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The 2018 Texas Tribune Festival is upon us! Join us Sept. 27-29 in downtown Austin for two days of unique perspectives, thoughtful conversation and networking — all in the shadow of the Texas Capitol. 

Wednesday, September 26
 

6:30pm CDT

Franklin Barbecue Feast – SOLD OUT!
Skip the line and join us for this special pre-Texas Tribune Festival kick-off event at the legendary Franklin Barbecue with world-class fare, cold beer and conversation. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, joins Tribune co-founder and CEO Evan Smith in conversation about the state of politics and the role of media heading into the 2018 elections.

Presented by NRG Energy
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for Dean Baquet

Dean Baquet

Executive Editor of The New York Times
Baquet has served as executive editor of The New York Times since 2014. He was previously the Times’ managing editor and Washington bureau chief after serving as national editor and deputy metro editor. Baquet also served as the editor of the Los Angeles Times from 2005 to 2007... Read More →

Wednesday September 26, 2018 6:30pm - 8:30pm CDT
Franklin Barbecue
  Special Events
 
Thursday, September 27
 

8:00am CDT

Speaker & Sponsor Badge Grab Breakfast
Speakers and sponsors are invited to kick off the Festival by picking up credentials over breakfast tacos and coffee at our Festival Hub. Speakers and sponsors will enjoy this exclusive window before registration opens to the public.

Presented by Southwest Airlines
Thursday September 27, 2018 8:00am - 10:00am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

9:00am CDT

Live Recording of the Kaiser Health News "What the Health?" Podcast
Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, along Bloomberg News' Anna Edney, the Dell Medical School's Mini Kahlon and Politico's Joanne Kenen and Alice Ollstein, for a live recording of KHN's "What the Health?" podcast.

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Moderators
avatar for Julie Rovner

Julie Rovner

Chief Washington Correspondent for Kaiser Health News
Rovner is the Robin Toner Distinguished Fellow and chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news organization covering health care policy. Prior to joining KHN in 2014, she spent 15 years as a health policy correspondent for NPR. In 2005, Rovner was awarded... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Anna Edney

Anna Edney

Health Policy Reporter at Bloomberg News
Edney has worked as a health policy reporter at Bloomberg News since 2010. She previously worked as a health care reporter for National Journal’s CongressDaily and as an FDA Week reporter for Inside Washington Publishers. Edney also worked as a statehouse reporter for the Washington... Read More →
avatar for Mini Kahlon

Mini Kahlon

Vice Dean for Health Ecosystem at the Dell Medical School
Kahlon serves as the vice dean for health ecosystem at the Dell Medical School, leading innovation efforts across the school. She previously served as executive director and chief information officer for the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of California... Read More →
avatar for Joanne Kenen

Joanne Kenen

Executive Health Care Editor at Politico
Kenen has served as executive health care editor for Politico since 2011. She also runs a health reform resource project for the Association of Health Care Journalists and is a contributor to its blog, Covering Health. Prior to joining Politico, Kenen covered health care policy for... Read More →
avatar for Alice Ollstein

Alice Ollstein

Health Care Reporter at Politico
Ollstein covers health care at Politico. Previously, she covered national politics at Talking Points Memo, worked as a politics reporter for ThinkProgress and as a congressional reporter for Capitol News Connection. Ollstein also serves on the board of the D.C. Chapter of the Society... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Special Events

9:00am CDT

Members-only "How to #TribFest18" Breakfast
Join Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith and a special Festival guest for a Tribune members-only preview of the Festival. Over breakfast tacos and coffee, get an insider peek at Evan's top panel picks, meet other members and get all of your questions answered about How To Fest. Find out more about Members at the Fest.

This breakfast is open to Texas Tribune members, who will receive an invitation and RSVP link in September. 

