Overheard at the Bush Center

The Seventh Annual Laura Bush Book Club proudly featured Amor Towles. One of Mrs. Bush's favorite authors, Towles' novels Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, and his collection of shorter fiction Table for Two have all been New York Times bestsellers.

The Bush Center held its eighth annual Forum on Leadership, a landmark event that develops, recognizes, and celebrates leadership by bringing together notable voices for in-depth discussions on today's pressing issues.Freedom of the press is foundational to our nation. Martin Baron, Former Executive Director of The Washington Post, and Jessica Yellin, Founder of News Not Noise; joined in discussion with the Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, the Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow at the Bush Institute, to dive into the challenges facing media in America and its role for a thriving democracy.  Related: 2025 Forum on Leadership Restoring Trust in the Media Panel Discussion

The Bush Center held its eighth annual Forum on Leadership, a landmark event that develops, recognizes, and celebrates leadership by bringing together notable voices for in-depth discussions on today's pressing issues.Dr. Ben Sasse, former U.S. Senator from Nebraska and former President of the University of Florida; Dr. R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University, and Dr. Melva Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, discussed the role of higher education within American democracy. Moderated by Robin Berkley, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education at the Bush Institute, the conversation focused on how colleges and universities are vital to preparing young adults to contribute to society. Related: 2025 Forum on Leadership Higher Education and Democracy Panel Discussion

The Bush Center held its eighth annual Forum on Leadership, a landmark event that develops, recognizes, and celebrates leadership by bringing together notable voices for in-depth discussions on today's pressing issues.In a panel discussion, entrepreneurs Salim Asrawi, Co-Founder and President of Texas de Brazil, and Daniel Lubetzky, Founder of Builders Movement and KIND, shared how they've made the most of opportunities in America with moderator Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute. They discussed the American Dream and how giving back strengthens our democracy.Related: 2025 Forum on Leadership 

Topics of geopolitics have been increasingly prominent in the U.S. government in recent years, and no one knows the struggles of maneuvering through these discussions better than a member of the United States Congress. The Engage at the Bush Center program presented by NexPoint brought Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) to discuss these topics and get their thoughts on not only navigating policies, but the challenges they may bring. Related: Navigating Turbulence: Senatorial Insights on Geopolitics & Foreign PolicyPolicy Recommendations from the Bush Institute

The incredible story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the Six Triple Eight, recently came to the Bush Center. The program followed the release of Netflix's The Six Triple Eight, a film that tells the story of WWII's only Women's Army Corps unit of color. The Engage at the Bush Center program presented by NexPoint featured, former U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant, best-selling author and critically acclaimed producer of the Netflix film; Milauna Jackson who portrays Captain Campbell in the Netflix film; and Retired Army Col. Edna Cummings, a passionate advocate whose work led to two important recognitions: the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Monument and the Congressional Gold Medal.Related: Watch the Engage at the Bush Center program presented by NexPoint hereRead The Unsung Story of the Six Triple Eight from a Veteran Leadership Scholar's perspective 

Ree Drummond, star of the long running hit Food Network show, The Pioneer Woman,  joined us for a festive Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint.  In a conversation with lifestyle expert Kimberly Schlegel Whitman,  Drummond shared stories about her favorite family traditions, tips for gift giving, and of course, the right food for every holiday occasion. Related:Food, Family & Holiday Fun: A Conversation with The Pioneer Woman, Ree DrummondThe Pioneer Woman Cooks – A Year of Holidays

As part of the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by NexPoint, Jared Cohen, author of Life After Power, and Jeffrey Engel, founding David Gergen Director of the Center for Presidential History at SMU, headlined a conversation on the post-presidency. The conversation, moderated by Freddy Ford, President Bush's Chief of Staff, featured insights from history and memorable stories.

Russia and China are closer allies than at any time in the two countries' modern history. In an Engage at Bush Center conversation presented by NexPoint, a panel of distinguished experts discussed how the United States should deal with Moscow and Beijing. Krys Boyd, Host and Managing Editor of KERA Radio's award-winning national program, Think, led the conversation featuring John J. Sullivan, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and deputy Secretary of State and author of Midnight in Moscow, a memoir of his experiences in Russia; Dan Schulman, former President and CEO of PayPal; and Ellen Bork, Fellow at the Bush Institute.Related:Engage NexPoint Lecture: The Russia-China ChallengeThe China challenge: How the U.S. can counter Beijing's authoritarian ambitions

Sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch returned to the Bush Center as part of the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by NexPoint. Justice Gorsuch discussed his new book, Over Ruled: The Human Tool of Too Much Law, and the complex role laws play in Americans lives.Related: A Conversation with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch - Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPointThe Strategerist podcast with Justice Neil Gorsuch

