The Institute for Faith & Culture is thrilled to welcome five outstanding leaders to our Advisory Board: George Grant, Natasha Crain, Virgil Walker, Ryan Helfenbein, and Chad Volkert.
Each of these leaders brings deep expertise and a shared passion for cultural apologetics. Their voices span the pulpit, the classroom, the podcast studio, the boardroom, and the halls of local government, and together they will help expand and advance the mission of IFC.
“These new advisors bring years of expertise in their respective fields to the Institute and will support our mission of engaging the culture for Christ,” said Dr. Robert J. Pacienza, President and Founder of IFC.
Get to know each of our newest advisors below.
George Grant
Dr. George Grant is Pastor Emeritus of Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and the founder of Franklin Classical School, the Comenius School, Bannockburn College, and New College Franklin. He serves as Director of the King’s Meadow Study Center and Coordinator of the Chalmers Fund.
A prolific author, Grant has written more than five dozen books spanning history, biography, politics, literature, and social criticism, including The Micah Mandate, Killer Angel: A Biography of Margaret Sanger, and The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus. Earlier in his ministry, he served as an assistant to Dr. D. James Kennedy at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, giving him a longstanding connection to the very heritage IFC was built to carry forward.
Follow George’s writing, classes, and broadcasts at georgegrant.net
Natasha Crain
Natasha Crain is a national speaker, podcast host, and author of five books equipping Christians to think biblically in a secular culture. Her books include Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture, When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square, Talking with Your Kids about Jesus, Talking with Your Kids about God, and Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side.
Natasha hosts The Natasha Crain Podcast and co-hosts the Unshaken Faith Podcast with Alisa Childers. She holds an MBA in Marketing and Statistics from UCLA, a BA in Economics from USC, and a certificate in Christian apologetics from Biola University.
Follow Natasha at natashacrain.com or on Instagram @natasharcrain.
Virgil Walker
Virgil Walker serves as Teaching Pastor at Redeemer Bible Church in Gilbert, Arizona, and co-hosts the Just Thinking Podcast with Darrell Harrison, one of the most influential Christian podcasts engaging theology, culture, and current events from a biblical worldview.
Virgil is the co-author of Just Thinking: About Ethnicity, Just Thinking: About the State, Why Are You Afraid? and A Biblical Theology of Climate Change. He is a regular commentator on Fearless with Jason Whitlock, and his writing has appeared with The Blaze and the Standing for Freedom Center. He holds an MBA from Southern Nazarene University and a Master of Theological Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Follow Virgil at virgilwalkermin.com or on Instagram @virgilwalkeroma
Ryan Helfenbein
Ryan Helfenbein is Vice President of Communications and Public Engagement at Liberty University and the Founding Executive Director of the Standing for Freedom Center, where he hosts the Give Me Liberty podcast. He is a regular Christian cultural and political commentator with appearances on Fox News, Newsmax, Real America’s Voice, and Salem Media.
Ryan previously served as an advisor and public information officer for the 62nd Governor of Kentucky, Matt Bevin. He earned his Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Follow Ryan on X at @RHelfenbein or on Instagram @ryanhelfenbein.
Chad Volkert
Chad Volkert is a Global C-Suite Leader at Protiviti and a member of the firm’s Executive Leadership team, bringing more than 25 years of experience in legal optimization and executive management. He has helped scale business units to more than $400 million in revenue growth and has hired and led teams across 30-plus global offices.
Beyond the boardroom, Chad serves as an elected councilman in Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida. He and his wife Veroushka have been married more than 22 years and are raising two children. Chad holds a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and is grounded in Christian values as he mentors other leaders toward purpose-driven growth.
Follow Chad on Instagram @chadvolkertusa or connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/charlesvolkert/
Please join us in welcoming George, Natasha, Virgil, Ryan, and Chad to the IFC family. Visit this page to read more about our Advisory Board. We’re grateful for their partnership as we continue engaging the culture for Christ.
