FreedomFest 2026

Mark Skousen is an economist, investor, and educator known for bridging academic theory and real-world markets. He is the founder and producer of FreedomFest and has spent decades advancing the case for free markets, entrepreneurship, and sound money.

A former professor at Columbia Business School and current professor at Chapman University, Skousen has authored more than 25 books on economics, history, and liberty. His latest book, The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin — The Most Versatile Mind of His Era, reframes Franklin... Read More →

Eric Metaxas is the author of seven New York Times bestselling books, including the million-selling biography Bonhoeffer and his latest work, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. He is the founder and host of Socrates in the City and The Eric Metaxas... Read More →

Michael Shermer is a science writer, historian of ideas, and one of the world’s most prominent public skeptics. He is the founder of The Skeptics Society and publisher of Skeptic magazine, dedicated to investigating extraordinary claims and promoting scientific thinking.

A Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, Shermer has written numerous bestselling books on belief, reasoning, and the psychology of persuasion, including Why People Believe Weird Things and The Moral Arc. His upcoming book, Truth, examines how humans distinguish fact from fiction... Read More →

A longtime Republican, Mike recruits for the Republican Liberty Caucus. He served as Libertarian Party 2024 VP nominee and 2022 Congressional candidate. Mike has served as White House economist, professional free-market advocate, entrepreneur and economics professor. He retired in... Read More →