About Us

This Conference is about…CONNECTION.

Our goal is to provide an opportunity for families to connect with new information, resources, inspiration, each other, and the community as a whole to enrich your homeschool experience.

HCC was created for families seeking connection, and we are honored to provide this opportunity to our community. We are a fully inclusive event—we have content and resources for all homeschoolers regardless of philosophical or religious approach, this means you’ll see something for everyone!

We value kindness and compassion.
All are welcome!
We’re so happy to see you!

Meet the HCC Conference Organizing Team:

Julie Mink, M.Ed

Julie is the founder of Ten Toad LLC and co-founder of the Homeschool Connection Conference. With over a decade of volunteer work and a steadfast commitment to the homeschool community, Julie’s passion for outreach inspired her to offer in-person and online events designed to help families seeking to transition to an educational model that works for them.
Julie hails from the East Coast and currently resides in Northern California with her family and a dog named Batman
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Laurel & Andrew Ward

Laurel and Andrew Ward have been homeschooling for seventeen years and have a few more years to go. The decision to start down this path was made at their very first homeschool convention, when their first child was all of three years old. Their three wonderful kids, Moira, Liam, and Gryphon, have grown up going to—and making lasting memories at—these events. The whole family values these gatherings with the community, and has missed them while the world was on pause. The Wards also enjoy travel, music, gaming, and living life on their own terms. Andrew Ward is a firmware engineer, kilt wearer, and host of Dads’ night at homeschool conferences. Laurel Ward has been a consistent volunteer, both individually and with the statewide organizations, throughout the years, helping to welcome new families into and to be an advocate for the homeschool community. She founded Homeschooling OC, an online and park day group for sharing information, resources, and encouragement in Southern California since 2009. The Ward family is very happy to be part of the team to make Homeschool Connection Conference a reality.
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Moira Ward

Moira Ward is a homeschool graduate and lifelong storyteller. Raised in the homeschooling community, she attended her first homeschooling conference at the age of three, and grew up haunting the C.H.N. fiber arts room - though she never got the hang of knitting. As a child, her unique educational path afforded her the chance to explore her passion for writing and storytelling, as well as tabletop role playing games. In 2021, Moira founded Novel Games on the belief that the best way to learn is through play, and that all people deserve a space where they feel comfortable enough to be themselves. At her table, joy and kindness are the priority, and all are welcome - as long as they are willing to participate in shenanigans from time to time. When not writing or dreaming up new worlds, Moira can be found making music with her band, Recreational Violence, or finding new and interesting glitches in Skyrim.
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Windi Eklund

Windi is a long-time homeschool mom with a passion for child-centered education, learning lifestyles, and family support. She is dedicated to being an integral part of our unique and diverse community. Windi has worked extensively to broaden educational choices and knowledge of the programs available to families seeking alternatives to school. She is honored to be here to help support families in finding their homeschool path and offering information from her broad experience.
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Anthony Umina
Anthony is a New Age Doctor, Dancer & Decentralizer that helps promote human empowerment through forward-thinking freedom & autonomous sustainable living. His mission in life is to help connect the world, physically, emotionally & energetically to themselves and others. Human connection is the most precious piece of human existence. It is the embodiment of both beauty & love which can neither be measured nor quantified, only experienced. For Anthony, dance is his expressive passion, but his love for life, movement & health is also powered by his success in helping to save lives as a clinical Doctor (Neurology Based Chiropractor) specializing in Pre-Natal & Pediatric patient care with an emphasis in Cognitive Neural Development. Additionally, Anthony works in education decentralization with his startup WorldSchool.org.

Anthony is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area with his partner Anna and two amazing, beautiful alternative-schooled children Gio & Leo.

For inquiries & bookings: IG @Doctonomous
www.DrUmina.com
www.WorldSchool.org