JUNE 22 - 25, 2026 | LONDON, UKJoin the ARC Liberty Delegation
Meet the Delegation
Jesse Bates
A founding team member at Valor Education, Jesse is responsible for the business operations, finances, and growth strategy for a dynamic non-profit that runs K-12 classical charter schools, the Valor Institute for Studies in Person and Community, and a new faith-based private school in development. Jesse lives with his wife and four children outside Austin and is a member of St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church.
Executive VP + COO, Valor education
Mike Dudgeon
Senator elect, Georgia State SenateMike is a successful semi-retired technology entrepreneur who helped build public and private tech companies in Atlanta. He also served in the Georgia House of Representatives and as Policy Director to the Lt. Governor. He currently is Chair of the Charter School Commission of Georgia.
Mike Howard
Chairman + Ceo, Howard energy partnersMike Howard is Chairman & CEO of Howard Energy Partners, a multifaceted energy company operating across four states and Mexico. A 30-year industry veteran and Distinguished Alumni of Texas A&M-Kingsville, he advocates for reliable, abundant energy and serves on multiple boards including the National Petroleum Council. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and three children.
John Papola
Founder + CEO, Emergent Order FdnAs a filmmaker and serial media entrepreneur, John advances civilization and freedom through storytelling. His work includes documentaries At The Fork, The Pursuit, and To My Father, plus the viral Keynes vs. Hayek rap series. He hosts the Dad Saves America podcast and built his career at MTV, Nickelodeon, and Spike TV. He is a devout Catholic and father.
Benjamin Wissner Slivka
retired monopolist, Wissner Slivka Fdn20 start-ups: software, hardware, biotech, Stoke Space; liberty, wine, cycling, philanthropy; 60 nations; Seattle; cancelled ex-Trustee NorthwesternU; DreamBox, AMZN, MSFT (1985-1999), IBM; 16,300'; 5:46:49 26.2.
Michael Tapp
Founder, Tapp-CO LLcAs a filmmaker and serial media entrepreneur, John advances civilization and freedom through storytelling. His work includes documentaries At The Fork, The Pursuit, and To My Father, plus the viral Keynes vs. Hayek rap series. He hosts the Dad Saves America podcast and built his career at MTV, Nickelodeon, and Spike TV. He is a devout Catholic and father.
Don Bennett
Don Bennett
Focused, approachable, and driven by results, our sales manager is all about building strong relationships. They help connect people to the right solutions—with clarity and care. Focused, approachable, and driven by results, our sales manager is all about building strong relationships. They help connect people to the right solutions—with clarity and care.
MGP, Bennett ventures, LP
Jimmy Fortuna
Chief production officer, Enverus, Inc.Jimmy is a senior executive in a software company serving the global energy sector and an advisor to technology investors. His personal interests include all types of history (anthropological, classical, geopolitical, technological) the outdoors, and cooking. Faith and philanthropy are new areas of growth.
John Mackey
CO-Founder + CEO, Love.LifeJohn Mackey co-founded Whole Foods Market and served as CEO for 44 years, growing it from a single Austin store to 540 locations across the U.S., U.K., and Canada with $22B+ in annual sales. He co-founded the Conscious Capitalism Movement, has co-authored multiple books, and serves on the boards of Conscious Capitalism, CATO Institute, and Students for Liberty.
Caitlin Richie
Devo Ops Manager, Emergent Order Fdn
Robert Edward Berger
VP of Development, Valor educationJesse Bates
After a career building and scaling sales, customer support, and cross-functional teams in the technology industry for small to large organizations, Robert joined Valor Education this past year to form a team focused on development and growth of schools in service of the students, families, and faculty that comprise the Valor community.
Curtis Hite
CEO + Founder, ImprovingCurtis Hite is CEO of Improving, an international software consulting & training firm with 2,000+ employees across 21 offices and $300M+ in revenue. A frequent speaker on leadership, culture, and entrepreneurship, he serves on the International Board of Conscious Capitalism and multiple corporate and civic boards.
Ken Meyer
Executive partner, shore capital partnerKen Meyer is a board director, retail executive, and investor with 35+ years across global retail, food, and consumer businesses, including 24 years at Whole Foods Market (EVP of Operations). He co-founded PrimoFare, a U.S. market launch platform for premium international food brands, and serves as EP at Shore Capital Partners, Founding Partner at Midnight Ventures, and Non-Executive Director of Woolworths Group.
Tim Silfies
head of programing, Emergent Order FdnTim spent over a decade navigating the Wild West of cable news, showrunning "The Independents" and "Kennedy" for Fox News and producing documentaries for John Stossel. He later delved into on-air reporting in the business sector and developed shows for HGTV and YouTube. Now he spearheads creative development & programming of Emergent Order's original content.
Fritz Steiger
Founder + CEO, DeltoxBusiness entrepreneuer involved with real estate development, technology, corporate, non-profit, and agriculture. An author and speaker with a passion for the kingdom of God. Father of six children, three in-love children, and one grandson on the way!
Tim spent over a decade navigating the Wild West of cable news, showrunning "The Independents" and "Kennedy" for Fox News and producing documentaries for John Stossel. He later delved into on-air reporting in the business sector and developed shows for HGTV and YouTube. Now he spearheads creative development & programming of Emergent Order's original content.
Ben Steiger
major usmcr + professor at oruCommanding Officer, Anti-Tank/TOW Training Company, 25th Marine Regiment, and professor of History & Humanities, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Lisa Versaci
Executive producer, Emergent Order FdnA media professional who began her career at Nickelodeon leading award-winning campaigns, Lisa later produced the documentary At The Fork, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and streams on Amazon Prime. She serves as a city zoning commissioner, volunteers at a senior center, and is a Roman Catholic, wife, mother, and dedicated doodle owner.
ARC is an international movement committed to re-laying the philosophical, economic and moral foundations of our civilisation. Building on the resounding success of last year's conference, ARC 2026 will bring together courageous thinkers, innovative builders, creative problem-solvers, and visionary leaders from across the world to reimagine what is possible and to turn bold ideas into lasting impact.