Dave, the senior pastor of Venture Christian Church, is the Chairman of the Board and a Co-founder of the Values Advocacy Council. Prior to founding South Valley Christian Church, Dave pastored a church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for 15 years. Dave also served for 14 years as a police chaplain in Albuquerque. He later moved to California and was Assistant to the President at San Jose Christian College, and he was a Pastor on staff at Los Gatos Christian Church.

Dave Sawkins is a graduate of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He earned a Master of Arts in Religion from Pepperdine University in Southern California.

Dave is a native Southern Californian. He and his wife, Sheila, have been married for 39 years and have three children (William, Phillip and Susan).

Larry is the President and Co-founder of the Values Advocacy Council. Prior to assuming the position of President, Larry, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), helped families develop and implement their family financial and estate plans.

Larry served two terms on the San Jose City Council. Prior to his time in public office, Larry served as a San Jose Police Officer.

Larry Pegram is a graduate of San Jose State University with a degree in Business Management. He is married and has three adult children, two grandsons.

John is a New Jersey native who became a Californian in 1971. He is president of Harden & Evans Accountancy Corporation in San Jose. He is a graduate of Gettysburg College and Rutgers University. He served as an Infantry 1st Lieutenant in Korea. John and his wife Millie are active in Venture Christian Church, work together in the CPA firm, and live in the Blossom Valley area of San Jose. He has 2 adult sons and 3 grandchildren.

Neil Mammen was born in Africa to Indian parents and grew up speaking Arabic in Africa and the Middle East. He came to the United States at the age of 18 to go to college. At the age of 22 he earned his Masters in Electrical Engineering and Solid State Physics from Oregon State University and then came to Silicon Valley in search of the American Dream. It took him 12 years to finally get his much coveted US citizenship.

Neil has started 4 high tech companies and is currently a Technologist at his latest company Tentmaker Systems, (www.tentmakersystems.com). He is a speaker at various venues around the US teaching Apologetics, Theology and the defense of Christianity as a Rational and Logical Faith. He and his wife Anna live in Willow Glen and worship at Family Community Church. Some of his writings are available at www.neilmammen.com.

Rev. Charles E. Self, Ph.D.,  (www.drcharlieself.com) is a minister and has recently launched a full-time coaching, communicating, educating and master planning outreach. Charlie is a “Messenger to the Thoughtful” TM and has been teaching at the college and graduate level in history, philosophy and religion since 1981 in private and public contexts and has taught over 60 distinct courses.  He is a distinguished author and speaker. His writings include The Power of Faithful Focus (with Les Hewitt), published by Health Communications (The Chicken Soup for the Soul folks), and The Divine Dance, published in 2003. He currently has three other books in preparation.  Recently he has spoken at an Apple Computer Diversity Event and was a media speaker for the Islamofascist Awareness Week events at San Francisco State University. He is known as “Dr. History” on the Brian Sussman Show every week, Hot Talk 560 AM, a leading talk station in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Charlie has been married for 28 years to Kathleen D. Self, artist (www.colorbrush.com) and has three children.  He has been a Bay Area//Silicon Valley resident most of his life.