It’s been ten years since the launch of the THSC Watchmen program! So much has been accomplished since those early days. To celebrate a decade of protecting parents’ rights, we caught up with Nathan Exley and Stephen Howsley.
Nathan was recruited for the very first Watchmen group in 2013. Soon after, Stephen Howsley, served as Watchman from 2015. Stephen later went on to work for THSC as the Assistant Manager of the Policy team and as a public policy analyst for many years after his initial involvement with the Watchmen.
Let’s see what they remember about their time as Watchmen and what they’re up to today!
Nathan Exley
How did you hear about THSC and the Watchmen program?
Nathan Exley: Paul Hastings recruited me to the Watchmen program. I had heard of THSC through our involvement in the homeschool community.
Stephen Howsley: My best friend, Isaac Sommers, who was already on the team, told me to apply.
What is one major challenge you remember, and how was it resolved?
NE: Paul’s cooking. I remember while we were sharing the apartment we would also share cooking responsibilities. And one day, Paul decided to put chili in our pancakes. He would slip pickles into just about anything he could. Finally, we wouldn’t let him cook anymore!
Stephen Howsley
SH: I remember that not all of the guys in the house would wash their dishes, so we solved that challenge by setting up a camera to record who was leaving dirty dishes in the sink and on the counter next to the sink. This resolved the challenge since it caused people to wash their dishes.
What is a favorite off-duty or non-work-related memory?
NE: To blow off steam and have fun, we’d all walk out to the vacant lot next to the apartment complex and play frisbee.
SH: My favorite memory was probably one of the nights off when we got to hang out as a team, eat some food (probably at Torchy’s Tacos), and we went to Mount Bonnell to spend time together and also see the sunset and the view of the city. It would have probably been super romantic had it been a date, but it was just dudes hanging out as friends. Haha.
What is your favorite memory of working at the Texas Capitol?
NE: Probably the gravity of it. Just being there felt important and it was gratifying to finally be on the front line doing something important to me.
SH: My favorite memories of working at the Capitol were watching our bills get heard in committee, deliberating on the floor of the House & Senate, and participating in media interviews at the Capitol.
What is your favorite memory about another team member or a moment of team camaraderie?
NE: Jeremy recruited one of his buddies to pretend that he was a homeless man. Jeremy brought this guy in one night and none of us knew him and we totally thought this homeless dude was just going to crash with us at the bachelor pad. But everybody was like, “… OK, cool.”
SH: I really loved getting to room with my best friend for 5 months. When I was probably 8 to 10 years old, he moved away from Dallas after we had grown up together, and somehow we kept in touch. Getting to live with him for an extended period of time was really great for us though and I think it really strengthened our friendship which is very strong now in adulthood. I also loved how our team would sing hymns together at night to end the day sometimes.
What is one thing you miss the most about being a Watchman?
NE: The camaraderie
SH: I miss the close friendships, bonding, and time spent together that comes with living in the same place for an extended period of time. You always have someone who you can get advice from, and someone always has your back.
How do you think your time with THSC and the Watchmen group influenced or even directed the decisions you’ve made in your life?
NE: My time in the Watchmen didn’t directly influence my life trajectory. but the Maximum CEO training by Dean Radke that we did together is a training that I draw upon even still today.
SH: I think that the Watchmen Program really launched my career in politics, public policy, and elections. It set the tone from the beginning of my career, that it is best to keep your nose clean and operate in an ethical manner. This is not the case with all lobbyists, but learning this from the beginning from the THSC culture really has carried through even to today in how I conduct myself.
What are you most proud of from your work with the Watchmen?
NE: The lasting relationships I got to build with some great guys.
SH: I am probably most proud of having been on the team that passed Senate Bill 1543. This bill ensured that homeschool graduates had a fair shot at admission to public universities and colleges in Texas. This bill is state law today and still makes a difference for homeschool graduates. It makes me so happy that we got to be the reason for that change.
What are you up to currently?
NE: I currently live with my beautiful bride and our three kids in Mount Vernon, Texas. I work as the logistics section, chief, and asset manager for the Austin Disaster Relief Network.
SH: I am currently a husband, father, and lobbyist. I started my own firm last year, and I have several clients, including the Texas Home School Coalition. My family and I give most of the spare time that we have to our church and our community. Because we have no family in Austin, and because God called us to a specific group of people, we love spending our time in this way with the people that we love.
Do you have a piece of advice for current and future Watchmen?
NE: Nope. Just don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t put chili in pancakes.
SH: Yes, go all in! Take advantage of every aspect of this program! Try your best to stay in Austin on the weekends if you can, so that you can bond with the THSC team and with all of the fun and often free outdoor and cultural experiences that Austin has to offer.
Any final thoughts?
SH: I love THSC and the THSC Watchmen Program; both have had a massive impact on my life and have really had a hand in shaping who I am as a person today. I am forever indebted and forever grateful.
Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more updates and interviews like this as THSC continues its mission of Keeping Texas Families Free.
