GET TO KNOW US
Wayne Hendricks, Chairman
Wayne and his wife, Michelle, have been homeschooling their five children for 27 years. They started the Grace Homeschool Support Group in Floresville, Texas, in 1995. They participated in the Family Education Alliance of South Texas of San Antonio, Texas. They were involved in public awareness projects concerning the 1997 State of Texas Board of Education vs Leeper case argued before the Texas Supreme Court in 1997 which resulted in the upholding of the Constitutional statute protection and parental authority of home education.
They have been members of the Steering Committee for the Mustang/Yukon Homeschool Education Learning Partners (MYHELP) support group for the past 10 years. They have proudly served the Oklahoma home education community in various roles for over eight years and have been members of HSLDA since 1992.
Additional bio-info: Coached for the Oklahoma City Homeschool Patriots football team for 3 years. Mentored for the OKC Homeschool Lightsabers Robotics Club for 3 years. Coached for the OKC Southside Homeschool Youth Baseball League for 5 years.
Joseph Ellis, Vice-Chairman
Joseph is the father of four children, a husband, a pastor, a homeschool co-op tutor in math, physics, and computer science, and an advocate for home education freedom. He and his wife Rachel have been homeschooling for 14 years and have graduated one son. They continue to home educate their other three children.
Stella Cox, Treasurer
Stella Cox has been married to Todd Cox for 32 years and they have 3 children, two married sons and a daughter who will graduate in 2019 and one beautiful granddaughter. Todd is a retired Oklahoma City Firefighter and they own and operate a small business Weatherization Experts.
Stella has been home educating since 2007. She has served on the leadership of Tri-City Home Educators in various capacities, serves in Children’s Ministry, the City of Newcastle Economic Development Committee, McClain Election Official, and volunteers where there is a need.
Stella serves on CHEA because her passion is to make sure the freedom and liberty of constitutional home education are protected for the future generations to come.
Carrie Bertrand, Secretary
Carrie is a home educating mother of two girls who are just finishing up high school. She has been married to her husband Brad for 23 years, and raises horses and longhorns on their farm near Blanchard. She is an Investment Advisor Representative for Retirement Solutions, a financial advisory firm.
Joe Coodey, Director
Joe Coodey is a dad of four who felt the Lord leading his family to home education in 2006. He and his wife Lori have graduated one son, Zachery, and are committed to home educating their other children, Caleb, Evelyn and Jonathan, through high school with the Lord’s blessing. He values and embraces the call on his life as a husband of a home educating family, and is dedicated to ensuring this freedom is extended to future generations.
Joe is an ordained minister through the Freewill Baptist Church, acting president of the Fellowship of Independent Christian Home Educators and an RT (R) (CT) at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital. He and his family attend Heartland Freewill Baptist Church.
Cindy Nicolai, Director / Legislative Liaison
Cindy Nicolai began her homeschool journey in 1996. Having trained her children at home from early childhood through high school, Cindy continues to help other moms in this sometimes-overwhelming journey of educating their children at home while still running a household and maintaining sanity.
The Nicolai's attend the Nazarene Church in Mustang where they serve in many capacities from working with two-year olds to serving on the church board.
Cindy and her husband Fred were trustees for Oklahoma Christian Home Educators’ Consociation for over 11 years where she served as Support Group Liaison, Seminar/Workshop Speaker, Capitol Day Coordinator, and Legislative Liaison. Cindy's total legisltaive experience spans over 17 years. They retired from the board of trustees in 2016 but are still passionate about protecting the freedom of the true Oklahoma home educator. Cindy currently fulfills the roles of wife, mother, daughter, number one farmhand, and her favorite role as Grammy to eight amazing grandbabies.
Jana Belcher, Director
Jana Belcher is married to Benjamin Belcher and they have four children, whom they have been home educating for 15 years. When she was young, Jana and her siblings enjoyed being homeschooled while her family traveled in full time ministry. She has a B.Ed. from The University of Alaska Anchorage, and she taught elementary school for five years, until felt called home to raise her children.
Jana is involved at church by leading various ministries and has a heart for serving. Since home educating her children, she has been involved in support group leadership roles as president, coop, activities' director, yearbook editor, field trip coordinator, website team and hospitality ministry. She has also served on committees of state organizations and currently teaches coop classes, coordinates workshops, assists on the CHEA legislative team and works on various communications and marketing teams. Her favorite verse is "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy path" Prov. 3:5-6
Brad Bertrand, Director
Brad is a home educating father of two girls who are just finishing up high school. Brad and his wife, Carrie, have been married 23 years, and reside on a farm near the town of Blanchard. He is the President and Founder of Retirement Solutions, a Registered Investment Advisory firm that specializes in retirement and income planning.
Who We Are
The Constitutional Home Educators Alliance is comprised of nine directors all of whom have or are currently educating their children at home using their own talents, abilities, and resources. In addition to the board of directors, the Alliance also maintains an advisory board to share wisdom and ensure accountability.
Carrie Bertrand
Secretary
Stella Cox
Treasurer
Brad Bertrand
Director
DIRECTORY
Ben Belcher
Advisory Council
Shanna Lewis
Advisory Council
Fred Nicolai
Advisory Council
Michelle Dugas
Advisory Council
Cindy Nicolai
Director/
Legislative Liaison
Jana Belcher
Vice President
