As founder and chairman of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, Dr. Jerry R. Kirk has led the effort against child pornography, adult obscenity, sexual exploitation and violence, since the non-profit organization's inception in 1983. He has approached this task as a public health and safety matter and a justice and human rights issue.

As co-chairman with William Cardinal Keeler of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP), a group they founded at the home of Cardinal O'Connor in New York City in 1986, Dr. Kirk works with religious leaders representing more than 100 million Americans. RAAP is an alliance of leaders from nearly every major denomination and/or faith group in the country, including the Jewish community, The Salvation Army, the National Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Roman Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox Church and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As a father of five children and grandfather of 22, Dr. Kirk addresses the case against child pornography and obscenity with a deep personal concern for families in America.

His involvement against pornography, his research on the issue and his work with the victims in his role as a leader and counselor for more than 30 years have made him keenly aware of the growth of the pornography industry and its devastating impact on society and the family.

In July 1986, the same year RAAP was founded, the Executive Committee was invited to Washington, D.C. for a White House briefing on the pornography problem. There, they met personally with President Reagan and then Attorney General Edwin Meese. The outcome was a Presidential commitment to form the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section within the Justice Department. In October 1988, Dr. Kirk was a guest at a special White House ceremony for the signing of the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act, a result of the National Coalition's, RAAP's and other decency groups' educational efforts. He has also met with President Bush in September, 1990, and with three different Attorneys General.

A frequent speaker on the problem of pornography, sexual exploitation and violence, Dr. Kirk has also been on Dr. James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" radio program eleven times, and appeared on such television programs as "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "NBC Nightly News" with Tom Brokaw and Moody Broadcasting's "Prime Time America."

A native of Seattle, Washington, Dr. Kirk completed his undergraduate education at the University of Washington where he was named one of the six outstanding students in his class, played basketball on the third-ranked team in America, and was captain of the tennis team when they were ranked fifth in America. He has earned two graduate degrees, received two honorary degrees, and was named a Purdy Scholar. He was chosen as one of the 200 outstanding leaders of Cincinnati during their bi-centennial celebration. He has written two books, The Homosexual Crisis in the Mainline Church, The Mind Polluters, and numerous articles.

He and his wife, Patty, reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.