National Issues Speakers

Dan Rather

For decades, Rather was the face of the news as CBS News anchorman and reporter, delivering audiences the most defining moments in our recent history. He continues to call them as he sees them as a keynote speaker on media and national issues, and as the host of Dan Rather Reports on HD Net. As a speaker, his ...

Joseph P. Kennedy II

The founder of Citizens Energy Corporation, Joseph P. Kennedy II has served as Chairman and President of the company since 1998, following 12 years of service in the US House of Representatives. Establishing the nonprofit company to provide low-cost heating oil to the poor and elderly, Kennedy grew the organization to ...

Juan Williams

A prize-winning columnist and former editorial writer for The Washington Post, Juan Williams is also a Fox News correspondent and a keynote speaker on issues including diversity, ethics, leadership, media and national issues. There are few voices as clear and intelligent on the power of diversity within today's ...

Ralph Nader

Former Green Party candidate for president and one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential Americans of the 20th Century," Ralph Nader has always been a voice fighting for the people on the issues that matter most: healthcare, safety, environment, ethics, education, economic and social equality. As a keynote ...

Harry Markopolos

Harry Markopolos was catapulted into the spotlight as the man who blew the whistle on Bernie Madoff and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Passionate about fixing the system and preventing future abuses, Markopolos speaks about the Madoff scheme and how you can recognize and prevent fraud in your organization.

John Zogby

Chairman of the Board and Chief Insights Officer of IBOPE Zogby International (IZI) and author of The Way We’ll Be, John Zogby remains by all accounts the hottest and most accurate pollster and trendspotter in the United States today. No one can tell you more about what’s happening—from politics to social ...

Julian Bond

Beginning with his pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, Julian Bond has always been on the cutting edge of social change and leadership. Legendary as the first black US vice presidential nominee and former Chairman of the NAACP, Bond continues to deliver a powerful message of equality, freedom, and justice with a ...

Michael Eric Dyson

Named by Essence magazine as one of the 50 most inspiring African Americans, Dyson is one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals, revitalizing the role with the fervor of an ordained Baptist minister. Called "a street fighter in a suit and tie," he takes on the toughest and most controversial issues of ...

Joe Nocera

Joe Nocera has spent his career "demystifying the world of business." He is a columnist for The New York Times and the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in business journalism.

Richard Carmona

As the 17th Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona developed comprehensive knowledge of the environmental influences on healthy living today. He offers a close look at the epidemic of asthma in young children as well as other issues directly related to the state of our environment and how we can work towards not only a healthy body, ...

Nicholas Kristof

A Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, Kristof is an extraordinary thinker, human rights advocate, and astute chronicler of humanity. As a seasoned journalist who has traveled China, Africa, India, and South Asia, he offers a compassionate glimpse into such issues as global health, poverty and ...

Diane Ravitch

Diane Ravitch is Research Professor of Education at New York University and a historian of education. In addition, she is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.

Daniel Altman

Daniel Altman is a visionary economist whose work has revolved around identifying long-term solutions to problems facing the global economy. He is the author of Outrageous Fortunes.

Anand Giridharadas

Anand Giridharadas is a columnist for The New York Times and its global edition, the International Herald Tribune. Their first Bombay-based correspondent in the modern era, he reported on India's transformation, Bollywood, corporate takeovers, terrorism, outsourcing, poverty and democracy. As a keynote ...

Jesse Jackson

Former Presidential candidate, civil rights activist Reverend Jackson is one of the best known and most influential voices of American political and social activism. Called “the great unifier,” he has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic ...

Larry King

A captivating storyteller and keen commentator on life and history, Larry King continues to fascinate audiences as a keynote speaker. With his gift for humor and broad range of experience, an evening with King is guaranteed to leave audiences feeling enlightened and entertained.

Sonia Nazario

Sonia Nazario, a projects reporter for The Los Angeles Times, has spent more than two decades reporting and writing about social issues, earning her dozens of national awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her series, “Enrique’s Journey,” about the experiences of Latin American children ...

Kweisi Mfume

Former President and CEO of the NAACP, Maryland Congressman, and Chairman of the Black Congressional Caucus, Mfume is credited with rebuilding and revitalizing the NAACP. As a leader, activist, and seasoned political voice for diversity, he continues to follow his dream of impacting society and shaping a more humane public ...

Richard Dreyfuss

Oscar winner Dreyfuss has taught at Oxford, studied a wide range of subjects from history to politics, and is a driving force in the movement to bring civics back into the classrooms as well as creating a knowledgeable and engaged citizenry in America.

Keith Olbermann

Liberal political commentator Keith Olbermann is the host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, a nightly countdown of the day's biggest stories. He is also the Chief News Officer of Current TV.