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Michael McFaul is the Ken Olivier and Angela Nomellini Professor of International Studies in Political Science, Director and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, all at Stanford University. He was also the Distinguished Mingde Faculty Fellow at the Stanford Center at Peking University from June to August of 2015.
He joined the Stanford faculty in 1995. He is also an analyst for NBC News and a contributing columnist to The Washington Post.
McFaul served for five years in the Obama administration, first as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009-2012), and then as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014). He has authored several books, most recently the New York Times bestseller, “From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia.” Earlier books include Advancing Democracy Abroad: Why We Should, How We Can; Transitions To Democracy: A Comparative Perspective (eds. with Kathryn Stoner); Power and Purpose: American Policy toward Russia after the Cold War (with James Goldgeier); and Russia’s Unfinished Revolution: Political Change from Gorbachev to Putin.
His current research interests include American foreign policy, great power relations between China, Russia, and the United States, and the relationship between democracy and development.
Prof. McFaul was born and raised in Montana. He received his B.A. in International Relations and Slavic Languages and his M.A. in Soviet and East European Studies from Stanford University in 1986. As a Rhodes Scholar, he completed his D. Phil. in International Relations at Oxford University in 1991.
Dr. José Hernández is the subject of the 2023 Amazon Prime movie, A Million Miles Away, which documents his incredible life from being a migrant farmworker to becoming a NASA astronaut. His story resonates with discussions about immigration and the American dream, making him a role model for future generations.
He is a University of California Regent and the President and CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, LLC, an aerospace engineering consulting firm. From 2001 to 2011, he worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in various roles, including legislative analyst, branch chief, materials research engineer, and astronaut.
Hernandez wanted to be an astronaut ever since he heard that the first Hispanic-American, Franklin Chang-Diaz, had been chosen to travel into space. Hernandez’ hard work paid off. After applying every year for 12 years, he was finally selected to begin training as a mission specialist as part of the 2004 astronaut candidate class. During the astronaut application process, Hernandez had to meet with a review board. That’s where he came face-to-face with his original inspiration: Franklin Chang-Diaz. “It was a strange place to find myself, being evaluated by the person who gave me the motivation to get there in the first place,” Hernandez says. “But I found that we actually had common experiences — a similar upbringing, the same language issues. That built up my confidence. Any barriers that existed, he had already hurdled them.” Hernandez smiles. “Now it’s my turn!”
He was assigned to the Space Shuttle Discovery and served as a flight engineer on its penultimate mission, STS-128, which completed construction of the International Space Station. During this 14-day mission, Dr. Hernández and his crew delivered and installed over 7 tons of equipment to the ISS.
Prior to his tenure at NASA, Dr. Hernández spent 17 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he contributed to the X-ray laser project and co-developed the first full-field digital mammography system for early breast cancer detection.
Aside from running his aerospace consulting company, Dr. Hernandez has authored three books and is currently working on publishing his fourth. One of his books is a self-penned autobiography entitled, Reaching for the Stars, which served as the basis for the Amazon Prime movie, A Million Miles Away,starring Michael Peña.
Dr. Hernández holds a Master’s degree in Signals and Systems Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Pacific. He has been honored with nine honorary Doctorate degrees.
He has come full circle with his roots, as he also owns and operates a vineyard, producing three varieties of wine under his Tierra Luna Cellars label.
Liz Cheney served as the U.S. representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023. She chaired the House Republican Conference, the third-highest position in the House Republican leadership, from 2019 to 2021, and served as the Vice Chair of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. She was also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, China Task Force, Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Rules. Cheney served previously at the State Department as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and in positions for USAID and the Department of State working in Poland, Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine. Cheney practiced law with White and Case and at the International Finance Corporation.
She is the author of the newly released memoir, Oath and Honor, which tells her firsthand account of the moment our democracy threatened to unravel and the story of the brave men and women who fought to save it. A specialist in national security and foreign policy, she is the co-author, along with her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, of Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America.
Cheney received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School. In 2022, Cheney, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, received the the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s prestigious Profile in Courage Award, with a commendation for her “consistent and courageous voice in defense of democracy.”
