Breakout Speakers

Amy Lynn Andrews

Amy, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Papua New Guinea, Kenya and the U.S., constantly battles the urge to move on to the next thing. Her current season of life however, has taught her the value of roots; her husband and four children keep her grounded. When it comes to education, they’ve tried it all — public school, private school, University-Model School and homeschool.

She teaches others how to blog effectively at BloggingWithAmy.com and is the author of the ebook Tell Your Time: How To Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Fulfilled. The archives of her first blog, Not Your Typical Pastor’s Wife (later known as With Purpose), stand as a raw reminder of the mind-bending reality that in brokenness or victory, devastation or delight, God never wastes a single thing for His glory.

She currently lives in Texas, but wonders when she’ll get to go back to Africa.

Amy Gross

Amy has a passion for helping people to read the entire Bible… in just 90 days. After facilitating the class in person at her church several times, she partnered with the Bible in 90 Days ministry again to create on online community of readers on her then-very-small blog, MomsToolbox.com.

When it first launched, Amy hoped 20 people would join her in reading, but reminded herself that if only one finished, she would have still succeeded. She coordinated a full-out social media campaign using MomsToolbox, Facebook, Twitter and the help of other bloggers who generously lent their support. Hundreds joined in to read. And hundreds finished. Many graduates were un-churched and most had never read the Bible in its entirety.

The current session, which is the third session, is hosting more than 1,000 readers in the challenge and combines the volunteer efforts of more than 40 women.

In addition to the Blogging Through the Bible in 90 Days program, Amy also shares other Bible study plans, tools and general mom tips and advice on MomsToolbox.com.

Amy is mom to three (plus one current foreign exchange student), and wife to a very supportive husband. She and her husband enjoy cycling to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis society and traveling with their children. You can read more about their travels and traveling advice on her other site, MomsTravelTales.com

Amy Roberts

Amy of RaisingArrows.net is the homeschooling mother of 6 living children and one precious little girl named Emily being held in the Lord’s arms. Her days are filled with giggly girls, rambunctious boys and sticky baby kisses. At night, she writes about it all. Amy is the author of Psalms for the Grieving Heart, a 30 day devotional ebook for those who grieve. It is her deepest desire that out of the overflow of her heart, her mouth should speak…and her fingers type.

Amy’s writing has been featured in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and on websites such as Crosswalk.com, EcoBabySteps.com, The Homeschool Classroom, Ladies Against Feminism, and At The Well. It is her prayer that Christ’s light is seen through the words she writes so that others may be drawn to Him.

Angie Kauffman

Angie is a university-trained elementary and special education teacher who decided that the students who most needed her were her own – so she took her kids out of school and began homeschooling. Angie and her high school sweetheart turned husband, Eric, have three elementary-aged children. Angie typically writes at her blog, Many Little Blessings, about topics related to faith, family, and household management (and where she hosts the weekly meme Helpful Homeschool Hints). Angie has a heart for relationships and community, so she founded (and is a contributing writer and editor at) The Homeschool Classroom and Catholic Mothers Online. Angie also not-so-secretly dreams of being an artist and has an Etsy shop called Just a Tiny Owl.

Angie recently had an essay published in the book Stories for the Homeschool Heart.

Belinda Bullard

Belinda Bullard is a wife to her best friend of 19 years and a homeschooling mother of three. Belinda is an author and the owner of A Blessed Heritage Educational Resources, a literature-based history curriculum featuring African-American presence in history, as well as the contributions of other races to American history. A chemical engineer by formal education with a Masters degree in Business Administration, she also serves as adjunct faculty for college distance learning programs. Belinda blogs at Chronicles of a Blessed Heritage, and she is a regular contributor to Heart of the Matter Online Magazine.

Carisa Hinson

Carisa is a homeschooling mom of 3; ages 9, 5 and 2. She is also a full time inner city missionary living in one of America’s toughest neighborhoods along with her husband. They have lived and served in this area for over 7 years with no plans to leave! Homeschooling began out of necessity and is now something she wouldn’t trade for the world! She writes at 1+1+1=1 where she gives readers a behind the scenes look at her family and how homeschooling works for them. Her weekly Tot School posts and Kindergarten with Krash posts take readers on an in depth journey of what school looks like each week. She also oversees a group blog for Christian moms-Totally Tots, along with her friend Jolanthe from Homeschool Creations. Blogging has become a ministry she never expected and something her family embraces together. She is blessed to have the full support of her husband on this homeschool blogging journey!

Jolanthe Erb

Jolanthe is a mom of 4 kiddos {currently 10, 8, 6 and 4} ~ and wife to a great man. She homeschools her children and life is never dull {or lacking in excitement}. She blogs at No Ordinary Moments and at Homeschool Creations she shares what they are doing in their homeschool time. Contrary to popular belief, she does NOT have it all together and is thankful that she has a husband who is full of grace and above all a God who is lavish in His grace toward her.

Kendra Fletcher

Kendra is the homeschooling mother of eight, ages 18 down to 2.. She has never known what it means to homeschool without the presence of preschoolers, and loves to encourage other moms beginning their homeschool journeys with little ones underfoot. Her website and blog can be found at www.preschoolersandpeace.com

Kris Bales

Kris is a sweet-tea-drinking Southern girl who has been married to her doting husband, Brian since 1991. Though homeschooling their three children – now ages 15, 11, and 9 – began on a trial basis in 2002, it took only months for Kris and her family to realize that homeschooling was the perfect fit for them.

With wit, honesty and her own brand of tongue-in-cheek humor, Kris is the classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, mostly socialized voice behind Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers, where she offers tips, resources and ideas to encourage and equip homeschooling families. The author of the e-book, Get Your Hands on Learning, Kris seeks to help families stretch their homeschool dollars by regularly posting hands-on learning ideas and detailed, honest reviews on popular and emerging homeschooling products.

Between homeschooling, blogging, occasionally indulging in too much social media, attempting to control mountainous loads of laundry, and dusting whenever the dust gets thick enough to use as an art medium, Kris has also found time to lose over 75 pounds on her way to her goal of 95 pounds lost. She shares the ups and downs of her weight-loss journey on her blog, Eclipsed.

Rachel Martin

Rachel lives in the half-a-year frozen land of Minnesota. She’s a Christian home schooling momma to seven fabulous kids, and is the wife to an amazing cancer-surviving husband. In January 2011 her youngest son, Samuel, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so you’ll also find her talking about gluten free living and Celiac Disease awareness. Between home schooling, blogging, running her family, and, of course, drinking coffee, she’ll be driving her girls to classical ballet or her boys to soccer. She’s passionate about seeking joy and living a faith filled, intentional life. You can find Rachel blogging at Finding Joy as well as on twitter or facebook.

Stef Layton

Stef is the wife of Thad and mom to two energetic superheroes! Her family enjoys homeschooling outside in sunny FL. She is the author of Educating Laytons and has been a featured writer for InCourage , The Mob Society , and The Happy Housewife. In the summer of 2010, Stef’s ideas to connect homeschool moms grew into a reality when she created The Homeschool Village.

Toni Anderson

Toni Anderson is founder of TheHappyHousewife.com, a website dedicated to helping families live well on less. Toni is an author, homeschooling mother of seven children, military spouse, and has been publishing since 2006.

Toni has partnered with national consumer brands such as Frito Lay, Subway, Knouse Foods, Proctor and Gamble, BornFree and web2.0 companies like The BlogFrog and Lijit. She is a wide-reaching authority among women and mothers, a group that is currently the most influential demographic in the U.S.

In addition to managing TheHappyHousewife.com, she co-founded Savvy Blogging, one of the most influential blog to business resources on the web.