In The News

Technology and science expert David Pogue put himself and his fellow CBS Sunday Morning correspondents to the test in an escape room! Escape rooms, explosively trendy since they came on the scene in the U.S. in 2012, are immersive experiences during which you get locked in a room and have to look for clues to escape – all while trying to beat the clock. In the segment, Pogue interviews superfans and unpacks what is behind the love for escape rooms. The overwhelming answer seemed to be that it is an immersive, tangible experience to share with family and friends, away from the daily grind of stress, screens and reality.

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, marked most famously by Veterans Day. The sacrifices of veterans and their families are the bedrock of our country’s identity, and here at APB, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the contributions of our speakers that have served our country. We express our gratitude to APB speakers and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

In a recent interview in Variety, Cameron Douglas, son of Academy Award-winning actor and producer Michael and grandson of Hollywood legend, Kirk, explained why he wrote his new bestseller, Long Way Home. “I can’t go back and change a lot of my decisions and the pain and the wreckage that some of those decisions have caused,” he said. “What I did endeavor to do is take those experiences and turn them into something useful.” In Long Way Home, which has climbed to #1 on Amazon, Cameron provides an unflinching account of his dangerous descent into years of addiction and incarceration—and his inspiring rise to recovery and return to society and family. Contrasting what it is like to grow up as Hollywood royalty with hitting rock bottom as a heroin addict, Cameron shares his struggle to return to society and family after almost eight years in federal prison.

Known for his insightful perspective on American democracy, law and governance, APB speaker Lawrence Lessig is set to release his much-anticipated new book on November 5^th, entitled They Don’t Represent Us: Reclaiming Our Democracy. In his new book, Lessig sets out to unpack why American democracy is so detached from the people it supposedly serves.

APB speaker Sonia Manzano is set to appear in the 50^th Anniversary Special of Sesame Street on HBO, Saturday November 9^th at 7 P.M. EST. Considered a cultural landmark widely praised for its approach to children’s programming, Sesame Street is not only educational, but provides special support and guidance on such topics as military families, autism, addiction and more. In 1971, Manzano landed the career-making character of “Maria” on the show.

A groundbreaking leader during her 35-year career in the U.S. Navy, Admiral Michelle Howard was the first woman to achieve the rank of four-star admiral and the first woman to be appointed to the position of vice chief of naval operations. Now retired, she will be appearing on CNBC’s Halftime Report for their annual Veteran’s Day Special. This year’s Halftime Report Veteran’s Day show will be a live taping at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on November 8^th.

CEO of Belfor, a disaster recovery company, APB speaker Sheldon Yellen has been making headlines for the gratitude he shows towards his 9,200 employees. Yellen recently shared that he personally writes birthday cards to each of his staff members. In an interview with Business Insider, Yellen explained that he has been handwriting birthday cards to his friends and employees at Belfor since 1985, when he was hired by the company. He went on to say, “It got people talking, we started to communicate more."

Currently the director of Duke University’s Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, as well as their Robotics program, professor and APB speaker Mary “Missy” Cummings is appearing in the PBS show Nova to share her expertise on the hot topic of automated, driverless vehicles.   

Founder of the mega-popular dietary program The Whole30, APB speaker Melissa Hartwig Urban is releasing a new cookbook on October 15^th entitled The Whole30 Friends & Family: 150 Recipes for Every Social Occasion. The idea for the 30-day elimination diet program that became the Whole30 was born through a friendly post-workout dare to cut out sugar, alcohol, and processed food. Melissa had no idea it would completely change her life, and the lives of so many others. Today, the Whole30 is one of the most established and influential nutrition programs in the U.S.

Less than two weeks after stepping down as president at Combs Enterprises, APB speaker Dia Simms has made a solo move into the cannabis industry. Her distribution firm, called BRN Group, will be a “first of its kind, privately-held, global brand development, management and distribution company that licenses, manages and distributes superior cannabis brands worldwide.”