Last week, Georgetown reinstated Ilya but made it clear that he could be subject to further disciplinary action depending on statements he might make in the future. Rather than subject his family to continued attacks and work in a clearly hostile environment, Ilya made the principled decision to step down from his position, taking a courageous stand against a university which seeks to silence diversity of ideology. Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.steamboatinstitute.org/update/sign-up-for-newsletter-updates/

Mollie Hemingway is the Editor-in-Chief of The Federalist. She is a Senior Journalism Fellow at Hillsdale College and the co-author of Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court. She is the author of "Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections." On this podcast, we spoke with Mollie about how and why election security has become so polarized. It used to be something both the Left and the Right could discuss as an important issue. This matters deeply for future elections. We also talked with her about the American Moment conference, Up From Chaos, and the panel that Mollie was on titled Regime Stenographers. Recent episodes: Andrew Dessler, Climate ScientistKelsey Bolar, Senior Tony Blankley FellowJordan Macgillis, Institute for Energy Research

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak to Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist who studies both the science and politics of climate change. He is a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and holder of the Reta A. Haynes Chair in Geosciences at Texas A&M University. He is also the director of TAMU’s Texas Center for Climate Studies. Dessler was featured at the Steamboat Institute's 2022 Energy & Climate Summit and was recently a guest on the Joe Rogan podcast. In this conversation he and Emerging Leaders Council Member Lindsey Martin speak about what Dessler teachers his students, the fossil fuel debate, solar and wind energy, as well as what he has to say to naysayers. Dessler also poses the question, what happens if there is a climate disaster and discusses his thoughts. Don't miss this exciting and insightful episode! Recent episodes: Kelsey Bolar, Senior Tony Blankley FellowJordan Macgillis, Institute for Energy ResearchPeter Lee Hamilton, Young Asian-Pacific American Leaders

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Tony Blankley Fellow Kelsey Bolar, who is a senior policy analyst at Independent Women's Forum. Kelsey is also an editor of BRIGHT, a morning newsletter for women and a contributor to The Daily Signal and The Federalist. Her work has been featured in USA Today, National Review, The Washington Examiner and more. Kelsey is a frequent guest on Fox News and Fox Business as a commentator on important issues in the news. In this conversation, she speaks with Ericka Andersen about how she began her career in journalism, what guides her mission in policy now and why she thinks this work is so important for young conservatives to engage in. Recent Episodes: Jordan MacGilis, Energy Research InstitutePeter Lee Hamilton, Young Asian-Pacific American LeadersDrew Bond, C3 Solutions

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Jordan McGillis, Deputy Director of Policy at Institute for Energy Research. At IER, McGillis focuses on global energy trends, international climate negotiations, carbon pricing, transportation policy, and urban planning. During this episode, Emerging Leaders Council Member Karl Honegger talked with McGillis about IER's approach to energy analysis, free-market energy and environmental policy. They cover the basics of carbon taxes, pricing and more. The conversation also touches on how to address climate issues through innovation, highlighting the example Stripe, a payment processor that created the $1 billion dollar frontier fund to support carbon removal startup companies.

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Peter Lee Hamilton, an Irish-Korean American community organizer, student, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Young Asian Pacific American Leaders and the organizer of the Korean Association Presidents' Summit. Emerging Leaders Council Member Solomon Chen talks with Peter about the inspiration behind his community and political involvement. What are the most important issues right now? How is identity politics playing a role in the conversation? What should we be focusing on? Enjoy this conversation and be sure to share on social media if you like it. Recent episodes: Alex Epstein: Center for Industrial ProgressPhilip Wegmann: White House Reporter, Real Clear PoliticsElisha Krauss: Radio Host & Podcaster

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Alex Epstein, the founder and director of the Center for Industrial Progress (CIP), a for-profit think tank. CIP aims to “inspire Americans to embrace industrial progress as a cultural ideal.” Epstein writes TalkingPoints.com and is the author of Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal and Natural Gas -- Not Less. He was also a debate panelist on our recent Campus Liberty Tour and a speaker at the 2022 Energy and Climate Summit in Steamboat Springs. Recent episodes: Philip Wegmann: White House Reporter, Real Clear PoliticsElisha Krauss: Radio Host & PodcasterChristine Yeargin, Be the Village Founder

