Michael P. Farris is president, CEO, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom. In January 2017, he became only the second person to occupy that position in the organization’s 23-year history. He brings to the role a remarkably diverse background as an effective litigator, educator, public advocate, pastor, and communicator, and wide recognition for his successful work on both the national and international stage.

Farris was founding president of both the Home School Legal Defense Association (1983) and Patrick Henry College (2000) and continues to serve as chairman of the board of HSLDA and chancellor emeritus of PHC.

Kelvin J. Cochran was born and raised in Shreveport, LA. After watching Shreveport firefighters put out a fire across the street from where he lived, he dreamed that one day he would be a firefighter. He accepted Christ at the age of 7 years old and was a member of the Galilee Baptist Church. He became a firefighter with the Shreveport Fire Department in 1981.

Working his way through the ranks he was appointed Fire Chief of the Shreveport Fire Department in 1999. In 2008 he was appointed Fire Chief for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department under Mayor Shirley Franklin. In August 2009 he was appointed by President Barack Obama to head the United States Fire Administration in the Department of Homeland Security. In June 2010 he was recruited back to serve as Fire Chief under Mayor Kasim Reed and served until January 2015.