Conference Agenda

Monday, October 12 & Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Monday, October 12
12:00  – 1:00 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Keynote Luncheon

Scott Jennings
CNN Contributor, Conservative Columnist, and Former Presidential Advisor
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Session I: The First Branch—Reasserting Congressional Power

Timothy Chapman (moderator)
President, Advancing American Freedom Foundation

Brittany Madni
Special Advisor, National Taxpayers Union Foundation
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Session II: Behind the Headlines of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Chris Ciancimino (moderator)
Philanthropy Advisor, Bradley Impact Fund

Tarren Bragdon
President and CEO, Foundation for Government Accountability

John Hinderaker
President, Center of the American Experiment
4:15 – 5:15 p.m
Great Lakes Ballroom

Session III: The Canary in the Coal Mine—Rise of Socialism in NYC

Rafael Mangual
Nick Ohnell Fellow, Manhattan Institute

Reihan Salam
President, Manhattan Institute
5:15 – 5:30 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

State of the Bradley Impact Fund

Gabe Conger
President, Bradley Impact Fund

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Kohler Design Center

Welcome Reception

Willkommen! Inspired by The American Club’s origin as a dormitory for the Austrian and German workers who arrived looking for work, celebrate the Gemütlichkeit—community, warmth, friendliness, and good cheer—of Oktoberfest.  

 

Tuesday, October 13

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Great Lakes Foyer

Breakfast 

Buffet is available. Guests may eat in the breakout session of their choice.

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. 

Breakout Sessions

Choose one session:

Lake Erie/Ontario

Breakout I: Schools as Pillars of Community

Kala Hill (moderator)
Vice President for Programs and Strategy, Bradley Impact Fund

Pastor Carlos Leyrer
President, Divine Savior Ministries

Pastor Marcio Sierra
Senior Pastor and President, Lighthouse Christian School

Tia Sierra
Principal, Lighthouse Christian School

Thunder Bay

Breakout II: Consider the Source-How to Consume News in the Digital Age

Sherry Street (moderator)
Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Bradley Impact Fund

Chris Krug
Publisher, The Center Square

Bay de Noc

Breakout III: Ask Him Anything—Lessons from an Estate Attorney

Gabe Conger  (moderator)
President, Bradley Impact Fund

Jason Kohout
Partner and Chair, Family Office Teams, Foley & Lardner

9:15 – 10:15 a.m

Repeat Breakout Sessions I, II, III

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Session IV:
The Boys and Girls are NOT Alright

Inez Stepman (moderator)
Senior Policy and Legal Analyst, Independent Women

Caroline Downey
Staff Writer, National Review, Senior Fellow, Independent Women and, Fellow, Steamboat Institute

Andrew Hartz
Founder, President, and Executive Director, Open Therapy Institute

11:30 – 12:30 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Special Address: 
Championing Freedom of Speech

 

12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Great Lakes Ballroom

Luncheon Keynote

Robert P. George
McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director, James Madison Program
in American Ideals and Institutions, Princeton University,
2005 Bradley Prize Recipient

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Appley Theater

Session V:
The Storytelling Movement to Champion Freedom

Chris Ciancimino (moderator)
Philanthropic Advisor, Bradley Impact Fund

Joseph Corey
Vice President of Philanthropic Investments, Moving Picture Institute

Lana Link
Senior Vice President, Moving Picture Institute

5:00 – 5:45 p.m. 
Great Lakes Foyer

Reception

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. 
Great Lakes Ballroom

Dinner Keynote

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Research Fellow, Hoover Institution,
Founder, AHA Foundation, and
2015 Bradley Prize Recipient

Rick Graber  (moderator)
President and CEO, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

8:00 – 9:30 p.m. 
Great Lakes Foyer

Dessert Reception
Say sweet goodbyes to friends, new and old.