Recently, the Bush Center hosted author Heather Morris for the Laura Bush Book Club as part of Engage at the Bush Center series presented by NexPoint, with support from H-E-B.  In her conversation with Bush Institute's Anne Wicks, Morris discussed her No. 1 international bestselling novel and new original series, The Tattooist of Auschwitz – a story about hope and love, based on interviews conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov. Related: Laura Bush Book Club with “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” Author Heather MorrisMrs. Laura Bush's 2024 Summer Reading List 

While foundational to the beliefs of our nation, religious freedom is still denied to many around the globe. This conversation dives into the global significance of this liberty and its domestic importance for our pluralistic society.Panelists:Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director, Campaign for UyghursDavid French, Opinion Columnist, The New York TimesJonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, ADLChris Walsh, Director, Global Policy, George W. Bush Institute (Moderator)Related: 2024 Forum of Leadership 

William J. Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was the keynote speaker at the Bush Center's 2024 Forum on Leadership. Burns was joined by David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, for a conversation on how the CIA assesses challenges facing the United States from Russia and China to the Middle East. Related: 2024 Forum on Leadership

America's role in the world leads to competition and clashes with Russia and China, including when it comes to promoting values of human dignity and personal freedoms. Top minds on this issue will discuss how human rights and democracy factor into the great power competition. With an introductory testimonial by Seohyun Lee, North Korean Human Rights Advocate. Panelists: Mark Green, President, Director, and CEO, The Wilson Center William Inboden, Professor and Director, Alexander Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education, University of Florida Nicole Bobbins Sedaca, Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow, George W. Bush Institute Moderator: Igor Khrestin, Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director, Global Policy, George W. Bush InstituteRelated: 2024 Forum on Leadership

When freedom is under attack, oppressed people's most powerful tool is often their voice and the voices of others.  Global activists Pashtana Durrani, Joseph Kim, and Alice Zhuravel, joined Bush Institute's Director of Global Policy, Natalie Gonella-Platts, for a panel  discussion at the 2024 Forum on Leadership on how they are pushing back against authoritarian threats and speaking truth to power. Related: 2024 Forum on Leadership 

Indra Nooyi is the former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, where she led a push toward sustainable growth emphasizing more nutritious products, a smaller environmental footprint, and empowerment for employees and communities served. She has been recognized for her achievements by both the governments of the United States and India and has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. She's a role model for women and immigrants and the author of My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future.As the recipient of the 2024 George W. Bush Medal for Distinguished Leadership, Nooyi sat down with Ken Hersh, President and CEO of the Bush Center, where she shared her journey as the first immigrant to lead a Fortune 50 company.

As part the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by Nexpoint, a panel of former White House Social Secretaries shared insights and behind-the-scenes stories about entertaining at the White House. Moderated by Anita McBride, the panel featured Jeremy Bernard, former White House Social Secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama; Gahl Hodges Burt, former White House Social Secretary to President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan; and Amy Zantzinger, former White House Social Secretary to President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush. Related: A Conversation with White House Social Secretaries

In the Winter 2024 edition of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute, our contributors look at the current condition of American democracy. This virtual conversation will focus on how the United States has reached this point. Guests Jane Dailey of the University of Chicago and Ryan Streeter of the Civitas Institute joined The Catalyst Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan Tepperman, for an Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint virtual discussion on this moment in American history to contextualize the struggles faced by American society and democracy today.Related: Read The Catalyst: ‘The State of American Democracy'Watch the webinar and live Q&AThe winding road to justice by Dr. Jane DaileyHow we got here by Ryan Streeter

At a recent Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, had a highly entertaining conversation on the art of disagreeing better. This lively conversation was held in collaboration with KERA and the National Governors Association's Disagree Better Initiative and moderated by KERA THINK's Krys Boyd.Related: Engage at the Bush Center: 'The Art of Disagreeing Better' 5 takeaways on how to disagree better

The George W. Bush Institute, in collaboration with Liberty in North Korea, recently hosted 14 North Korean refugees and recipients of the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship for a workshop to further develop their leadership and advocacy skills. At the workshop, the Bush Institute's Executive Director David J. Kramer, Senior Fellow Victor Cha, and the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy Igor Khrestin joined moderator and Director of Freedom and Democracy Chris Walsh for a discussion on how China and Russia facilitate North Korea's human rights abuses. The conversation is based on a report released by the Bush Institute and CSIS that explores how Beijing and Moscow support and enable North Korea's crimes against humanity.Read the report.