It’s been ten years since the launch of the THSC Watchmen program! So much has been accomplished since those early days. To celebrate a decade of protecting parents’ rights, we caught up with Nathan Exley and Stephen Howsley.
Nathan was recruited for the very first Watchmen group in 2013. Soon after, Stephen Howsley, served as Watchman from 2015. Stephen later went on to work for THSC as the Assistant Manager of the Policy team and as a public policy analyst for many years after his initial involvement with the Watchmen.
Let’s see what they remember about their time as Watchmen and what they’re up to today!
Nathan Exley
How did you hear about THSC and the Watchmen program?
Nathan Exley: Paul Hastings recruited me to the Watchmen program. I had heard of THSC through our involvement in the homeschool community.
Stephen Howsley: My best friend, Isaac Sommers, who was already on the team, told me to apply.
What is one major challenge you remember, and how was it resolved?
NE: Paul’s cooking. I remember while we were sharing the apartment we would also share cooking responsibilities. And one day, Paul decided to put chili in our pancakes. He would slip pickles into just about anything he could. Finally, we wouldn’t let him cook anymore!
Stephen Howsley
SH: I remember that not all of the guys in the house would wash their dishes, so we solved that challenge by setting up a camera to record who was leaving dirty dishes in the sink and on the counter next to the sink. This resolved the challenge since it caused people to wash their dishes.
What is a favorite off-duty or non-work-related memory?
NE: To blow off steam and have fun, we’d all walk out to the vacant lot next to the apartment complex and play frisbee.
SH: My favorite memory was probably one of the nights off when we got to hang out as a team, eat some food (probably at Torchy’s Tacos), and we went to Mount Bonnell to spend time together and also see the sunset and the view of the city. It would have probably been super romantic had it been a date, but it was just dudes hanging out as friends. Haha.
What is your favorite memory of working at the Texas Capitol?
NE: Probably the gravity of it. Just being there felt important and it was gratifying to finally be on the front line doing something important to me.
SH: My favorite memories of working at the Capitol were watching our bills get heard in committee, deliberating on the floor of the House & Senate, and participating in media interviews at the Capitol.
What is your favorite memory about another team member or a moment of team camaraderie?
NE: Jeremy recruited one of his buddies to pretend that he was a homeless man. Jeremy brought this guy in one night and none of us knew him and we totally thought this homeless dude was just going to crash with us at the bachelor pad. But everybody was like, “… OK, cool.”
SH: I really loved getting to room with my best friend for 5 months. When I was probably 8 to 10 years old, he moved away from Dallas after we had grown up together, and somehow we kept in touch. Getting to live with him for an extended period of time was really great for us though and I think it really strengthened our friendship which is very strong now in adulthood. I also loved how our team would sing hymns together at night to end the day sometimes.
What is one thing you miss the most about being a Watchman?
NE: The camaraderie
SH: I miss the close friendships, bonding, and time spent together that comes with living in the same place for an extended period of time. You always have someone who you can get advice from, and someone always has your back.
How do you think your time with THSC and the Watchmen group influenced or even directed the decisions you’ve made in your life?
NE: My time in the Watchmen didn’t directly influence my life trajectory. but the Maximum CEO training by Dean Radke that we did together is a training that I draw upon even still today.
SH: I think that the Watchmen Program really launched my career in politics, public policy, and elections. It set the tone from the beginning of my career, that it is best to keep your nose clean and operate in an ethical manner. This is not the case with all lobbyists, but learning this from the beginning from the THSC culture really has carried through even to today in how I conduct myself.
What are you most proud of from your work with the Watchmen?
NE: The lasting relationships I got to build with some great guys.
SH: I am probably most proud of having been on the team that passed Senate Bill 1543. This bill ensured that homeschool graduates had a fair shot at admission to public universities and colleges in Texas. This bill is state law today and still makes a difference for homeschool graduates. It makes me so happy that we got to be the reason for that change.
What are you up to currently?
NE: I currently live with my beautiful bride and our three kids in Mount Vernon, Texas. I work as the logistics section, chief, and asset manager for the Austin Disaster Relief Network.
SH: I am currently a husband, father, and lobbyist. I started my own firm last year, and I have several clients, including the Texas Home School Coalition. My family and I give most of the spare time that we have to our church and our community. Because we have no family in Austin, and because God called us to a specific group of people, we love spending our time in this way with the people that we love.
Do you have a piece of advice for current and future Watchmen?
NE: Nope. Just don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t put chili in pancakes.
SH: Yes, go all in! Take advantage of every aspect of this program! Try your best to stay in Austin on the weekends if you can, so that you can bond with the THSC team and with all of the fun and often free outdoor and cultural experiences that Austin has to offer.
Any final thoughts?
SH: I love THSC and the THSC Watchmen Program; both have had a massive impact on my life and have really had a hand in shaping who I am as a person today. I am forever indebted and forever grateful.
Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more updates and interviews like this as THSC continues its mission of Keeping Texas Families Free.