Jerry Rice is a Hall of Fame wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion, widely regarded as the best wide receiver to ever play in the National Football League, and arguably the greatest player of all time. During his 15-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, Rice won three Super Bowls (Super Bowl XXIII (’88), Super Bowl XXIV (’89) and SB XXIX (’94)) and one Super Bowl MVP. He enjoyed three seasons with the Oakland Raiders, including a Super Bowl appearance and one season with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring in 2005. Rice was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in January 2010, his first year of eligibility. Rice’s meticulous preparation and work ethic during his 20-year NFL career became legendary. He holds 36 NFL records – a record in itself. Has scored the most touchdowns in NFL history (208) and holds virtually every significant career receiving record, including receptions (1,549), yards receiving (22,895), all-purpose yards (23,546), touchdown receptions (197) and consecutive games with at least one catch (274).
After his retirement, Rice’s celebrity grew beyond the football field. He finished second in the second season of the ABC hit reality show Dancing with the Stars, led his team to victory on the golf course against other NFL legends on Big Break NFL Puerto Rico and has appeared on numerous other television shows. He has extensive broadcasting experience including as an analyst for ESPN, NBC and is a contributor on 95.7 The Game FM radio in the Bay Area. He co-authored the New York Times Bestseller, Super Bowl 50: 50 years 50 Moments as well as, America’s Game: The NFL at 100 with Randy O. Williams and published by Harper Collins.
This success off the field and renowned work ethic has appealed Rice to numerous corporations, including NIKE, Mitchell & Ness, Fanatics and Panini, where he is working as a brand ambassador and spokesperson. He is also an Honorary Chairman for the San Francisco 49ers Foundation, whose mission is to educate and empower Bay Area youth.
In 2020, Rice and his family launched G.O.A.T. Fuel, a privately held lifestyle brand that empowers individual and collective greatness. G.O.A.T. stands for “Greatest of All Time”, a nickname that has been widely used when describing Rice. G.O.A.T. Fuel promotes the unstoppable strength of a hopeful mindset through energy infused products, content and
experiences.
Born in Crawford, Mississippi, Rice did not start playing football until he was a sophomore in high school. He was not recruited by many major college football programs and attended Mississippi Valley State University, public, historically black university and Division I-AA school. As a senior, he broke NCAA records for receptions, yards and touchdowns and acquired the nickname “World” because there wasn’t a ball in the world he couldn’t catch. He was elected
into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Rice was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh as the 16th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. During his career, Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl a record 13 times, won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1987 and was Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXIII. In 1999, he was ranked No. 2 in The Sporting News’ list of 100 Greatest Football Players – the highest-ranked active player and receiver – and in 2010, was voted the No. 1 player in the NFL Network’s The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players. In 2019, he was voted Greatest Player in NFL History by USA Today Sports and was also named to the NFL’s All Time Team.
Rice resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Latisha, and has four children.
Liz Murray’s life story is one of extraordinary transformation. Raised in the Bronx by parents struggling with addiction, she grew up in poverty and often found herself homeless as a teenager. Despite these challenges, she remained committed to her education, completing high school in just two years while living on the streets and later earning admission to Harvard University.
Her journey has been documented in numerous publications and media features, most notably in her memoir Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard, which became a New York Times bestseller. Her story was also the basis for the Emmy-nominated Lifetime Television film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
Murray is the co-founder and executive director of The Arthur Project, a mentoring organization that pairs middle school students with mentors over multiple years to provide consistent academic and personal guidance. She is also an accomplished speaker, addressing audiences on topics of education, resilience, and opportunity.
A graduate of Harvard University, Murray has received numerous awards for her work in education and community support. Her personal journey continues to serve as an example of how determination and access to opportunity can create lasting change.
Janet Napolitano has held leadership roles in law, government, and higher education over the course of her career. From 2009 to 2013, she served as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, becoming the third person and first woman to lead the department. During her tenure, she oversaw responses to natural disasters, counterterrorism initiatives, and the development of cybersecurity and aviation security policies.
Before joining the Cabinet, Napolitano served two terms as Governor of Arizona, from 2003 to 2009, where she worked on issues ranging from education to border security. Earlier in her career, she was the Attorney General of Arizona and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, appointed by President Bill Clinton.
Following her service in Washington, she became the 20th President of the University of California system, leading the nation’s largest public research university from 2013 to 2020. In this role, she oversaw 10 campuses, five medical centers, and three affiliated national laboratories.
Napolitano is the author of How Safe Are We? Homeland Security Since 9/11, a book examining the creation and evolution of the Department of Homeland Security. She is a graduate of Santa Clara University, where she was the first woman to serve as student body president, and the University of Virginia School of Law.
Today, Napolitano continues her work in public service and education as a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.