In an Engage at the Bush Center webinar presented by Nexpoint  Jonathan Tepperman, Senior Fellow and Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute, discusses the latest issue of The Catalyst: 'The Fix'. Tepperman was joined by Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the George W. Bush Institute and Albert Torres, Associate of Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute. They discussed how specific governments and organizations have fixed problems that the rest of the world still struggles with like education and government corruption. Related: The Catalyst: 'The Fix'How governments around the world have solved supposedly impossible problems webinar

As part of the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by Nexpoint, Jonathan Tepperman, Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst, moderated a webinar and Q&A session featuring Bush Institute's Victor Cha and the Stimson's Center's Yun Sun. The discussion focused on topics addressed in the latest edition of The Catalyst such as China's new geopolitical position, the country's global influence, and U.S.-China relations. Related: The Catalyst: 'Broken China?'How COVID and Ukraine Have Changed Beijing's Strategy Webinar

Artificial intelligence is spreading throughout the economic, political, and geopolitical spheres with growing public concerns about its ramifications. In this Studio 43 panel discussion for the 2023 Forum on Leadership, Dave Copps, CEO and Co-Founder of Worlds Inc.; John Donovan, CEO of Qudit Investments; and Cullum Clark, Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, explored the co-evolution of humans and machines.Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership

Mandy Ginsberg, former CEO of Match Group and Director of ThredUp and Uber Technologies; and Nikki Krishnamurthy, Chief People Officer at Uber Technologies, examined the long-term impacts technology has had on human connections in this Studio 43 session for the 2023 Forum on Leadership. Eva Chiang, Managing Director of Leadership and Programming at the Bush Institute moderated the conversation.Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership

Former U.S. Senator Rob Portman and Nick Eberstadt, the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute joined Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Institute, at the 2023 Forum on Leadership to discuss where job opportunities, readiness to work, and regional strength connect in a post- COVID America. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership

What is the future of American capitalism? Bill Haslam, former Governor of Tennessee and the Sammons Enterprises Fellow at the Bush Institute; Larry Summers, the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University and former U.S. Treasury Secretary; McKesson Corporation's CEO Brian Tyler, and Mary Moore Hamrick, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Domestic Policy at the Bush Center, explored what's next for our economy.Related2023 Forum on Leadership

At the 2023 Forum on Leadership, Bush Center President and CEO Ken Hersh sat down for the keynote conversation with the 74th Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. They discussed governing in a purple state, the health of America's democratic spirit, and how we can unite the American people. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joined David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, to discuss how PEPFAR's successful program model can inform U.S. engagement in global health and development more broadly.Related: PEPFAR at 20 eventRead: A report series on lessons learned from PEPFAR's successRead: Building on PEPFAR's success: Is a win for U.S. foreign policyRead: Foreign aid successes: MCC and PEPFAR as models for engagement

President George W. Bush joined 66th U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice and Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete  for a conversation during PEPFAR at 20, an event marking 20 years of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) hosted by the George W. Bush Institute. The trio discussed the inception of PEPFAR, its enormous impact, and how the program is a win for both partner countries and for U.S. foreign policy. Related:Pepfar at 20 eventA report series on lessons learned from PEPFAR's successRead: Building on PEPFAR's success: Is a win for U.S. foreign policy

The Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.

The Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.

The Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.

The Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.

The Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.

On November 16, President Bush and David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, sat down at The Struggle for Freedom conference hosted by the Bush Institute in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy. They discussed the importance of U.S. support for democracy and freedom around the world, especially in places like Ukraine. 

The Bush Center welcomed Dr. Deborah Birx, the former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator and former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos as part of our Engage at the Bush Center series, presented by NexPoint.  The conversation focused on advancing health care, education, and lessons learned from the pandemic. The panel also discussed the role of public-private partnerships and the positive change they can make in our communities.

Author and Russian corruption fighter Bill Browder joined the Bush Center for a special NexPoint Lecture edition of Engage at the Bush Center. In this conversation, he discussed his harrowing story exposing President Vladimir Putin's corruption; the real situation on the ground in Russia; as well as the latest developments of the conflict in Ukraine.

Recent eighth grade graduates will be entering the workforce in 2030. Is your state preparing them appropriately? Governor Bill Haslam, the Sammons Enterprises Fellow at the Bush Institute, and Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Institute, discuss how we can support our kids and create opportunities for them.

Troy Aikman, the Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL broadcaster, joined the Bush Center for an Engage at the Bush Center event, presented by NexPoint. Aikman reflected on what matters most to him: fatherhood and community. ABC Dallas' main sports anchor, Joe Trahan, led this special conversation, which also included some football talk and discussion of Aikman's recent move to ESPN.

On May 18, the Bush Institute and four partner organizations hosted Elections – A More Perfect Union. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution; and Natan Sharansky, Honorary Member of the Board of Governors of The Jewish Agency for Israel, discuss the experience of elections in other countries and how America's commitment to the peaceful transfer of power play in inspiring and advancing democracy abroad.

