Meet Team HOPE

William J. Bennett is one of America's most important, influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and education issues. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Bill Bennett studied philosophy at Williams College (B.A.) and the University of Texas (Ph.D.) and earned a law degree from Harvard. Dr. Bennett has taught in the humanities departments of several universities and was a Tutor in the Social Studies Program at Harvard University. He is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show Bill Bennett's Morning in America. It is rated the 9th largest radio talk show in the nation, after debuting in April 2003. The program airs from 6-9:00 a.m. (Eastern) in over 135 cities across the country with two million listeners as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 144. Dr. Bennett is also the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute and chairman of Americans for Victory over Terrorism, a project dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public opinion as the war on terrorism moves forward. He is a regular contributor to CNN. Dr. Bennett recently published a two-volume history of the United States entitled America: The Last Best Hope, which appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.

During the 1980s, Dr. Bennett emerged as one of the nation's most prominent political figures. He served as President Reagan's chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (1981-1985) and Secretary of Education (1985-1988), and President Bush's "drug czar" (1989-1990). In his various roles, he was perceived -- even by his adversaries -- as a man of strong, reasoned convictions who spoke candidly, eloquently, and honestly about some of the most important issues of our time.

Bill Bennett has accomplished a rare feat: since leaving government, he has achieved an even greater impact on our national political debate. Dr. Bennett has written for America's leading newspapers and magazines and appeared on the nation's most influential television shows. He has also written and edited 17 books, two of which -- The Book of Virtues and The Children's Book of Virtues -- rank among the most successful of the past decade. The Book of Virtues has been made into an animated series that airs on PBS in the United States and Great Britain and has been seen in over 65 countries. Dr. Bennett was named by focus groups and leading analysts as the "Best Communicator of 2002," the most well received public commentator on the issues of "pride, patriotism, faith, and moral conviction."

Thanks to his writings and speeches, William Bennett has extraordinary influence on America's political and social landscape. He, his wife Elayne, and their two sons, John and Joseph, live in Maryland.

As senior vice president, Milken Educator Awards, at the Milken Family Foundation, Dr. Jane Foley oversees the selection and notification of Milken Educators, coordinates the Milken Educator Forum, and works with state agencies on state events related to the Awards. Dr. Foley serves on the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Advisory Board which provides guidance for the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), a comprehensive school-based reform to attract, retain, develop and motivate talented people to the teaching profession. Dr. Foley is a 1994 recipient of the Milken Educator Award from Indiana and also director of the Milken Scholars, a Foundation initiative that helps outstanding young men and women achieve their academic and professional goals. She is senior advisor for the Lowell Milken Center, a Kansas-based initiative that supports projects aimed at teaching respect and understanding throughout America and the world. Dr. Foley is also president of the Center's advisory board. She is senior advisor to former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. William Bennett and leads a team of Milken Educators working together to advance the use of his American History books, America: The Last Best Hope, Volumes I & II, in schools across the country. Dr. Foley was a public school educator for 24 years, serving at the elementary and high school levels as both teacher and principal. Before coming to the Foundation in 1998, she was principal of Flint Lake Elementary School in Indiana, which, under her leadership, attained state and national recognition in the areas of school restructuring, professional development, technology integration and student achievement. Dr. Foley received her Ph.D. from Purdue University, and her honors include the International Society of Educational Planning Outstanding Dissertation Award, Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honorary and Who's Who in the World.

Dr. Rex Bolinger, 1999 Indiana Milken Educator, joined Team HOPE with over 34 years of educational experience. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to education. Dr. Bolinger has been a high school teacher and principal. He served on the National Commission for the High School Senior Year in 2000. He was an associate superintendent of schools for three years before accepting an assignment with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, NJ. At the Foundation, he was a Senior Program Manager in charge of developing early college high schools at universities around the nation. He later returned to Indiana as a Senior Fellow with the Sagamore Institute for Policy Research. During this assignment, he led the creation of an early college charter high school in downtown Indianapolis. His preparation serves him well in handling the coordination of Team HOPE's efforts at all levels.

Philip Bigler is currently serving as the Director of the James Madison Center at James Madison University. The Center serves as a repository for information and materials concerning the nation's 4th President and Federalist Period. Through the Donald Robertson Project, the Center works closely with K-12 educators and pre-service teachers. Philip continues to teach courses in both history and education. He has recently completed his fifth book, Be A Teacher, which is published by Vandamere Press. A veteran educator, Philip Bigler taught history and humanities in the public schools for over 23 years. He is widely recognized for his creativity in the classroom and his innovative methods. In 1998, Mr. Bigler was named the 1998 National Teacher of the Year in a Rose Garden ceremony hosted by then President, Bill Clinton. He also received the Milken National Educator Award in 1999. Bigler holds BA and M.Ed. degrees from JMU and a MA from the College of William and Mary.

Jeff Gall has taught at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri since 1997. He holds a Ph.D. in American history and teaches courses in U.S. and Missouri history. Jeff also trains future high school history teachers in Truman State's graduate education program. Before coming to Truman, Jeff taught high school social studies in Lee's Summit, Missouri for fourteen years. There, he helped establish the district's International Baccalaureate Program. As a high school teacher, he was a finalist for Missouri State Teacher of the Year, was named the nation's Outstanding Teacher of American History (by the Daughters of the American Revolution) and in 1996 received the Milken Family Foundation's National Educator Award. In 2006, Jeff published Missouri: Our Home (Gibbs Smith, Publisher), a textbook used by fourth graders across his state. Jeff and his wife Susie have two grown children.