Rena Pederson is a true trailblazer in journalism. During her storied career, she interviewed five U.S. presidents and countless history makers including Margaret Thatcher and Fidel Castro. Texas Monthly described her as one of the most powerful women in Texas during her time serving as vice president and editorial page editor at The Dallas Morning…

Mere months ago, Russian activist and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza thought he would die in Siberia, where he was imprisoned for speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. This week, he sat with his wife Evgenia and staff at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas as a free man, where he told us about hi…

John J. Sullivan is the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, former Deputy Secretary of State, and author of Midnight in Moscow, a memoir of his experiences in Russia. Ambassador Sullivan joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts to discuss what he witnessed ahead of Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine while he was…

John Blake is not only the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the 2023 world champion Texas Rangers, but he is also a docent at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, where he has volunteered since the museum opened its doors in 2013. John joined host Andrew Kaufmann to talk about his deep-rooted love of presidential history, his feeli…

The North Korean regime is one of the most brutal on Earth. Executions, torture, and arbitrary detention are commonplace. Many lose their lives attempting to escape. For those who do make it out of the hermit kingdom, many difficulties remain. But how can we help the people of North Korea? The answer is that the issues on the Korean Peninsula won’t…

During Dr. Robert Roncska’s impressive 28-year career in the Navy, he commanded a nuclear-powered submarine, led the largest submarine squadron in the U.S. fleet, and even carried the nuclear football for President George W. Bush, who affectionately named him “Navy Bob.” Recently, he authored his debut book — Beyond the Sea: Leading with Love from …

Cullum Clark serves as Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative and is an Adjunct Professor of Economics at SMU. He leads the Bush Institute’s work on domestic economic policy and economic growth and recently released a report on how education and medical institutions can become more powerful drivers of prosperity in America’s …

Penelope Muse Abernathy is a visiting professor at Northwestern University and a former senior executive at The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. She specializes in researching local journalism and is the author of two books and five reports, including The State of Local News. She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Bill McKe…

Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan feminist, activist, and educator. She founded Afghanistan’s first-ever digital school network, LEARN Afghanistan, and is still providing education for hundreds of girls in the country today despite being exiled after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Pashtana joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Natalie G…

Ambassador Mark Green serves as President, Director, and CEO of the Wilson Center — a nonpartisan organization that provides research, analysis, and independent scholarship on global affairs. Before leading the Wilson Center, his distinguished career in public policy included key roles at USAID, the International Republican Institute, the McCain In…

The Stewpot is a ministry that serves those in poverty or experiencing homelessness in Dallas. The organization was founded nearly 50 years ago and provides resources for basic survival needs as well as opportunities for the people they serve to start a new life. The organization was awarded the 2024 George W. Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation fo…

Creamos is a non-profit organization working to support the community surrounding Guatemala City’s garbage dump in achieving economic self-determination. The organization was awarded the 2024 George W. Bush Institute Citation for its impactful work in its community and for inspiring others to take action to solve today’s most pressing challenges. E…

Active duty military service members make up less than one percent of the U.S. adult population. For the other 99% of us, the actions and complexities of our nation’s Armed Forces can be hard to understand, which is why quality journalism on the military is essential. Thom Shanker’s decades-long career with The New York Times included 13 years as P…

We all seek happiness, but few of us know the science behind it. Author, Harvard professor, and philosopher of happiness Arthur Brooks is changing that through his insights, teachings, and best-selling books on how we can all build happy lives. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Anne Wicks to discuss why happiness is a directio…

2024 marks 20 years since the Millennium Challenge Corporation was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Since its inception, MCC has partnered with and invested in countries around the world that are committed to democracy and economic freedom. CEO of MCC Alice Albright joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Hannah Johnson to …

When Heather Morris sat down with Holocaust survivor Lale Sokolov, she didn’t know what to expect. As she listened to his story, she knew that the world needed to hear his experiences of love and hope set in the midst of one of humankind’s worst moments. Heather traveled to Dallas for the sixth Laura Bush Book Club edition of Engage at the Bush Cen…

Anita McBride, who served as chief of staff to Mrs. Laura Bush during her time as first lady, and Gahl Hodges Burt, who served as social secretary for President and Mrs. Reagan, recently visited Dallas for an Engage at the Bush Center event presented by Nexpoint. They joined host Andrew Kaufmann beforehand to discuss the responsibilities of their r…

