Speakers

With a background in social work, teaching and non-profit work, Joni has seen the impact that inspiration can have on the trajectory of a person's life. When asked by a retired lawyer if she had read her Constitution, she was inspired to take action and make a difference. Thus began her mission to empower our youth with a sense of ownership to the document, as it belongs to all citizens. The U.S. Constitution inspired Joni to know her value and her rights. She is passionate that our youth of today appreciate and honor our Constitution and understand the relevance in their lives for the present and the future. The 917 Society is on a mission to ensure our youth read and understand our Constitution and they are providing 1.5 million 8th graders in 14 states individual copies of the Constitution to honor September 17th, Constitution Day. For 2022 they plan to reach all 5.5 million students in 50 states. Joni is the mother of two grown daughters and lives on the river in Ashland City, Tennessee. To learn more about The 917 Society, visit ww.917society.org

Chief Brian Goss is a 38-year fire service veteran, having joined the profession in Bangor, Michigan as a paid-on-call firefighter in 1983. In 1988, he began a 20-year career with the Grand Rapids (MI) Fire Department where he subsequently moved through the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief before leaving in 2008 to accept the position of Assistant Fire Chief of the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department.  He was then promoted to Fire Chief on July 1, 2011. Chief Goss holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Spring Arbor University and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina's Fire & Rescue Management Institute as well as the University of Tennessee’s Public Administrator Program.  Goss earned his Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) in 2010 and has contributed content to numerous trade journals, books, and other fire service publications.