This event is supported by Bumble Bizz, the official networking app of The Texas Tribune Festival.
Speakers
avatar for Ana Marie Cox

Ana Marie Cox

Host of the "With Friends Like These" Podcast
Cox is a political columnist and culture critic. She previously conducted the “Talk” interviews featured in The New York Times Magazine. Since starting the political blog Wonkette in 2004, she has contributed to a variety of outlets, including Time magazine, GQ and The Guardian... Read More →
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Thursday September 27, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Special Events

10:30am CDT

Live Recording of The Weekly Standard's "The Daily Standard" Podcast
Join Charles Sykes, radio talk show host and contributing editor for The Weekly Standard, along with Republican political strategist Rick Wilson, for a live recording of "The Daily Standard" podcast.

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Moderators
avatar for Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

Contributing Editor for The Weekly Standard and Contributor for MSNBC
Sykes is a prominent conservative political commentator. He hosted a daily talk radio show for 23 years, leaving to join “Indivisible,” a national radio show about America in a time of change produced by WNYC. Sykes is also founder and editor-in-chief of Right Wisconsin, a conservative... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Rick Wilson

Rick Wilson

Republican Political Strategist and CEO of Intrepid Media
Wilson is a Republican political strategist and media consultant. He has produced television ads for several gubernatorial and Senate candidates as well as super PACs and corporations. He is also a columnist for The Daily Beast, where he covers national politics. Wilson’s work has... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Special Events

12:00pm CDT

ModCloth Trunk Show
Join ModCloth for a trunk show highlighting their current collection.
Thursday September 27, 2018 12:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Partner Programming

12:00pm CDT

Women at #TribFest18 Lunch
The Texas Tribune invites women registered for Festival to grab their badges and network over light bites and tea at our Festival Hub, located at 800 Congress.

This special lunchtime reception, hosted by Texas Tribune Editor-in-chief Emily Ramshaw, will bring together some of the top women shaping politics, business, technology and public policy in Texas. Pick up your Festival credential and meet fellow ladies leading their fields, including several political candidates on the November 2018 ballot.

This event is open to Festival attendees. RSVP here.

The Heart Gallery of Central Texas, a program of Partnerships for Children, features portraits of Central Texas children in the foster care system who are available for adoption. Working together, our community raises awareness around adoption, foster care and permanency

This event is supported by Modcloth, Austin Community College, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Southwest Airlines – the official airline of Texas Tribune Events. It is hosted by Panacea Collection.
Speakers
avatar for Emily Ramshaw

Emily Ramshaw

Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune
Ramshaw oversees The Texas Tribune’s editorial, technology, events and audience-building operations. Under her leadership, the Tribune has won a Peabody Award, 10 national Edward R. Murrow Awards and top honors from the Online News Association. She is a member of the board of the... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 12:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

1:00pm CDT

Live Recording of Vox Media's "The Weeds" Podcast
Join Jane Coaston, Dara Lind and Matt Yglesias for a live recording of Vox Media's "The Weeds" podcast.

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Speakers
avatar for Jane Coaston

Jane Coaston

Senior Politics Reporter for Vox
Coaston is a senior politics reporter for Vox, specializing in conservatism and the American Right. She previously worked for MTV News, where she covered the 2016 election and Republican party politics. Coaston has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post and ESPN... Read More →
avatar for Dara Lind

Dara Lind

Senior Reporter for Vox
Lind covers immigration, criminal justice and politics for Vox, where she has worked since the site’s launch in 2014. She has worked as a reporting fellow for University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism and with John Jay College's Center for Media, Crime and Justice... Read More →
avatar for Matt Yglesias

Matt Yglesias

Co-Founder of Vox
Yglesias co-founded Vox with Ezra Klein and Melissa Bell in 2014. He is currently a senior correspondent at Vox where he focuses on politics and economic policy and hosts “The Weeds” podcast. Yglesias was previously the author of the Moneybag column for Slate and a blogger for... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Special Events

2:30pm CDT

Live Recording of the "Matt Lewis and the News" Podcast
Join Matt K. Lewis, senior columnist for The Daily Beast and commentator for CNN, along with guest Bill Kristol, founder and editor-at-large for The Weekly Standard, for a live recording of the "Matt Lewis and the News" podcast.

