Directors And Executive Leadership

Tim Lambert, Chairman of the Board

Tim Lambert

Chairman of the Board

Nathan Macias, President

Nathan Macias

President

Jeremy Newman, JD Vice President

Jeremy Newman, JD

Vice President

Anita Scott, Director of Education Policy

Anita Scott

Director of Education Policy

Larry Walsted, Director of Business Development

Larry Walsted

Business Development Director

Policy & Legal Team

Jeremy Newman, JD VP of Policy & Engagement

Jeremy Newman, JD

Vice President

Jeremy Newman, J.D. serves as Vice President at the Family Freedom Project, where he oversees all legislative, political, and litigation-related efforts. He received his Juris Doctor from Oak Brook College of Law and has over a decade of legal and legislative experience.

Anita Scott, Director of Education Policy

Anita Scott

Director of Education Policy

Anita Scott, a native of Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, serves as Director of Education Policy with the Family Freedom Project. Before joining the team, she spent over a decade as a K–12 teacher and administrator, helping students and families thrive. Anita holds a deep passion for ensuring Texas policies truly serve families—a calling she credits entirely to God’s direction and grace. Outside of her work, Anita enjoys snowboarding, horseback riding, and spending intentional time with family and friends.

Haley Skrnich, Policy Analyst

Haley Skrnich

Policy Analyst

Haley Skrnich serves as a Policy Analyst with the Family Freedom Project, where she works to defend families from government overreach and advance lasting protections for parental rights in Texas. She holds a B.S. in Political Science from Liberty University and is currently pursuing her Juris Doctor at Oak Brook College of Law. Haley is passionate about bridging law, policy, and storytelling to bring awareness to the families impacted by government intrusion. In her spare time, she loves hiking and exploring the outdoors with her dog, Riley.

Nathan Bryant, Policy Analyst

Nathan Bryant

Policy Analyst

Fellows

Eva Guzman - Senior Fellow, Family Law Policy & Constitutional Issues

Honorable Eva Guzman

Senior Fellow, Family Law Policy & Constitutional Issues

Eva Guzman served on the Supreme Court of Texas from 2009 to 2021, where she authored hundreds of opinions that continue to shape Texas law. With more than two decades of judicial experience across multiple levels of the Texas judiciary, she is widely recognized for her commitment to justice, family, and the rule of law. Throughout her career, she has been a steadfast champion for parental rights and the protection of families within the legal system. Today, she practices at Wright Close & Barger LLP, focusing on complex appellate and constitutional matters, and remains a respected voice for principled leadership and integrity in public service.

Chris Branson - Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Chris Branson

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Chris Branson is a Houston-based CPS attorney and has defended families in CPS cases for decades. He is a founding member of the Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys (TAFDA). He has long advised and partnered with FFP’s team on critical legislation and in dozens of CPS cases across Texas and before the Texas Supreme Court.

Jim Pikl - Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Jim Pikl

Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Jim Pikl lives in DFW and is a partner at Sheef & Stone. Jim has successfully handled multiple complex appellate cases for FFP’s team in defense of parental rights. He has frequently consulted with FFP’s team on critical legislative issues and testified before legislative committees regarding important parental rights issues facing Texas families.

Jim Pikl - Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Brandon Logan

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services & Family Policy

Brandon Logan serves as the Executive Director for One Accord for Kids, a non-profit serving foster care children in West Texas. Brandon previously served as Executive Director for 2INgage, the Single Source Continuum Contractor for foster care Region 2, and as Director of the Center for Families & Children at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Brandon began his career in child welfare as an attorney, representing hundreds of children and families in court. Brandon holds a PhD in Family Studies from Texas Tech. and currently lives with his family in Midland, Texas.

John Schmude - Senior Fellow, Parental Rights & Constitutional Issues

John Schmude

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services & Constitutional Issues

John Schmude is board-certified in Family Law and served as Presiding Judge of the 247th Family District Court in Harris County from 2015–2018. He oversaw more than 13,000 family law cases and was consistently recognized for excellence and efficiency on the bench. Appointed by the Governor’s Office to the Judicial Commission for Children, Youth, and Families, John also received the Family Protector Award from the Texas Home School Coalition for defending families from government overreach. Before serving as judge, he led Schmude Law Firm and worked as a financial consultant to major banks and credit unions. A lifelong Texan, John enjoys coaching baseball, teaching on legal ethics, and serving in his church.

Brad Scalise, Child Protective Services

Brad Scalise

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Brad Scalise is an experienced Texas attorney who focuses on defending families facing CPS and APS investigations, as well as complex family law matters. A native of the Arlington/Hurst area, he graduated from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2014. Recognized early in his career, Brad was named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine in 2015–2017. Outside the courtroom, he is a dedicated husband and father who enjoys family time, fishing, art museums, and travel.

