In this episode, Dan McMillan, Founder of Save Democracy in America, talks about changing the influence of money in politics; Bible scholar Dan McClellan gives his take on the influence of religion in politics; and Dr. Joe Nelson discusses the challenges of being an education administrator in Mississippi and America. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/erik-fleming1/support
Biblical scholar
Dan McClellan is a public-facing scholar of the Bible and religion. He received his PhD in theology and religion from the University in Exeter, and his research focuses on conceptualizations of deity, scripture, and religious identity through the methodological lenses of biblical criticism, cognitive linguistics, and the cognitive science of religion. In 2022, he published a revised version of his dissertation as the open-access volume, YHWH's Divine Images: A Cognitive Approach. Dan produces content on social media that increases public access to the academic study of the Bible and religion, and combats the spread of misinformation about the same. He is also one of two Dans who host the Data Over Dogma Podcast.
Superintendent
Bio 2023
Dr. Earl Joe Nelson Jr is a school superintendent. Dr. Nelson has been in secondary education for 30 years. He has been named as one of top 3 middle school principals in the United States by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, NASSP. Joe Nelson was also deemed as an outstanding administrator as Henry Drake Outstanding administrator award. William Carey University administrator of the year.
Nelson is also a graduate of Jackson State University, University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi Schools Board Association PSLA, Prospective Superintendent Leadership Academy. He also has severed on the board for Learning Forward Mississippi and is past president of the Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals and Mississippi Association of School Administrators. Nelson has been featured in the book “Releasing Leadership Brilliance”. Also, featured in an educational film “Disrupting Poverty in Secondary School”.
Over the past 14 years , Nelson has been a leader in designing and facilitating cutting - edge learning experiences for schools and administrators on topics such as cultural competence, leadership and professional growth.
Executive Director, Save Democracy in America
Dan McMillan founded and leads Save Democracy in America, a non-partisan campaign to get big money out politics. He earned a Ph.D. in German history from Columbia and a law degree from Fordham. He has taught college-level history and prosecuted criminal cases for the Brooklyn DA’s office. In 2014 Dan published an acclaimed book for the general public about why the Holocaust happened. After several years researching a book about money in politics, Dan decided that direct political action was more urgently needed and launched his campaign for voter-owned elections.
A dedicated rock climber in his youth, Dan has made three ascents of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley – the highest rock wall in North America.