Keynote/Featured Speakers

CHEO is proud to welcome our 2013 Keynote and Featured Speakers…

Steve & Annette Economides                                                    
 (American’s Cheapest Family)

Steve & Annette Economides

Steve and Annette Economides (Econo mee’ dis) were married in 1982. At that time, Steve worked as a graphic designer earning $6.50 per hour, while Annette stayed home to figure out how to stretch their pennies until they begged for mercy. In just nine years, on an average income of just $35,000 they purchased and paid-off their first home. They have also paid cash for all of their cars, taken fabulous debt-free vacations, spent only $350 per month to feed their family of seven, and put their kids through college without any school loans. Steve and Annette are quick to say that anyone can do what they do, if they are willing to learn.

They are NY Times Best Selling authors of three books and are recognized internationally as family finance experts. They have appeared on many national TV shows including: Good Morning America, The Today Show, ABC’s 20/20, Fox TV’s Your World with Neil Cavuto and The Dr. Phil Show. They are regularly quoted on radio, in newspapers and have been featured in magazines such as Good Housekeeping, People and Real Simple as well as profiled on Yahoo and MSNBC (more details here).

Steve and Annette’s interview style is down to earth and easy to understand. They’ll show you how they’ve done it, step-by-step, and how you can you too. If you follow their advice you’ll experience financial freedom, more money in the bank, debt-free living, better family times and lots more laughter.

Doug Phillips
(President, Vision Forum)

Doug Phillips

The mission of Vision Forum is to communicate a vision of victory to Christian families through edifying books, films, toys, curriculum, and other resources.

Every age faces crises that may prove defining to it. One of the crisis which history may record as defining our generation is the systematic annihilation of the Biblical family. The family was the first institution created by God and blessed by Christ during His earthly ministry. It is God’s primary vehicle for communicating covenant promises to the next generation. It is the basic agency of dominion on earth.

While the family is under attack from every side today, God’s sufficient Word provides clear direction and hope to rebuild the family, and it is our goal at Vision Forum to promote courageous fatherhood, noble motherhood, virtuous boyhood and girlhood through vision-casting discipleship tools that teach, equip, and inspire. Whether you are a father who desires to better lead your family, a homeschooling mother who is looking for Biblically-based curriculum choices, or a grandparent, child or young person who desires encouragement in your Christian walk, we have something for you.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). True happiness comes when we obey God’s Word, and it is our prayer that the Bible-affirming resources we offer at Vision Forum will help your family thrive with joy before the Lord.

Dr. Tommy Mitchell
(Answers in Genesis)

Dr. Tommy Mitchell

Tommy, an adjunct speaker with Answers in Genesis since mid-2005, has spoken to thousands of adults, youth, and children in a variety of settings, clearly communicating reasons to trust the Bible and the Creator Christ who wrote it. He has written articles for AiG’s website and other publications, and he was the featured speaker during Answers in Genesis’ relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, resulting in a Telly award-winning DVD, A God of Suffering?

As a scientist, physician, and father, Dr. Mitchell has a burden to provide solid answers from the Bible to equip people to stand in the face of personal tragedy and popular evolutionary misinformation. Using communication skills developed over many years of medical practice, he is able to connect with people at all educational levels and unveil the truth that can change their lives.

Dianne Craft
(Child Diagnostics)

Dianne Craft

I have over 35 years experience teaching bright, inquisitive children who are struggling with learning because of a “glitch” in the processing of information (sometimes referred to as a learning disability). I teach to the problems of these children, often including hyperactivity or attention/behavior problems with a unique way: to find the “solutions” to the problem(s), rather than to compensate for the problem.I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Special Education from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota in 1966 and my Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1990.

My long-time passion is discovering the reason why children struggle with learning and behavior. I began my quest for the latest brain research concerning learning disabilities and their causes, with the belief that God has many solutions available that were previously little or unknown to both parents and teachers alike. I have traveled extensively to glean these bits of knowledge and began applying new techniques to struggling learners.

I created and began teaching the workshop “Brain Integration Therapy” in 1988 and have taught it to children, educators, psychologists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists. In 1993 I began teaching these life-changing concepts directly to parents so that they could also work with their children.

During the process of studying the brain and children’s learning, I created two more popular workshops: “Teaching Strategies for the Right Brain Child” and “The Biology of Learning (Behavior).” I have also taught these classes throughout the five-state region around Colorado.

I retired from teaching in 1997 after 25 years of working with bright and struggling learners but wanted to continue working with kids, so I started my private consulting firm, Child Diagnostics, Inc., in 1997. My inspiration was the unique method that I have developed to diagnose the cause of learning problems and it would be well served by teaching it to the parents of struggling, bright learners. The program not only consists of exercises to perform with children but also nutritional interventions.

I became a nutritionist after realizing that there was another important puzzle piece to these struggling learners. In 1999 I became a Certified Nutritional Health Professional (CNHP) by Trinity College of Warsaw, Indiana. If a child’s biochemistry is upset and his nervous system is not responding correctly, it can make it look like he has focusing problems, auditory processing problems, and even dyslexia.

I live in Centennial, Colorado with my CPA husband, Ron, and run the private consultation practice, Child Diagnostics, Inc.