President's ForumPast Speakers
Established in the winter of 2000 by President Gearan, the President's Forum Series brings a variety of speakers to campus to share their knowledge and ideas with students, faculty and staff, as well as with interested community members.
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Speakers
DR. CHRIS BEYRER ’81, SC.D. ’22
Internationally recognized epidemiologist and public health expert
Spring 2025
JOHN KING
Veteran political correspondent and CNN’s award-winning chief national correspondent
Fall 2024
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF GLOBAL EDUCATION
A reflection on the growth and impact of international education with the HWS community
Fall 2024
CARRIE JAMES ’92
Author, Research Associate and Principal Investigator at Harvard’s Project Zero
Fall 2023
John Della Volpe
Director of Polling at Harvard University's Institute of Politics (IOP) and Founder and CEO of SocialSphere, Inc.
Fall 2016
Elizabeth Frawley Bagley
Top Advisor with the U.S. Department of State and Former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal
Spring 2015
Michael Kimmel
Distinguished professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Stony Brook University
Spring 2015
Susan Brison
Expert on Sexual Violence and Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dartmouth College
Fall 2014
Kathy Platoni '74
Hypnotherapy and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment expert
Spring 2014
Cecile Richards
President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Spring 2013
Hands on the Freedom Plow: the Women of SNCC
Eleanor Clift
Newsweek Contributing Editor, Regular Panelist on “The McLaughlin Group,” and Author
Fall 2012
Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire
Force Commander for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda
Spring 2012
Harold Middlebrook
Friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Active in the Civil Rights Movement
Spring 2012
Bishop V. Gene Robinson
9th bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church
Spring 2011
Gov. Howard Dean
Former Governor of Vermont and Former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Spring 2010
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland; Daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel
Fall 2009
Paul Begala
Political Consultant and Commentator for CNN; Former Adviser to President Bill Clinton
Fall 2009
Dick Rosenbaum '52, P'86
Nixon Peadbody LLP Senior Counsel and Former GOP Chairman for New York State
Fall 2008
Anthony Cortese
Co-director of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
Spring 2008
Wangari Maathai Sc.D. '94, P'94, P'96
2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of The Green Belt Movement
Spring 2008
"A Conversation with Mayoral Candidates"
Featuring the three candidates running for mayor of Geneva
Fall 2007
James A. Joseph
Civil Rights Pioneer, Renowned scholar and former Ambassador to South Africa
Fall 2006
Swanee Hunt
Former US Ambassador to Austria; Director of the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPP) at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government
Spring 2006
William Banks
Internationally recognized expert on constitutional and national security law and counterterrorism
Fall 2005
Elaine Kamarck
Lecturer in Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
Fall 2004
Charles MacCormack
President and chief executive officer of Save the Children Federation, Inc.
Spring 2004
David Gergen
Commentator, Editor, Teacher, Public Servant, Best-selling Author and Adviser to Presidents
Spring 2003
Helen Thomas
Journalist; Correspondent for United Press International and White House Bureau Chief
Spring 2003
George McGovern
United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Spring 2002
John Hume
1998 Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize; 2001 Recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize
Spring 2002
David N. Dinkins
Former Mayor of New York City; Professor at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
Fall 2000
Donna E. Shalala
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; Next president of the University of Miami
Fall 2000
This information is accurate for the time period that this person(s) spoke at Hobart and William Smith.