Thomas Jefferson made a lasting impact on our country as the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He recently visited Texas and joined host Andrew Kaufmann, the Bush Institute’s Jason Galui, and students from Walnut Grove High School to discuss the birth of our nation, the lessons we can le…

When Steve Ballmer retired from Microsoft after a long and storied career, he realized that he didn’t know exactly how and where U.S. tax dollars got spent. And it wasn’t as easy to find as he had hoped. So he set out to solve the problem — and founded USA Facts, which consolidates available data and makes it accessible to citizens. He joined host …

David French is a writer and columnist for The New York Times – informed by a career that began as a litigator, turned to the Army as a JAG officer and then Bronze Star awardee after volunteering to deploy to Iraq as part of the Surge, and finally to journalism. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh at the 2024 Forum o…

Former White House Social Secretaries from multiple administrations recently traveled to Dallas for a special Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint event. Amy Zantzinger, social secretary for President and Mrs. Bush, and Jeremy Bernard, social secretary for President and Mrs. Obama, joined host Andrew Kaufmann beforehand to discuss the r…

Chuck Salter is the president and CEO of the News Literacy Project, an organization that’s on a mission to create better informed, more engaged, and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Bill McKenzie to discuss the organization’s work to help students become news l…

Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, joined Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute David J. Kramer and host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss the collaboration between the Bush Center, the Obama Foundation, and 11 other presidential centers to affirm the principles of democracy. Hear…

Alexandra Hudson is the author of new book The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves. She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh to discuss the difference between civility and politeness, why civility is a duty of citizenship, and how we can flourish across deep differences. Hear more from Ale…

Governor Spencer Cox currently serves as the 18th governor of Utah and as chair of the National Governor’s Association, where he launched the Disagree Better initiative. Governor Cox joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the George W. Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh for a conversation about listening, tough discussions, and, yes, disagreeing – and why disag…

Three George W. Bush Institute experts gathered for a thought-provoking discussion on the state of democracy – both here at home and abroad. Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow and Executive Vice President for Strategy and Programs at Freedom House Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy Igor Khrestin, and Directo…

Ambassador Michael Froman served as United States trade representative under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Today, he’s the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan organization and think tank that aims to help leaders and citizens better understand the world and the foreign policy decisions facing the U.S. and other …

General David Petraeus rose the ranks to four-star general in the U.S. Army and led the CIA during his four-decade career in public service. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the George W. Bush Institute’s Jason Galui to discuss his new book, “Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.” He talked about his time serving our country an…

Tim Strong is the head of agriculture finance for Opportunity International, a global nonprofit organization that uses financial services, training, and support to address some of the most pressing challenges facing those living in poverty around the world. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts to discuss O…

David Rubenstein is a philanthropist, lawyer, businessman, and avid historian. Items from his rare collection of U.S. artifacts — including the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federalist Papers, and original works from abolitionists — are on display in the George W. Bush Presidential Museum’s special exhibit, Freedom Matters. He joined host Andrew K…

Society has long had a fascination with spies. Michael G. Vickers is as close to this world as anyone, having served as a Green Beret, an operator in the CIA, and a national security policy maker during some of the most pivotal moments in recent U.S. history. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann for a live recording in the George W. Bush Presidential Mus…

Daniel Lubetzky, founder and executive chairman of KIND Snacks, envisions a world with more kindness and empathy. As the son of a Holocaust survivor, Daniel strives to channel business and citizenry toward building bridges rather than conflict. Daniel joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh to discuss his civic movements On…

The George W. Bush Presidential Center recently welcomed a very special guest: the first first lady of the United States, Martha Washington. Mrs. Washington shaped our country and the role of the first lady in the 18th century. The Nation Builders at Colonial Williamsburg, like Katharine Pittman – who was actually here portraying Mrs. Washington – …

Garry Kasparov is a democracy activist and Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. He is the founder and chair of the Renew Democracy Initiative, a nonprofit with the goal of uniting Americans across the political spectrum in defense of democratic ideals. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Executive Director of the George W. Bush…