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Drew Bond, co-founder of C3 Solutions. C3 Solutions stands for "Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions." Emerging Leaders' Council Member Matt Melchior speaks with Drew about his work to prioritize free market solutions for climate change and environmental issues. Drew's decades of experience in the conservative movement and private sector have provided him the necessary prep to build a thriving organization. C3 also has an online magazine, C3 News Magazine, featuring original reporting and analysis on all things climate, energy, innovation, environment and more. Previously, Drew served as a Senior Advisor for President George W. Bush at the U.S. Department of Energy, Chief of Staff at The Heritage Foundation under Ed Feulner and as a Legislative Assistant to former U.S. Senator Don Nickles from Oklahoma. Recent episodes: Philip Wegmann: White House Reporter, Real Clear PoliticsElisha Krauss: Radio Host & PodcasterChristine Yeargin, Be the Village Founder

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Philip Wegmann, White House Correspondent for Real Clear Politics and a Steamboat Institute Tony Blankley Fellow. Ericka Andersen speaks with him about his career trajectory and why he chose journalism as a profession. Philip reveals what has been like to be part of the White House Press Corps in both the Trump and Biden Administrations. Don't miss his interesting reflections on current White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki! Philip previously wrote for The Washington Examiner and has done investigative reporting on congressional corruption and institutional malfeasance. He has also worked as a radio producer and congressional correspondent. He can be seen regularly on CNN, Fox, and Fox Business and his voice has been heard on the BBC, NPR, and numerous other radio outlets. Recent episodes: Elisha Krauss: Radio Host & PodcasterChristine Yeargin, Be the Village FounderYael Ossowski: Consumer Choice Center

In this episode of Liberty Chats, Emerging Leaders' Council Member Lindsey Martin speaks with Elisha Krauss, a conservative commentator, writer, and podcaster. She is a host of The Washington Examiner Newsmaker Series. Previously she was a co-host and contributor at Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire. Krauss also cohosted the Ricochet Ladybrains podcast, and produced the syndicated Sean Hannity Radio Show for seven years. Her media appearances include CNN, NBC, MSNBC, OANN, Newsmax TV, Fox News, and more. Elisha says she enjoys talking about issues related to the pro-life point of view, the Second Amendment, traditional family values, school choice, small government, free speech, feminism, and professional growth. Don't miss this fun conversation with an inspiring, conservative woman! Recent episodes: Christine Yeargin, Be the Village FounderYael Ossowski: Consumer Choice CenterIsabel Brown, Turning Point USA

In this episode of Liberty Chats, Emerging Leaders Council Member Lindsay Martin speaks with Christine Yeargin, a freedom-loving mom and founder of Be Their Village, a group that works to help women facing unplanned pregnancies. After an unplanned pregnancy, Christine became passionate about helping women in the same scenario. Through Be the Village, she helps build social media campaigns to complete baby registries for women in need. She speaks at events, on college campuses, and to pregnancy resource centers across the country, and is a regular guest on national news programs. Recent episodes: Yael Ossowski: Consumer Choice CenterIsabel Brown, Turning Point USAWill Witt, Author & PragerU Representative

In this episode of Liberty Chats, we speak with Yaël Ossowski, a writer, syndicated radio host, and deputy director at the Consumer Choice Center. Emerging Leaders Council Member Karl Honegger speaks with Yaël about his career and more. Since 2010, Yaël has worked as a journalist and grassroots organizer in Europe and North America. He was previously Watchdog.org’s Florida Bureau Chief, chief Spanish translator, and national investigative reporter. Recent episodes: Isabel Brown, Turning Point USAWill Witt, Author & PragerU RepresentativeLily Kate, Fighting Radical Feminism