On May 18, the Bush Institute and four partner organizations hosted Elections – A More Perfect Union. In this panel discussion, experts share how the integrity of elections is being protected in various states and conveying the threats currently facing election administration and workers. Panelists include: Maggie Oliver, New Mexico Secretary of State; Joanna Lydgate, Founder and CEO of States United Democracy Center; and Bill Gates, Chairman of Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

In this episode, experts and analyst discuss the role of elections in a democratic society, how they have evolved over time, and how important it is to safeguard elections against challenges of the day. Featured guests include: Ken Hersh, George W. Bush Center President and CEO; Jon Meacham, Co-chair of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy; Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at American Enterprise Institute; and Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior Fellow Democracy, Conflict, And Governance Program for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Kenneth Hersh, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center shares opening remarks at the 2022 Forum on Leadership, highlighting leadership domestic and abroad. Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Center joins Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University, to discuss the changes need to be made to ensure opportunity for all students and How institutions, including higher education,  can better serve the public.

Dr. Sakena Yacoobi received the 2022 George W. Bush Institute Citation for her decades of work empowering women and providing leadership and education to her fellow citizens in Afghanistan. In this conversation at the 2022 Forum on Leadership, she shares how her efforts to cultivate love and respect across the deep divisions made throughout history gives hope to generations of women and children.

Sustained and robust economic growth in the United States will require bold and innovative solutions. In a candid conversation at the 2022 Forum on Leadership with Secretary Elaine Chao, 24th United States Secretary of Labor, and Gary Cohn, IBM Vice President, they discuss what it will take from public and private sector leaders to put all Americans on the path to opportunity.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what are the lessons learned to address public health challenges? Amid vaccine diplomacy efforts abroad, why is American leadership so critical to address these challenges around the world? In this Forum on Leadership conversation, Dr. Deborah Birx, Senior Fellow at the Bush Institute and former White House coronavirus response coordinator, and Harbinger Health CEO Dr. Stephen Hahn address these questions and more.

At the 2022 Forum on Leadership, Bush Center President and CEO Ken Hersh sat down for the keynote conversation with General James Mattis, 26th United States Secretary of Defense. He discussed how vital America's voice is in advancing freedom and prosperity at home and around the world.

Americans are reevaluating their priorities when it comes to where and how they live. The pandemic has spurred a mass migration of people over the past two years, with some cities experiencing vast population increases and others steep declines. But there is a recipe for success: For cities to be prosperous and have vibrant, opportunity-rich economies, they must build a highly educated workforce; provide a strong sense of community; maintain a welcoming approach to newcomers, including immigrants; pursue commerce-friendly policies; invest in walkable centers, greenspace, and good physical infrastructure; and offer an affordable quality of life. In this virtual conversation, Cullum Clark, Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, and Henry Cisneros, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, discuss how America can create more cities of opportunity. Moderated by Holly Kuzmich, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, the conversation addresses policy changes city and state leaders should prioritize to ensure future success.

Engage at the Bush Center, Presented by NexPointEffective leadership begins with making connections, and humor is a way to build rapport, ease into uncomfortable conversations, and help to bring joy during difficult times. It's no coincidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has emerged as an inspirational leader to his people, began his career as a comedian.In our own democracy, humor remains vital as a tool of both diplomacy and leadership. It's also a way to hold our leaders accountable. On March 8, 2022, Bush Center President and CEO Ken Hersh moderates a panel discussion about humor in the Nation's highest office featuring Karen Hughes, a longtime advisor to President Bush; Landon Parvin, the author of many humorous speeches delivered by presidents at White House Correspondents' Association dinners and other lighthearted occasions; and David Litt, a bestselling author and former Funny or Die producer who served as a speechwriter to President Obama. The program complements the special exhibit Liberty and Laughter: The Lighter Side of the White House, open now at the Bush Center.RelatedWatch event videoLearn more about Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint

In a shift in American culture and values, we asked ‘What does the American Dream look like today? Can it still be realized?' Cullum Clark, sat down with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith; Jorge Lima, who is the senior vice president of policy at Americans for Prosperity and leads immigration efforts at the nonprofit, Stand Together; and Dionne Gumbs, CEO and Founder of GenEQTY, to discuss the path to faster, more inclusive growth and opportunity.Related: The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas for the Bush Institute - The State of the American DreamBush Institute- SMU Economic Growth Initiative Blueprint for Opportunity

In an interview on immigration insights with Bush Institute Executive Director Holly Kuzmich, former Mayor of El Paso Dee Margo discusses frontline perspectives from the U.S.-Mexico border and what a secure border looks like. RelatedRead the transcriptThe Bush Institute's work on immigration