National Leaders Collective
2025 Speakers

Kristan Hawkins
President of Students for Life of America (SFLA)
As President of Students for Life of America (SFLA), Kristan Hawkins has spent more than 16 years building a national network of more than 1,400 student-lead groups in more than 50 states, layering campus activism now with political engagement through Students for Life Action, which she also heads.
With the Students for Life team, Kristan has launched key initiatives to mobilize pro-life activists such as the Campaign for Abortion Free Cities, StandingWithYou.org, and the Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement. Recently, she and her team are leading the pro-life movement’s response to the proliferation of dangerous Chemical Abortion Pills at ThisisChemicalAbortion.com. This school year, her team will have one million conversations with Gen Z, those most targeted by the abortion industry, converting 10-20% of those they reach.
Each year, Kristan travels across the nation to speak on college campuses such as UC-Berkeley, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Ohio State University to educate our youth on the horrors of abortion. She also hosts a bi-weekly podcast called Explicitly Pro-Life. Kristan regularly appears in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, NPR and has been interviewed by every major television network in America.

Brandy Meeks
President of the Vitae Foundation

David Bereit
Executive Director for the Life Leadership Conference
David Bereit is an internationally acclaimed pro-life leader, strategic advisor, coalition builder, and dynamic communicator.
David's pro-life journey began in Bryan/College Station, Texas, where he rallied 60 churches and thousands of volunteers to drive Planned Parenthood out of local schools, revoke its taxpayer funding, reduce abortions, and ultimately shut down the local abortion center—prompting Planned Parenthood to label his town "the most anti-choice place in the nation."
He went on to found and lead 40 Days for Life, growing it into the world's largest grassroots pro-life mobilization. Under his leadership, the movement galvanized 2,000 leaders and 750,000 volunteers in 600 cities across all 50 states and dozens of nations, leading to 14,643 lives saved, 177 abortion workers leaving the industry, and 96 abortion facility closures.
Today, David serves as Executive Director for the Life Leadership Conference, maximizing the pro-life movement’s impact through strategic coordination, unified messaging, targeted mobilization, leadership development, and a significant financial commitment to innovative life-saving efforts.
David has addressed over 1,000 audiences and one million people worldwide, been featured in nearly every major media outlet, raised $100 million for pro-life and faith-based causes, and advised countless ministries. His work has earned accolades and awards from the Pontifical Academy for Life, Students for Life, Legatus, the Sisters of Life, and the West Coast Walk for Life, among many others. After the reversal of Roe v. Wade, he was named among the "50 Greatest Pro-Life Leaders of the Last 50 Years."
David and his wife, Margaret, have been joyfully married for 32 years, live in the Washington, D.C., area, and are the proud parents of two adult children.

Jay Watts
Founder and President of Merely Human Ministries
Jay is the Founder and President of Merely Human Ministries, INC., an organization committed to equipping Christians and people who hold pro-life views to graciously defend the intrinsic dignity of all human life in a positive, impacting and Gospel inspired manner.
He served at Cobb Pregnancy Services for three years as Development Coordinator and currently sits on their Board of Directors. His daily work among women and men offering life-affirming options for families facing unexpected pregnancies fostered a deep and continuing love for pregnancy centers.
He left CPS in 2010 to serve for eight years with Life Training Institute (LTI) and Scott Klusendorf as the Vice-President of Development and Communications where he contributed as a speaker and writer.
He has spoken to high schools, universities, and professional organizations all across the United States. He has been an invited speaker to dozens of university groups including Harvard, UNC – Chapel Hill, NC State, and University of Illinois to name only a few. He has appeared on radio and television interviews, regularly featured as the keynote at banquets and national conferences, published popular level articles on a wide array of topics pertaining to bioethics and the university culture, and is a contributing writer to Christian Research Journal.
He lives in Marietta, GA with his wife and three children.
Tina Whittington
Executive Vice President for Students for Life of America
Tina Whittington received her Associates Degree from Portland Community College, and then got married and moved 3,000 miles across the country to Virginia in order to follow her pro-life calling with Rock for Life. Tina began full-time pro-life work in 1999 as Project Manager for Rock for Life. While there, she put together pro-life literature, wrote for the monthly newsletter, spoke at high schools and colleges, organized events, and toured with Christian bands sharing the pro-life message from stage at hundreds of concerts and music festivals. She has been a guest on Fox News, EWTN, Nightline, Loveline with Adam Carrola & Dr. Drew, and has been quoted in the New York Times and the Washington Post. Tina currently resides in Fredericksburg, Virginia and serves the Pro-Life Generation as Students for Life’s Executive Vice President. This work includes managing the daily operations of SFLA as well as an ever-growing team.

