Local Keynote Speakers In Washington, DC

Jonathan Capehart is a journalist and television personality who has worked as a policy advisor to Michael Bloomberg’s campaign, a national affairs columnist, and was a member of the Daily News editorial board which won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. He currently writes for The Washington Post’s PostPartisan blog and is a contributor for MSNBC.

CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, joined the network in January 2013. His one-hour weekday program The Lead with Jake Tapper debuted in March 2013. The program seeks to examine and advance stories that demonstrate Tapper's own curiosities and interests with headlines from around the country and the globe, from politics to money, and sports to popular culture.

Mike Allen is one of Washington’s most influential and well-connected journalists. He is the co-founder and executive editor of Axios, a new company delivering news and insights on politics, business, media, and tech. The company, whose name means “worthy” in Greek, specializes in high-quality news and analysis easily shared among the country’s influential readers and across social platforms. In addition to starting Axios, Allen was a co-founder at POLITICO, the digital media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism in Washington, New York, and Europe.

Dr. Hakeem Olyuseyi, author of a highly-anticipated upcoming memoir, The Stars in My Soul: My Unlikely Journey through Space and Time, is an internationally-recognized astrophysicist, science TV personality, and global education advocate who has had a long, distinguished career in academia and scientific research. Currently, he is stationed at NASA Headquarters, where he serves as an Astrophysicist and Space Science Education Lead for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. A former TED fellow, Dr. Oluseyi holds three degrees, eight U.S. patents, four E.U. patents, and co-hosts several shows on Science Channel and Discovery International, including Outrageous Acts of Science, How the Universe Works, Space's Deepest Secrets, Strange Evidence, You Have Been Warned, and Strip the Cosmos. Dr. Oluseyi’s success is even more impressive given his incredible personal background and story. Motivating audiences globally with his message of persevering past naysayers, self-doubt, and seemingly immovable obstacles, he is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities.

Kelly O’Donnell is the Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News. A veteran of presidential politics, her work on the 2008 presidential election earned her an Emmy and a National Headliner Award. Her other work has won myriad others, including multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards. In 2004, she was inducted into the Ohio Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame. O’Donnell has covered events ranging from the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq war to the Olympic Games and the British royal family. She addresses politics, current events, the presidency, women’s issues, and the media.

Charlie Cook is a political analyst and commentator, the publisher of the Cook Political Report, and a columnist for the National Journal. For more than two decades he has been a trusted and accurate voice on all things political. Once deemed “the Picasso of election analysis” by the Wall Street Journal, Cook’s expertise and encyclopedic knowledge of American politics has been featured on myriad news outlets. Using poll numbers, economic indicators, and historical data, Cook discusses today’s political and legislative environments in a balanced, non-partisan way.

Political strategist Donna Brazile is the former interim chair of the DNC, as well as the former vice chair for civic engagement and voter participation at the DNC, an adjunct professor, best-selling author, syndicated columnist, and television commentator. She was also the first African-American woman to manage a presidential campaign. Her southern charm, big personality, and hilarious anecdotes make her an instant audience favorite. Oprah’s O magazine chose her as one of its “20 remarkable visionaries” and Washingtonian named her one of its “100 most powerful women.” Brazile is known for her ability to analyze the political climate and attract supporters, and she addresses this and the political mood of the country.