Paul Ryan served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representative and as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019. Known for his meteoric rise in politics and often praised for his seriousness and honesty, Ryan is a committed conservative and public servant who has spent his life advocating for real solutions that expand opportunity for Americans. Before serving as Speaker of the House, he was Chair of the House Budget Committee, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and a U.S. Vice Presidential candidate. He is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau.

In a public service career that spans more than three decades and includes service in two presidential administrations, as well as two terms in the United States Senate (R-Ohio, 2011-2023) and six terms in the United States House of Representatives, Rob Portman has been among the most influential presences in American politics and policy. He has held various high-ranking government roles through the course of his career. In addition to the aforementioned roles, Portman was the 14th U.S. Trade Representative (2005-2006), as well as the director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush. Portman is known for his civility, successful bipartisan policymaking, work ethic, and extensive expertise of a broad range of complex issues. With more than 220 of his bills signed into law by Presidents Biden, Trump, and Obama during his tenure in the Senate, it is impossible to overstate his impact on American politics.

Tim Pawlenty, one of the leading voices in the Republican Party, was a two-term governor of Minnesota serving from 2003 until 2011, a candidate for the 2012 Republican nomination for President, and the co-chair of Mitt Romney for President. Tim was a solutions-oriented politician who was well-respected on both sides of the aisle. His education, healthcare, and energy initiatives were widely viewed as among the most innovative in the nation. Tim previously served as president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, which represents leading financial service companies in protecting the security, integrity, and success of our nation’s financial system. The author of the book, Courage to Stand, Pawlenty offers audiences candid and entertaining presentations on politics, the future of the GOP, the economy, and issues important to the financial services industry.

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III has dedicated his career to social and economic justice, fighting for the basic needs of every American family and a political system that is inclusive, representative, and fair. The U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district from 2013-2021, he ran for office to tackle the systemic inequities – from health care and housing to climate and education – that have left countless American families locked out and left behind. Kennedy’s presentations address the latest in politics and what’s next for the political landscape. Well-versed on the most pressing issues of the day, he provides an insider’s look at current events and takes a thoughtful approach on how they may impact the country’s future. With a constant focus on the most vulnerable among us, Kennedy brings a uniquely empathetic voice to our nation’s most vexing challenges.

Stephanie Cutter is one of the most-trusted voices of the Democratic Party. At the center of every major policy and political debate of the last 20 years, she offers an enlightening look at the current state of politics told through insider stories with today’s top lawmakers. From the halls of Congress to the campaign trail and from the West Wing to the C-Suite, Stephanie is one of the foremost experts at weaving together political strategies to create a narrative that resonates with voters. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Washington,” by GC magazine.

Nancy-Ann DeParle is President Obama’s former deputy chief of staff for policy. She is one of the nation’s leading experts on healthcare and policy issues and was essential to the creation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, playing a lead role in one of the most significant pieces of social legislation in a generation. She is the expert’s expert. When she was deputy chief of staff, DeParle oversaw all policy and regulatory matters for the White House, including energy, environment, education, manufacturing, and economic policy. She addresses policy and healthcare.

Dr. Evelyn Farkas is one of the nation’s premier voices on American foreign policy and geopolitics, and one of the nation’s most-trusted experts on U.S.-Russia relations. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia, she was the Department of Defense’s top Russia expert under President Obama. Farkas advised three Secretaries of Defense during her tenure at the Pentagon and was responsible for policy toward Russia and the surrounding region. She is an outspoken voice on how America ought to respond to adversaries and manage aggressors, ranging from Russia to North Korea to Iran and China. Expertly positioned to discuss the at times tenuous intersection of foreign objectives and domestic priorities, Dr. Farkas appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, BBC, and other networks. She currently serves as the executive director of the McCain Institute, and her op-eds are regularly featured in leading publications. She discusses how America’s position abroad is shifting under the current presidential administration, and the global gamut of national security challenges.

Haley Barbour is the former governor of Mississippi and the former chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association. He also served as chairman of the Republican National Committee, leading the GOP to gain control of Congress for the first time in 40 years. POLITICO calls him “the most powerful Republican in politics.” He was also widely praised for his handling of both the Gulf Oil Spill and Hurricane Katrina. One of the Republican Party’s top political strategists, Barbour addresses elections, politics, Republican strategy, the economy, and other hot political topics.

Anja Manuel is a founding partner and principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel, LLC, a strategic consulting firm, which she co-founded along with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and others. The firm assists CEOs and senior executives at major US companies in key emerging markets such as China, India, and the Middle East. She teaches at Stanford University’s International Policy Studies Program and is a leading expert on globalization, emerging markets, and America’s shifting role in international leadership. Anja is a former State Department official, an international lawyer, and the author of the book, This Brave New World.

Raghida Dergham, the senior diplomatic correspondent for Al-Hayat – the leading Arabic daily – and an analyst for NBC, MSNBC, and the Arab satellite LBC, is tuned into both the U.S. and Arab/Muslim worlds. She has broken major news stories, interviewed world leaders, been featured on myriad news programs, and contributed to major publications. She was also the only journalist to interview Ramzi Youssef, the alleged mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing. Dergham addresses the Middle East, the West’s relationship with the region, politics, and women in the world.

Former Senator John Breaux (D-LA), the deputy minority whip until his retirement, held key Senate committee positions. He was a senior member of the Finance Committee, chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy, and Co-Chairman of the President's Tax Reform Commission. He also held positions on the Subcommittees of Health Care and Taxation and IRS Oversight. Breaux addresses politics, health care, energy, bipartisanship, and lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill.

Susan Sher, the former chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama and Chicago’s first female corporation counsel, is a long-time friend of the Obamas. Originally hired as the President’s associate counsel, Sher was part of his health care reform team before moving to the East Wing. There she helped promote the new legislation and the First Lady’s anti-obesity campaign. Previously, Sher was the vice president for legal and governmental affairs of the University of Chicago Hospitals for more than a decade. She addresses health care, the White House, and women in leadership.