Steve Wozniak has been a Silicon Valley icon, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist for more than forty years, and has helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products the Apple I and II. He also influenced the popular Macintosh. In 1976, Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer Inc. with Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer. The following year, he introduced his Apple II personal computer, featuring a central processing unit, a keyboard, color graphics, and a floppy disk drive. The Apple II was integral in launching the personal computer industry. He is listed as the sole inventor on four Apple patents.
In 1981, he went back to UC Berkeley and finished his degree in electrical engineering/computer science. To date, Wozniak has received ten Honorary Doctor of Engineering degrees. Wozniak, founded the company Unuson, an abbreviation of “unite us in song”, which sponsored US Festivals in 1982 and 1983. Initially intended to celebrate evolving technologies, the festivals ended up as a technology exposition and a rock festival as a combination of music, computers, television, and people.
For his achievements at Apple, Wozniak was awarded the National Medal of Technology by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators. In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment for single-handedly designing the first personal computer and for then redirecting his lifelong passion for mathematics and electronics toward lighting the fires of excitement for education in grade school students and their teachers.
Through the years, Wozniak has been involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on, experiential learning that encourages creativity and innovation by students. Making significant investments of both his time and resources in education, he adopted the Los Gatos School District, providing students and teachers with hands-on teaching and donations of state-of-the-art technology equipment.
He also founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. In 2014, he was awarded the Hoover Medal, a prestigious honor given for “outstanding extra-career services by engineers to humanity,” and was inducted into the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame. In 2015, Wozniak received the Legacy for Children Award from the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. The Legacy for Children Award honors individuals whose legacy has significantly benefited the learning and lives of children. The Cal Alumni Association (UC Berkeley’s Alumni Association) presented Wozniak with the 2015 Alumnus of the Year Award.
Wozniak is the author of iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon (Norton Publishing), his New York Times best-selling autobiography. His television appearances include: ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, The Big Bang Theory, My Life on the D List, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Celebrity Watch Party.
Wozniak continues to pursue his entrepreneurial and philanthropic interests to this day. In October 2017, Steve co-founded Woz U — a postsecondary education and training platform focused on software engineering and technology development. He has also recently co-founded Efforce — which leverages disparate applications of blockchain technology.
When Woz and his wife, Janet, are not traveling the world trying to inspire the next generation or building sustainable businesses, they live a happy life in Los Gatos, California with their four Bichon Friese dogs Ziggy, Zelda, Jewel and Wozzie.
Van Jones is a CNN host, political commentator, Emmy Award-winning producer, and author of three New York Times best-selling books: The Green Collar Economy (2008), Rebuild the Dream (2012) and Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How we Come Together (2017).
Van has also found success as a social entrepreneur, having founded and led many thriving enterprises including the REFORM Alliance, Color of Change, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the Dream.org, which works to close prison doors and open doors of opportunity in the green and tech economies.
In 2009, as the Green Jobs Advisor to the Obama White House, Jones oversaw an $80 billion dollar investment in clean energy jobs.
Jones was the main advocate for the Green Jobs Act. Signed into law by George W. Bush in 2007, the Green Jobs Act was the first piece of federal legislation to codify the term “green jobs.” During the Obama Administration, the legislation has resulted in $500 million in national funding for green jobs training.
Jones has stewarded several bipartisan legislative and advocacy efforts, racking up wins under the last four US Presidents: Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. Jones’ most recent victory was advocating successfully for the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, which the New York Times calls the most substantial breakthrough in criminal justice in a generation.
A Yale-educated attorney, Jones has won numerous awards, including the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leader” designation, Rolling Stone’s 2012 “12 Leaders Who Get Things Done”, TIME’s 2009 “100 Most Influential People in The World”, the 2010 NAACP Image Award, a 2017 WEBBY Special Achievement Award, a 2019 Lumiere Award and a 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program.
Evan Thomas is a journalist, historian, and author of eleven books, including five New York Times bestsellers. His works often focus on American history, politics, and leadership, with titles such as Being Nixon: A Man Divided, First: Sandra Day O’Connor, and John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy. His book First was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
From 1991 to 2010, Thomas served as editor-at-large at Newsweek, where he wrote over 100 cover stories and contributed to coverage of major national and international events. Before that, he worked as a writer and editor at Time magazine and reported for the Washington Post.
Thomas has appeared as a commentator on many television and radio programs, including Inside Washington and PBS NewsHour. He has taught writing and journalism at Princeton University, where he was a Ferris Professor of Journalism for more than a decade.
A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Virginia School of Law, Thomas began his career practicing law before turning to journalism. Over his career, he has become known for his in-depth profiles of public figures and his research-based narratives of pivotal moments in American history.
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