Matthew Ray
Legal counsel for the Center for Academic Freedom for Alliance Defending Freedom

Elizabeth Richards
Senior Regional Programs Manager at Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Elizabeth Richards serves as a Senior Regional Programs Manager for Sidewalk Advocates for Life (SAFL), the largest sidewalk outreach organization in the nation, which trains and equips volunteer teams across the U.S., as well as Mexico and Colombia.
In her role as a Regional Programs Manager, Elizabeth advises and supports sidewalk advocacy teams in the western region of the United States. She is humbled to be a part of the SAFL National Programs team, whose goal is to pour into local leaders so they can pour into those they come into contact with on the sidewalk. The SAFL program has helped over 24,000 abortion-vulnerable moms choose life and 103 workers leave the abortion industry, and celebrated the closure of 62 abortion and abortion-referral facilities where a sidewalk advocacy team has been present.
Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as well as an Associate Degree in Nursing from Edison State College in Naples, Florida. She is a certified fertility awareness educator through Fertility Education and Medical Management (FEMM) and has a deep love for teaching women and men about God’s design of their sexuality and the beauty of cooperating with a woman’s natural cycle. One of her greatest passions is advocating for women and families as a certified birth and postpartum doula and helping new parents navigate the often bumpy transition into parenthood.
Elizabeth was a proud, single mother who faced an unexpected pregnancy, and is now married and raising her grandson. Elizabeth calls North Carolina home with her family.

Kate Carney
Campaign for Abortion Free Cities Manager for Students for Life of America
Kate Carney grew up in Burnt Hills, New York and graduated from Ithaca College after studying Vocal Performance. Moved by the heartbreaking reality of abortion, a year after graduating college, she took a chance and threw herself head-first into the pro-life movement. Her main goal is to influence the lives of the students she works with to be unafraid in the face of adversity. Kate Maloney currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts and serves the Pro-Life Generation as the Campaign for Abortion Free Cities Manager. This work includes ensuring that efforts to make more than 20 different cities nationwide abortion free are operating smoothly and making progress.

Stephanie Stone
Students for Life’s Standing With You Coordinator for Students for Life of America
Stephanie Stone grew up in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Catholic University of America after studying Politics and English. During her time at CUA with Cardinals for Life, Stephanie worked with her Regional Coordinator, Michele Hendrickson (who is now her boss!), to bring a display to campus, go to the March for Life, and host CUA’s first Pep Rally for Life. A year after graduation, she joined SFLA as the Capital Area Regional Coordinator assisting groups in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Stephanie Stone and her work have been featured on multiple news outlets such as Breitbart and Fox News, and her writing has been featured on Media Research Center’s NewsBusters, Maryland March for Life’s blog, as well as Students for Life of America’s blog. She has spoken on campuses across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, at press conferences, and regularly at churches in the Capital Area. Stephanie currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia and serves the Pro-Life Generation as Students for Life’s Standing With You Coordinator. This work includes the management of Standing With You, Students for Life’s pregnancy support program.

