Leadership Team

Executive Staff

Josh Brahm

President

Josh has worked in the pro-life movement since he was 18. After 12 years of full-time pro-life work he launched Equal Rights Institute to maximize his impact on the movement. A sought-after speaker, Josh has spoken for more than 23,000 people in six countries and in 25 of the 50 states. Josh’s primary passion is helping pro-life people to be more persuasive when they communicate with … Read More

Rebecca Carlson

Director of Scholarship

Rebecca Carlson is the Director of Scholarship at Equal Rights Institute. Currently, she is a PhD student and teaching assistant in philosophy at the University of Southern California. Her dissertation is in metaethics; her other areas of research include philosophy of law, epistemology, and philosophy of religion. She expects to receive her PhD in May 2025. Rebecca's favorite part of her work … Read More

Andrew Kaake

Director of Content & Research

Andrew Kaake (pronounced like "cake") holds a bachelor’s degree in classics and political science, cum laude, from Amherst College, where he wrote a thesis on the topic of C.S. Lewis and natural law philosophy. He completed his master’s degree in bioethics at Trinity International University, studying the philosophical underpinnings of controversies about life, death, and technology and trying … Read More

Emily Geiger

Director of Education & Outreach

Emily Geiger is Director of Education & Outreach at Equal Rights Institute. She is the former Co-President of Oles for Life at St. Olaf College, where she worked to transform campus culture using ERI’s apologetics to foster respectful and productive dialogues about abortion. At ERI, she is using her educational background to write, develop curriculum, and teach pro-life advocates how to … Read More

Joshua Head

Video Editor & Club Coach

Equipped with the tools of technology, pedagogy, and practical experience, Joshua Head fights daily to change the culture on the issue of abortion as a Club Coach and Video Editor for Equal Rights Institute, a pro-life organization that aims to help people think clearly, reason honestly, and argue persuasively about the issue of abortion. As an ERI Club Coach, Joshua meets regularly with … Read More

Ellen Campbell

Administrator

Ellen Campbell is an artist and writer living in Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated college in 2020 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts with a concentration in Printmaking. Her work includes themes such as faith and spirituality, identity, and finding beauty and value in the quiet moments of life. While her specialization in school was printing, she also loves working in almost any medium, especially … Read More

Club Coaches

Club Coaches are ERI Staff or Volunteers who serve the ERI Affiliate Group Program by contributing their expertise in running active and effective pro-life groups. Club Coaches provide exclusive mentoring to the leadership teams and members of our ERI Affiliate Groups.

Meredith Rasschaert

Club Coach

Meredith has been a passionate advocate for life since early high school when she began diving into pro-life apologetics. In college, Meredith served as Vice President, then Co-President of Oles for Life. She spent countless hours in dialogue with the pro-choice students on her campus and trained incoming club members on dialogue techniques. Meredith currently serves as the Client Services … Read More

Dr. Jackson Penning

Club Coach

Dr. Jackson Penning holds a BA in Applied Mathematics, summa cum laude, from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), a MS in Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology from the University of Minnesota, and completed his MD degree at the University of Minnesota. A busy husband and father beyond the demands of medical training, Jackson found time during medical school to revive a medical … Read More

Fellows

ERI Fellows are individuals who share the vision and mission of ERI and have specialized education and/or experience in areas such as law, counseling, philosophy, or science. Though not staff, Fellows contribute to ERI by means such as consulting, speaking, producing content, and promoting the organization. Fellows enhance both the depth and breadth of ERI's material and increase our reach in order to benefit the pro-life movement.

John Ferrer, Ph.D.

Fellow

Currently residing in Pella, Iowa with his wife Hillary, John earned an MDiv in Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary as well as a ThM and PhD in Philosophy of Religion at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. John is a life-long educator and minister having worked at the college, high school, and church levels. He also volunteers his time with Pella Pro-Life and the local … Read More

Alex Hyun

Alex Hyun, Ph.D.

Fellow

Alex Hyun received his B.A. in philosophy at the University of California-Berkeley, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research primarily focuses on issues in applied ethics and meta-ethics. … Read More

Stephen Napier, Ph.D.

Fellow

Dr. Stephen Napier is an associate professor of philosophy at Villanova University specializing in clinical bioethics, and epistemology (the study of knowledge). He has published two books, Virtue Epistemology: Motivation and Knowledge, and Uncertain Bioethics: Moral Risk and Human Dignity, as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles. He is working on a third manuscript tentatively titled, … Read More

Elizabeth Lollar

Fellow

Elizabeth Lollar writes under a pen name. She has a master's degree in philosophy and teaches ethics at a small university. Her ever-patient and ever-loving husband stays up until the wee hours of the morning listening to her talk through whatever philosophical puzzle currently prevents her from sleeping. She has four children, three of whom are standing before the throne of God and interceding on … Read More

Interns

Our interns spend a period of several months learning about non-profit work and the things that have made ERI so succesful while learning new skills and serving the organization. If you're interested in joining our intern program, email Josh.

Petra Wallenmeyer

Writing Intern

Petra is a Kansas City native who transplanted to Columbus, OH in 2014 to attend graduate school at Ohio State University. She got her B.S. in chemistry from UMKC and her M.S. in chemistry from OSU, studying DNA polymerases and HIV RNA. She worked at OSU in the chemistry and biochemistry departments and now works full-time at Heartbeat International, helping connect pregnant and worried women … Read More

Cory Hallada

Intern

Cory is from Palo Alto, CA and attends St. Olaf College (class of 2025). He is majoring in Political Science and Economics and plays on the football team. He got involved in the pro-life movement after speaking with members of Oles for Life at a tabling event as a freshman during the spring semester. He took on the role of Treasurer for his sophomore year and learned how to dialogue with the … Read More

Honored Volunteers

We are grateful for all of our volunteers, but we want to particularly honor the people in this group for spending hundreds of hours helping ERI behind the scenes.

