Shawn Carney,

President and CEO of 40 Days for Life

Shawn began as a volunteer in the pro-life movement while still in college. During this time, he helped lead the first ever local 40 Days for Life campaign. After graduating from college, Shawn was asked to serve as the executive director of the Coalition for Life, a local pro-life organization in Texas, made up of more than 60 churches. From its beginning, Shawn has been instrumental in growing 40 Days for Life nationally and then internationally.
Shawn is a regular media spokesperson, and his work has been featured on hundreds of outlets, including Fox News, The Laura Ingraham Show, The Drudge Report, The Guardian, USA Today, and Christian media including The Christian Post, National Catholic Register, Sirius XM Catholic Radio, EWTN Radio, and Focus on the Family.
Shawn is one of the most sought-after pro-life speakers, addressing audiences coast-to-coast and internationally. Shawn and his wife Marilisa were portrayed in the 2019 major motion picture Unplanned, which tells the story of Abby Johnson's conversion as a Planned Parenthood director. Shawn is the author of four national bestselling books including The Beginning of the End of Abortion, To the Heart of the Matter, the #2 Amazon bestseller, What to Say When: The Complete New Guide to Discussing Abortion, and What to Say When 2: Your Proven Guide in The New Abortion Landscape.

Steve Karlen,

Campaign Director, 40 Days for Life

40 Days for Life campaign in Madison, Wisconsin. Before long, he found himself at the center of a nationwide controversy as the health system at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, was secretly preparing to open a late-term abortion center on campus. Groups across the state looked to him for leadership. After nearly a year and a half, the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics abandoned its plan to open an abortion facility, citing Steve and his team as the reason for the decision.
Steve now serves as the campaign director for 40 Days for Life, where he trains and assists local 40 Days for Life campaign leaders, co-hosts the 40 Days for Life Podcast, and edits 40 Days for Life's Day 41 magazine. He has spoken in all 50 states; Washington, DC; four Canadian provinces; and Mexico City. Steve is the author of the book This is When We Begin to Fight, the #2 Amazon bestseller, What to Say When: The Complete New Guide to Discussing Abortion, and What to Say When 2: Your Proven Guide in The New Abortion Landscape. Steve lives in Madison with his wife and five children.