Gallery of Past Speakers

Past Speakers

The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute is proud to collaborate with distinguished speakers for a variety of events. From world leaders to authors to celebrities in many genres, we have led thought-provoking discussions that further Justice O’Connor’s efforts in civic engagement, education, and civil discourse. The Institute invites you to explore these past speakers and the events at which they presented.

An older man with a beard sits in a chair, speaking into a microphone. He wears a dark suit. Behind him is a large portrait of another man in a suit. The background is a deep blue curtain.

Dinner with Oppenheimer & Truman featured Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kai Bird in a fireside chat with guest moderator Dr. Kurt Graham, who was the director of the Truman Presidential Library & Museum from 2015 to 2024.

Distinguished Speakers Series Past Speaker Retired Four-Star General and Former Secretary of State Retired Four-Star General and Former Secretary of…

Distinguished Speakers SeriesPast Speaker Pulitzer Prize Winner David McCullough, who has been writing novels since the 1960s, won the Pulitzer…

Past Speaker 66th United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 66th United States Secretary of State, participated in our inagural…

Past Speaker Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and U.S. Naval Institute Chairman of…

Past Speaker U.S. Senate legends A civil yet lively dialogue ruled the day as the two U.S. Senate legends, Senator…

Past Speaker Nobel Peace Prize Recipient, Former President of South Africa President F.W. de Klerk, who shared the Nobel Peace…

Past Speaker Four-Star General Thursday, February 5, 2015, the O’Connor Institute welcomed General Duncan McNabb. The luncheon and program at…

World Chess Legend, Russian Pro-Democracy Leader and Chairman of Human Rights International

Past Speaker The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute was delighted to welcome Jennie and Randolph Churchill, two of Sir Winston Churchill’s…

Distinguished Speakers Series Past Speaker Foreign Affairs Columnist and Associate Editor for The Washington Post David Ignatius, Foreign Affairs Columnist…

Past Speaker Sandra Day O’Connor Institute was honored to welcome Richard Brookhiser, award-winning author of John Marshall: The Man Who Made…

Past Speaker Presidential historian Michael Beschloss delivered a remarkable perspective on the Executive Branch as he discussed his latest book,…

Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Past Speaker Former President of Latvia On October 14, 2014, the former President of Latvia, Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, delivered a…

Past Speaker Author and Historian Evan Thomas shared an in depth look at the life of Justice O’Connor from his…

Distinguished Speakers Series Past Speaker Harvard Kennedy School, Professor of Public Service and CNN Senior Political Analyst Harvard Kennedy School,…

Past Speaker Smithsonian Provost Friday, November 20, 2015, the O’Connor Institute welcomed Smithsonian Institution Provost Dr. Ricahrd Kurin. A sold…

Emmy Award-Winning Journalist, 60 Minutes CBS Correspondent, Best Selling Author

The O’Connor Institute, McCain Institute and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations (PCFR) were pleased to host Ambassador Tiankai. Ambassador to the United States from the People’s Republic of China.

The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, in partnership with the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, was pleased to present Minister Elisabeth Rehn, former Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Minister of Defense in Finland.

Chris Matthews, Author and host of MSNBC’s Hardball, fascinated the audience with remarkable “behind the scenes” stories from the Reagan era.

Past Speaker Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev spoke on global leadership on April 28, 2012…

An elegant crowd assembled at the Camelback Inn on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Winston Churchill scholar Cita Stelzer was the featured speaker.

Friday, October 14, 2016, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson was honored through the work of Pulitzer Prize winner and Presidential Historian Jon Meacham. Guests at the Arizona Biltmore were transported to Jefferson’s Monticello estate and dined on a carefully selected menu inspired by Jefferson’s travels.

Dinner with Lincoln featured Pulitzer Prize Winner and Presidential Historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

Dinner with Kennedy ~ An Evening In Camelot featured Ambassador Caroline Kennedy with a fireside chat led by Ambassador Barbara Barrett.

A grand banquet hall with a large chandelier, featuring a speaker at a podium. A painting depicting a historical scene is displayed on a screen behind them. Portraits of historical figures hang on either side, and guests are seated at a long table.

Acclaimed author and historian Ron Chernow artfully educated and entertained the crowd with his extensive knowledge of Alexander Hamilton and our nation’s founding. In addition to his remarks, the audience delighted in a performance from the hit Broadway musical – Hamilton – with permission from Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Over 900 guests attended Dinner With Eisenhower – The War Years at the Institute’s annual History Dinner on Friday, Novebember 19, 2021. David Eisenhower, grandson of Dwight D. Eisenhower was the distinguished speaker, whose presentation demonstrated his vast knowledge of D-Day and World War II.

A fireside chat between Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Blight and Douglass descendant Kenneth Morris, Jr., provided the audience with a glimpse at their years-long relationship and Blight’s research into Douglass’ life.

A fireside chat between Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, and his fellow journalist and longtime friend Evan Thomas was riveting and offered even greater insight into the genius of Benjamin Franklin.

Mrs. Laura Bush, Former First Lady of the United States, was the featured speaker at the inaugural Legacy Luncheon, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Mrs. Bush reflected on her life and discussed her memoir, # 1 New York Times best seller, Spoken from the Heart.

Following the success of Laura Bush event, the Ladies of the Court were pleased to welcome former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Dr. Biden spoke of her book Where the Light Enters, Building a Family, Discovering Myself.

USA Today political editor Susan Page, author of The Matriarch, the biography of Barbara Bush entertained attendees as keynote speaker along with Barbara Pierce Bush, the granddaughter and namesake of the late memorable First Lady.

Ms. Dowling’s stunning presentation provided the audience an inside glimpse of historic White House china, first ladies’ floral preferences as well as the legendary White House Christmas decor and state dinners, among other important events.

Dr. Hartig spoke about the book, Smithsonian American Women. Ambassador Barbara Barrett (a Smithsonian regent) conducted a “Fireside Chat” interview with Dr. Hartig, discussing many of the Smithsonians artifacts.

In David Monn’s The Art of Celebrating, he invited attendees behind the scenes to thirty-six fabulous events that he had conceived, designed, and orchestrated, and he showed guests how he put his ideas to work.

Patrons Circle Past Speaker Author Gary L. Stuart Moderator Judge Redfield Baum

Patrons Circle Past Speaker The Story of Arizona Supreme Court Justice Lorna Lockwood The First Female Chief Justice of a…

Patrons Circle Past Speaker The New York Times Bestselling Author In 1789, James Madison and James Monroe ran against each other…

Patrons Circle Past Speaker Guest Moderator Barry Goldwater Jr. Presenting Sponsor J.P. Morgan Private Bank John Augustine was born in…

In the presentation, Stuart Graff explored the origins of Wright’s ideas in American democratic thinking and discussed the lessons of Wright’s work.

New York Times bestselling authors Lisa McCubbin and former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill provided remarkable insight into the life of former First Lady Betty Ford.

An elderly man in a suit and tie sits in a red leather armchair, speaking into a microphone. The background shows a wall with vertical panels and a partially visible screen on the left.

Hear an eyewitness story of the selection of Justice O’Connor from Senator Dennis DeConcini himself, in a moderated conversation with his longtime friend Fred Duval, former U.S. deputy chief of protocol, and deputy assistant secretary of state in the 1990s.