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.

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Kai Bird

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

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Colin Powell

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

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David McCullough

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

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Condoleezza Rice

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

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F.W. de Klerk

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

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General Duncan McNabb

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

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Garry Kasparov

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

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David Ignatius

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

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Richard Brookhiser

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

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Michael Beschloss

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

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Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga

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

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Evan Thomas

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

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David Gergen

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

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Dr. Richard Kurin

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

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Lesley Stahl

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.

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His Excellency Cui Tiankai

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.

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Minister Elisabeth Rehn

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

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Chris Matthews

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

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Mikhail Gorbachev

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

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Cita Stelzer

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.

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Jon Meacham

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.

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Doris Kearns Goodwin

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.

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Ron Chernow

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.

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David Eisenhower

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.

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David Blight

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.

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Walter Isaacson

Legacy Luncheon Past Speaker Mrs. Laura Bush, Former First Lady of the United States, was the featured speaker at the…

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First Lady Laura Bush

Legacy Luncheon Past Speaker The Ladies of the Court, the Women’s Board of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute hosted the…

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First Lady Jill Biden

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.

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Betty Ford: Lisa McCubbin

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.

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Senator Dennis DeConcini