Liana Moorman
Eastern Regional Manager for Students for Life of America
Liana Moorman grew up in Florence, New Jersey and graduated from DeSales University after studying Political Science and Theology. Liana joined the DeSales Pro-Life Club during her freshman year and became the president her sophomore year. During her time leading the group, she discovered Students for Life of America and the resources they offered. Their training and campus displays were pivotal in her growth as a pro-life activist. Liana currently resides in Philadelphia, PA and serves the Pro-Life Generation as Students for Life’s Eastern Regional Manager. This work includes managing the awesome East Coast team of Regional Coordinators.


Tom Usle
Northern Regional Manager for Students for Life of America
Tom Usle grew up in Sierra Madre, California and after studying at Iowa State University, he graduated with a degree in Fire Science.
Though he always considered himself pro-life, he was not always vocal about it given the backlash he thought he would receive from his peers in high school. But during his time in college as the abortion activists became more radical and outspoken, Tom came to realize that being all talk and no action would do nothing to combat the widespread acceptance of abortion. There is nothing he would rather be doing than serving in the protection of mothers and children everywhere.
Tom currently resides in Valparaiso, Indiana and serves the Pro-Life Generation as Students for Life’s Northern Regional Manager. This work includes managing the Regional Coordinators in the northern states.

Lydia Taylor Davis
Spokesperson and Social Media Coordinator for Students for Life of America
National Leaders Collective Alum
Lydia Taylor Davis grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and graduated from Campbell University after studying management.
Lydia served as President of Campbell University’s Students for Life chapter during her time as a student and is still known as “the pro-life girl” across her state of North Carolina. She has dedicated her life to ending abortion and gained national attention for facing extreme backlash from the pro-abortion movement. In 2023, she participated in a highly anticipated abortion debate in which a majority of the pro-choice audience voted that she won. She’s been featured in Fox News, Steve Bannon’s War Room, the Whatever Podcast, Wall Street Journal, ABC, Newsmax, and other news outlets. Lydia is best known for her viral pro-life TikTok content which has reached millions of people and helped educate Gen Z on the truth about abortion. She now tours the country, speaking on college campuses about abortion for Students for Life and works tirelessly to protect life nationwide.
Lydia currently resides in Spring Lake, North Carolina, and serves the Pro-Life Generation as Students for Life’s Spokesperson and Social Media Coordinator. This work includes touring the country and speaking about abortion to change minds on college campuses, as well as creating powerful social media content across the organization’s platforms to spread the pro-life message.

Mark Mezzina
State Legislative Program Coordinator for Students for Life Action
Mark Mezzina has worked in conservative politics for over 10 years in multiple states and at the federal level. He currently serves as a State Legislative Program Coordinator for Students for Life Action. Mark believes that the most vulnerable people should be protected, and that the prevalence of abortion in our society is a symptom of a much deeper problem.
Savanna Deretich
Government Affairs Coordinator for Students for Life Action
National Leaders Collective Alum
Savanna Deretich grew up in Ham Lake, Minnesota and graduated from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Communications/Family Advocacy and Biblical Studies.
Savanna is the Government Affairs Coordinator with Students for Life Action. As such, Savanna lobbies for strong state pro-life legislation, builds relationships with pro-life champions, and is the media spokesperson.
In college, Savanna started a Students for Life group on her campus and her passion for the pro-life movement rapidly blossomed. Right around when she began to lead the Students for Life group, infanticide was legalized in New York. On that dark day, a burning fire ignited in her heart and she knew being a voice for the voiceless and protecting life in law would be her life’s work. The next day, Savanna changed her major to fit a pro-life career path.
Before Savanna became an employee with Students for Life, she was a Minnesota State Captain with Students for Life Action, a 2019-2020 Wilberforce Fellow, a 2020-2021 Student Spokesperson, as well as founded and served as President for the Students for Life group on her campus at the University of Northwestern St. Paul for over three years.

Rebecca Rose
National Leaders Collective Event Emcee
National Leaders Collective Alum

Graceann Siff
National Leaders Collective Event Emcee
National Leaders Collective Alum
Anna Young
Director of Recruitment at Forge Leadership Network
National Leaders Collective Alum

Julie Kilmer
Aging with Dignity
National Leaders Collective Alum