Jim Burke

Systems Engineer

Jim grew up in Minnesota. He earned a B.S. degree in electrical engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo, North Dakota. Jim works as a systems engineer in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jim has been active in the pro-life movement since attending college, although his desire to get involved goes back further. He has served as the vice president of the Coalition for Life of Iowa for … Read More

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors provide wisdom and accountability through quarterly meetings where they go over our financial reports, discuss the direction of the organization, and make the decisions that only a board of directors can make.

Ardee Coolidge

Digital Marketing and Fundraising Optimizer

Ardee Coolidge spent ten years working in the nonprofit sector and now assists nonprofits with their digital marketing and fundraising efforts. He graduated from Patrick Henry College with a B.A. in Government ('12).  Ardee and his wife Christina have four children and live in West Virginia. … Read More

Tim Hull

Apologist

Tim Hull has been married to his wife, Jen, since 2007, and they have two beautiful children, Maddox and Gretchen. Tim has been faithfully walking with Jesus since he was twelve years old and has been in the mission field professionally since he graduated High School in 2000. He has held various positions from Community Apologist, Worship and Production Assistant, Building and Grounds Manager, … Read More

Brien Downie

Logistics Executive

Brien Downie is a member of Equal Rights Institute’s Board of Directors. After spending a decade working in advertising in Los Angeles, Brien now serves as President for Holman Distribution, a 153-year-old Third Party Logistics firm that has been owned by his family since the 1930's. Brien has a BA in Mass Communication ('03) from Biola University, and an MBA ('12) from the Anderson School … Read More

Adelaide Holmes

Adelaide Holmes

Pro-Life Activist

Adelaide works as a campus activist at Protect Life Michigan. She regularly participates in street outreach and trains and mentors college students to become effective advocates for the unborn. Adelaide holds a B.A. in Politics from Hillsdale College, where she was a George Washington Fellow. She lives in Michigan. … Read More

Board of Advisors

ERI’s Advisory Board consists of pro-life leaders, faith leaders, and apologetics experts. Members of the Advisory Board periodically advise Josh or other members of ERI’s staff on subjects within their areas of expertise and questions about general strategy.

David Bereit

National Director, 40 Days for Life

David Bereit is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He became an outspoken pro-life advocate after Planned Parenthood announced plans to build an abortion clinic in his Texas town in 1998. He helped to start and build a local grassroots coalition that rallied 60 churches and thousands of people together and dramatically reduced abortions in the region. Planned Parenthood … Read More

Nick Bradley

Pastor of Student Ministries, First Baptist Church of Clovis

Nick Bradley is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He is one of the Pastors at First Baptist Church of Clovis. He has specialized in Youth Ministries for over 13 years and has heart for truly educating people of all ages in the importance of owning their faith. His desire is for people to come to know the Lord and believes that using logic, critical thinking, history, and … Read More

Kristi Burkhart

Executive Director, Fresno Pregnancy Care Center

Kristi Burkhart is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. She is the Executive Director of the Fresno Pregnancy Care Center, an affiliate of CareNet and National Institute of Family Life Advocates (NIFLA). Pregnancy Care Center provides over $700,000 of free goods, services and education every year at no cost to their clients, governments or insurances. They receive over … Read More

Dr. Charles Camosy

Ethics Professor, Fordham University

Charles Camosy is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. Dr. Camosy teaches Christian ethics at Fordham University in the Bronx. Dr. Camosy grew up in the cornfields of Wisconsin, but has enjoyed living and teaching in the Bronx. A theme running throughout his work is the fostering of intellectual solidarity between political groups and ethical approaches which find … Read More

Kelsey Hazzard

Founder and President, Secular Pro-Life

Kelsey Hazzard is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. She founded Secular Pro-Life in 2009 and serves as its president. Her writings appear regularly in pro-life media and she is featured in the pro-life documentary "40". Kelsey has also made appearances in mainstream news sources like NPR, Buzzfeed, and Slate. She is a graduate of the University of Miami (B.A. 2009), where … Read More

Trent Horn photo headshot

Trent Horn

Apologist and Speaker, Catholic Answers

Trent Horn is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He is an apologist and speaker for Catholic Answers. He earned a graduate degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy from Holy Apostles College. Trent is a regular guest on the radio program Catholic Answers Live, a lecturer who speaks across the … Read More

Scott Klusendorf

Founder and President, Life Training Institute

Scott Klusendorf is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He is the founder and president of Life Training Institute (LTI), which was established in 2004 to challenge and equip pro-life advocates to persuasively defend their views in the public square. Scott travels throughout the United States, Canada and Europe training groups of people to engage the conversation about … Read More

Tyson Langhofer

Senior Counsel & Director of the Center For Academic Freedom, Alliance Defending Freedom

Tyson Langhofer is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He serves as senior counsel and director of the Center for Academic Freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom. He has represented college students and student organizations throughout the country in defending their freedom of speech, freedom of association, and free exercise of religion. In Young Americas’s … Read More

Alan Shlemon

Speaker, Stand to Reason

Alan Shlemon is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He is an author and public speaker for Stand to Reason and is known for teaching on some of the most controversial issues of our time like abortion, evolution, homosexuality, bioethics, and Islam. He has been a guest on both TV and radio, and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches, … Read More

Stephen Wagner

Executive Director, Justice For All

Stephen Wagner is a member of Equal Rights Institute's Board of Advisors. He is the Executive Director of Justice For All, an organization that trains thousands to make abortion unthinkable for millions, one person at a time. He has spent hundreds of hours interacting with abortion-choice advocates on over 30 university campuses in the United States and Canada. Frustrated by shallow … Read More