Family Freedom Project (FFP) invites Fellows to join us in paving the way to keep Texas families free. Fellowships are offered to highly qualified and accomplished policy experts, legal counsel, or communicators throughout the country. FFP Fellows serve as a bench of experts who we regularly consult on parental rights policy and legal issues and who we often partner with on important litigation.

FFP currently hosts a Senior Fellowship of highly respected and accomplished experts in their fields. A Junior Fellowship program is also under consideration for the future for less experienced professionals interested in lending their efforts to the defense of Texas Families.

We are proud to promote the work and thinking of our Senior Fellows as they join us in providing advisory legal counsel and expert analysis to defend Texas Families. Please note that our Fellows may not always represent the official position of FFP in their external work, and FFP’s work does not necessarily represent the individual views of each Fellow on each issue.

Fellows

Eva Guzman - Senior Fellow, Family Law Policy & Constitutional Issues

Honorable Eva Guzman

Senior Fellow, Family Law Policy & Constitutional Issues

Eva Guzman served on the Supreme Court of Texas from 2009 to 2021, where she authored hundreds of opinions that continue to shape Texas law. With more than two decades of judicial experience across multiple levels of the Texas judiciary, she is widely recognized for her commitment to justice, family, and the rule of law. Throughout her career, she has been a steadfast champion for parental rights and the protection of families within the legal system. Today, she practices at Wright Close & Barger LLP, focusing on complex appellate and constitutional matters, and remains a respected voice for principled leadership and integrity in public service.

Chris Branson - Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Chris Branson

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Chris Branson is a Houston-based CPS attorney and has defended families in CPS cases for decades. He is a founding member of the Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys (TAFDA). He has long advised and partnered with FFP’s team on critical legislation and in dozens of CPS cases across Texas and before the Texas Supreme Court.

Jim Pikl - Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Jim Pikl

Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Jim Pikl lives in DFW and is a partner at Sheef & Stone. Jim has successfully handled multiple complex appellate cases for FFP’s team in defense of parental rights. He has frequently consulted with FFP’s team on critical legislative issues and testified before legislative committees regarding important parental rights issues facing Texas families.

Jim Pikl - Senior Fellow, Appellate Law, Civil Rights Defense, & Constitutional Issues

Brandon Logan

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services & Family Policy

Brandon Logan serves as the Executive Director for One Accord for Kids, a non-profit serving foster care children in West Texas. Brandon previously served as Executive Director for 2INgage, the Single Source Continuum Contractor for foster care Region 2, and as Director of the Center for Families & Children at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Brandon began his career in child welfare as an attorney, representing hundreds of children and families in court. Brandon holds a PhD in Family Studies from Texas Tech. and currently lives with his family in Midland, Texas.

John Schmude - Senior Fellow, Parental Rights & Constitutional Issues

John Schmude

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services & Constitutional Issues

John Schmude is board-certified in Family Law and served as Presiding Judge of the 247th Family District Court in Harris County from 2015–2018. He oversaw more than 13,000 family law cases and was consistently recognized for excellence and efficiency on the bench. Appointed by the Governor’s Office to the Judicial Commission for Children, Youth, and Families, John also received the Family Protector Award from the Texas Home School Coalition for defending families from government overreach. Before serving as judge, he led Schmude Law Firm and worked as a financial consultant to major banks and credit unions. A lifelong Texan, John enjoys coaching baseball, teaching on legal ethics, and serving in his church.

Brad Scalise, Child Protective Services

Brad Scalise

Senior Fellow, Child Protective Services

Brad Scalise is an experienced Texas attorney who focuses on defending families facing CPS and APS investigations, as well as complex family law matters. A native of the Arlington/Hurst area, he graduated from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2014. Recognized early in his career, Brad was named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine in 2015–2017. Outside the courtroom, he is a dedicated husband and father who enjoys family time, fishing, art museums, and travel.

Family Freedom Project (FFP) invites Fellows to join us in paving the way to keep Texas families free. Fellowships are offered to highly qualified and accomplished policy experts, legal counsel, or communicators throughout the country. FFP Fellows serve as a bench of experts who we regularly consult on parental rights policy and legal issues and who we often partner with on important litigation.

FFP currently hosts a Senior Fellowship of highly respected and accomplished experts in their fields. A Junior Fellowship program is also under consideration for the future for less experienced professionals interested in lending their efforts to the defense of Texas Families.

We are proud to promote the work and thinking of our Senior Fellows as they join us in providing advisory legal counsel and expert analysis to defend Texas Families. Please note that our Fellows may not always represent the official position of FFP in their external work, and FFP’s work does not necessarily represent the individual views of each Fellow on each issue.