Michael Donnelly

Michael Donnelly is vice president for yes. every kid. foundation., guiding national legal strategy and education transformation initiatives to advance family first learner centered educational freedom.

Prior to joining Yes Foundation, Donnelly was HSLDA Senior Counsel and Director of Global Outreach coordinating support of homeschooling freedom around the world where he also founded the Global Home Education Exchange, a global network dedicated to education freedom for all. He has participated in litigation in state, national and international tribunals.  Donnelly has extensive legislative advocacy experience improving homeschool laws in numerous states and countries and has testified before many legislative committees at state, national and international levels. 

Donnelly was an adjunct professor of government at Patrick Henry College where he taught constitutional law and is an adjunct professor of law at Regent University teaching international human rights law and international criminal law. He served in combat as a cavalry officer in the United States Army during the first Persian Gulf War after which he ran a successful FirstService franchise, founded a nationally ranked internet marketing firm, and worked in private legal practice.

In addition to being a frequent contributor in national media, Donnelly has authored hundreds of web and print articles along with scholarly publications regarding educational freedom, homeschooling, parental rights, and human rights.  His published articles and chapters appear in The Journal of Law and Education, The International Journal of Human Rights, Homeschooling in the 21st Century, International Journal of School Choice and Reform, Homeschooling in New View, Balancing Freedom, Autonomy, and Accountability in Education, Religious Freedom in Education, The International Journal of Religious Freedom, Homeschooling in America and Europe: A Litmus Test of Democracy, and Parental Rights in Peril.

He holds a juris doctor with honors from the Boston University School of Law as a Paul J. Liacos Scholar and an LLM with merit in Constitutional and Human Rights Law from the London School of Economics. He is a member of six federal and state bars.

Mike and his wife Patricia are homeschooling parents of seven children and one grandchild (so far).