Sebastien Lai is a democracy advocate and son of jailed Hong Kong businessman and publisher Jimmy Lai. He and Jonathan Price, a member of Jimmy’s international legal team, joined the George W. Bush Institute while in Dallas raising awareness about why Jimmy is jailed. They spoke with host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Igor Khrestin about…

Problems and pessimism tend to overwhelm the daily news cycle. What gets less attention are the incredible solutions governments and organizations have devised to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues. That’s why Senior Fellow and Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute Jonathan Tepperman set out to rele…

Hector Rodriguez, known online as H3CZ, is the founder and CEO of OpTic Gaming, an organization that maintains some of the most competitive esports teams in the world. Through video games, Hector became part of an online community and built something unique — and is now living the American Dream. Hector joined host Andrew Kaufmann for a live conver…

Daron Babcock is the CEO of Bonton Farms, an organization that started as a small garden serving the food deserts in South Dallas that has grown into a movement working alongside residents to transform the community. Daron joined the Bush Center for the Forum on Leadership, where he received the Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation for his impactful…

Dan Bartlett is the executive vice president of corporate affairs at Walmart and longtime key advisor to President George W. Bush. He joined former White House colleague and current Bush Center senior advisor Kevin Sullivan, and host Andrew Kaufmann, to share advice for up-and-coming leaders and their lessons from D.C. Hear from Dan about his caree…

Meghan Ogilvie is the CEO of Dog Tag Inc., a non-profit with the goal of empowering veterans with service-connected disabilities, military spouses, and caregivers to find renewed purpose and community through an unexpected combination: a bakery and a classroom. Meghan joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute's Eva Chiang at the 2022 Forum…

Manu Meel is the CEO of BridgeUSA, a nonprofit organization that creates spaces on high school and college campuses where students can have open discussions about political issues. He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh in April to discuss BridgeUSA’s mission, how to disagree, and the importance of diversity of thought …

Dave Copps is the CEO and co-founder of Dallas-based technology company Worlds, where they’ve created an artificial intelligence platform for building the industrial metaverse. He joined the George W. Bush Institute in April at the Forum on Leadership, where he participated in a conversation on the co-evolution of humans and machines. He joined hos…

Ambassador Shin-wha Lee serves as South Korea’s ambassador for international cooperation on North Korean human rights. In her role, she coordinates international efforts to improve human rights conditions in North Korea and raise global awareness about the inhumane conditions faced by North Koreans. She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Inst…

Emily Hanford is a senior correspondent and producer for American Public Media and the 2023 George W. Bush Institute Citation recipient for her coverage of our Nation’s reading crisis. She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Justine Taylor-Raymond at the Forum on Leadership to discuss her reporting, how she started in journalism, a…

Scott Carpenter is the managing director of Jigsaw, a unit within Google that explores threats to open societies, and builds technology that inspires scalable solutions to these threats. He discusses how authoritarian regimes use the internet to their advantage, promising new developments in technology, and why internet access is essential to freed…

Secretary Elaine Chao immigrated to the U.S. when she was just eight years old without knowing any English -- and with hard work and determination, went on to lead a distinguished career in public service. As Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush, she was the first woman of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage to ever serve in a…

Florencia Velasco Fortner is the CEO of Dallas-based nonprofit The Concilio, an organization that helps North Texas families striving to create strong futures for themselves and future generations. Florencia is the 2023 recipient of the George W. Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation Award, an honor given annually to an innovator who has inspired cha…

In 1962, Mary Badham made her big-screen debut in the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird as the beloved Scout Finch, opposite Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Today, she has returned to Harper Lee's iconic story in the touring Broadway production by playing Mrs. Dubose -- the racist neighbor who represents the antithesis of Scout’s innocence and acce…

Although Masih Alinejad was exiled from Iran in 2009, she continues to fight for the people of her country — and was named one of Time Magazine’s 2023 Women of the Year. And even though she has to use her voice from afar, she has amassed 9 million social media followers that hear her message of equality and freedom for the women of Iran — and the w…

As a legislator, Senator Portman believed in working across the aisle — and believes Americans want just that. He offers advice to young people who are frustrated by politics today, talks about the new Portman Center for Policy Solutions in his home city, offers his thoughts on the war in Ukraine and on policy with China, and tells us about his his…