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Our Staff

P. Brian Noble

Executive Director
Brian Noble, a well-known catalyst for transformational change, brings a wide range of experience to FPIW as an author, sheriff’s chaplain, ordained minister, Christian mediator, and candidate for political office. Brian holds a Master of Arts in missional leadership from Northwest University. He joined the FPIW team in 2023.
For almost 30 years, he has served the community as either a youth pastor, senior pastor, or executive pastor in the Assemblies of God church. His most recent post included the position of CEO of Peacemaker Ministries where he accumulated over a decade of conflict coaching and mediation experience. His caseload included marital conflicts, family estates and farms, public schools, and county government. He was a peacemaking instructor in local jails and internationally in Uganda and the Ukraine. He continues to be a Peacemaker Fellow and is the author of multiple training and case manuals as well as The Path of a Peacemaker, Living Reconciled, and a 365-day Devotional. – Brian believes in engaging the public square. He was the chair of the Spokane County GOP, where his efforts have led a grassroots effort to get conservative leadership back into government. – Brian Noble describes himself as an everyday guy who believes in the power of God’s word to proclaim hope and transform lives. He and his wife, along with their four children and daughter-in-law, live in eastern Washington and recently welcomed their second grandchild, a blessing they all enjoy.

Brad Payne

Policy & Government Affairs Director
Brad Payne is the Family Policy Institute of Washington’s (FPIW) Policy and Government Affairs Director. He began working for FPIW in December of 2021.
Born and raised in Kansas, Brad graduated with honors from Wichita State University in 1983 and went on to graduate magna cum laude from the University of Kansas in 1985. His work at FPIW focuses on lobbying efforts for Christian public policy, while also developing meaningful connections with state legislators and Christian organizational leaders across Washington.

Ordained as a pastor in 2020, Brad enjoys sharing the gospel and testifying to the transforming power of Jesus Christ. He has led several ministry efforts in the Olympia area, including ministering to the area’s homeless population; serving as a board member at City Link Ministries; teaching at Set Free, an organization that ministers to recovering addicts; and providing pastoral care at Capital Medical Center.

Brad is determined to see Washington state change course for the better protecting individual rights, freedoms and Christian family values. He and his wife, Kelley, live in Olympia and have three children and three grandchildren.

Ken Ramey

Director of Church & Grassroots Relationships
Ken Ramey is the Director of Church and Grassroots Relationships at FPIW. Hired by FPIW in 2022, Ken is a vital part of outreach to pastors and churches, praying with, encouraging, and undergirding their efforts to get involved in government, especially on the west side of the State.
Ken has served for more than 40 years in the positions of senior pastor, assistant pastor, and youth pastor. With the heart of an evangelist, Ken started EvangeCoach Ministries, equipping and coaching pastors and Christian leaders in personal evangelism.

In 2012, Ken joined the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, connecting ministries to their efforts across the nation. He has taken part in numerous crusades and conferences, leading workshops and meetings on personal evangelism and evangelistic outreach.

Ken’s work requires extensive travel, meeting with and discussing issues that impact Christians across the state.

Family is a huge part of Ken’s life. Along with his wife and ministry partner, Melissa, they share a blended family of five children, 14 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Gavan Spies

Director of Strategy & Development
Gavan will serve as Director of Strategy and Development. He will pursue vital relationships with churches, grassroots, and influencers across Washington State, especially on the east side.
Gavan served in the United States Marine Corps and received his formal education from Eastern Washington University, earning his Bachelor’s in Public Relations and Master’s in Technical Communications. He later served there as a graduate instructor teaching public relations, research methods, and negotiation theory, emphasizing organizational sustainability and quantitative statistics. Gavan, his loving wife Kat, and their three children live in Spokane, Washington. They spend their free time co-laboring throughout their local community, helping those with addiction find their footing in Jesus Christ. The Lord has used Gavan to lead numerous organizations to new heights, and we are excited to announce Gavan will serve as Director of Strategy and Development.

Travis Pardo

Research Fellow & Office Manager
Travis Pardo is the Research Fellow & Office Manager. He serves as editor for publications and researcher on policy issues. Travis joined the FPIW team in 2023.
Travis previously worked at Focus on the Family’s Public Policy Department, and then completed his Ph.D. at Baylor University. His dissertation is entitled The Separation of Love & State: C. S. Lewis and Søren Kierkegaard as Political Allies. Travis taught philosophy, apologetics, and political sciences courses at Colorado Christian University and LeTourneau University. He is the author of three books, including Defending the Church: A Reply to My Friend on the Covid Question (Apple Books). A native of the greater-Seattle area, Travis loves the Pacific Northwest, especially ferry rides and walking along the ocean shores at Edmonds Beach. He is delighted to help win back our beloved Evergreen State for Christ.

Rose Escudero

Bookkeeper & HR
Rose is the Bookkeeper/HR for FPIW. She began as an administrative assistant in 2012 and after a three-year hiatus, she rejoined the FPIW Team in mid-June 2022.
Rose considers herself as the one who holds the fort, so the FPIW Team can do what they do best: be a shining beacon in this beautiful state of Washington. She is most proud of being a mother of three and grandmother to four of the most smart, handsome, and funny as all get-out grandsons. She and her husband of 36 years are both pastor’s kids and have lived their lives loving Jesus. They are grateful for the grace He has poured upon their lives together. When not al work, you can find Rose fighting a losing battle with the squirrels, bunnies and slugs munching on the goods in her garden or crocheting dinosaur and spider amigurumis for her grandsons.

Jennifer Heine-Withee

Defender Care & Special Projects
Jennifer Heine-Withee is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Family Policy Institute of Washington (FPIW). She joined FPIW at the end of 2022 to cohost the Crisis in Education summit series.
Jennifer started her grassroots work advocating for parental rights in her children’s school district in 2018. She has been instrumental in educating parents and communities on the declining state of public education and empowering parents to fight for their rights to direct the education of their children. She was previously the director of the Washington chapter of Parents’ Rights in Education before joining FPIW. She has been interviewed on the Todd Herman show and the Heidi St. John podcast as well as for news publications. She speaks regularly and has written several columns about parents’ rights for local publications as well as participated in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters. Jennifer is a native to Washington State, she enjoys dance and teaches Zumba and Silver & Fit. She is also a cancer survivor since 2007, for which she gives all glory to God for blessing her through that difficult time. She has been married to her husband Robert since 1999 and has 3 grown children.