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Moderators
avatar for Matt K. Lewis

Matt K. Lewis

Senior Columnist for The Daily Beast and Commentator for CNN
Lewis is a senior columnist at the Daily Beast and political commentator for CNN. He is also the author of “Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections (and How It Can Reclaim Its Conservative Roots).” Lewis is the host of his own podcast, Matt... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bill Kristol

Bill Kristol

Founder and Editor-at-Large of The Weekly Standard
Kristol is the founder and editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard, as well as a political commentator for ABC. He appears on the network’s program "This Week" and contributes to special events and election coverage. Previously, Kristol was a columnist for The New York Times and... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 2:30pm - 3:30pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Special Events

4:00pm CDT

Live Recording of The Texas Tribune's "TribCast"
Before the opening keynote, Festival attendees are invited to join us for a special pre-Festival live recording of the Texas Tribune TribCast, hosted by the Tribune's Emily Ramshaw and featuring special guests Amanda Carpenter, CNN contributor and former Communications Advisor to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz; Texas Supreme Court justice Eva Guzman, Gina Ortiz Jones, Democratic candidate for Texas' 23rd congressional district; and David Weigel, national political correspondent for The Washington Post. After the recording, head over to ACL Live at The Moody Theater for the opening keynote with John Kerry, former U.S. secretary of state.

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and The University of Texas at Austin and supported by H+K Strategies and the Texas A&M University System

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Moderators
avatar for Emily Ramshaw

Emily Ramshaw

Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune
Ramshaw oversees The Texas Tribune’s editorial, technology, events and audience-building operations. Under her leadership, the Tribune has won a Peabody Award, 10 national Edward R. Murrow Awards and top honors from the Online News Association. She is a member of the board of the... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Amanda Carpenter

Amanda Carpenter

Author and Contributor for CNN
Carpenter is a contributor for CNN, covering politics as a commentator. She is the author of “Gaslighting America: Why We Love it When Trump Lies to Us.” Carpenter previously worked as communications adviser for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and as a senior adviser for former U.S. Sen. Jim... Read More →
avatar for Eva Guzman

Eva Guzman

Texas Supreme Court Justice
Guzman was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2009 and elected to a full term in 2010. Previously, she served as an associate justice on the Houston-based 14th Court of Appeals and as a trial court judge on the 309th Family District Court. Guzman also... Read More →
avatar for Gina Ortiz Jones

Gina Ortiz Jones

Democratic Candidate for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District
Ortiz Jones is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, challenging Republican incumbent Will Hurd. She served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force for 12 years and as a senior adviser for trade enforcement under President Barack Obama. Ortiz Jones... Read More →
avatar for Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey

Executive Editor of The Texas Tribune
Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of the Tribune, where he writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly and as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald... Read More →
avatar for David Weigel

David Weigel

National Political Correspondent for The Washington Post
Weigel is a national political correspondent for The Washington Post, where he covers Congress and grassroots political movements. He previously helped launch Bloomberg Politics and worked as a reporter for Slate, where he authored the political blog Weigel and hosted an interview... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Special Events

6:00pm CDT

Opening Night Reception
Mingle with fellow attendees, Festival speakers and moderators at a welcome reception on the Music Porch at ACL Live at The Moody Theater before Thursday's opening keynote with former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Presented by Anheuser-Busch
Thursday September 27, 2018 6:00pm - 7:00pm CDT
ACL Live at The Moody Theater
  Special Events

7:00pm CDT

Opening Keynote: One on One with John Kerry
The former U.S. secretary of state and U.S. senator from Massachusetts on his just-published memoir, "Every Day is Extra," and the world at a crossroads. What he thinks about Russia, North Korea, Iran, NATO, NAFTA and more.

Get a discount on John Kerry's new book, "Every Day is Extra," with your pre-order from BookPeople.

Sponsored by PepsiCo
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for John Kerry

John Kerry

Former U.S. Secretary of State
Kerry served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. He previously represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 1982 to 2013, serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and was the 2004 Democratic nominee for president. Kerry... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 7:00pm - 8:15pm CDT
ACL Live at The Moody Theater
  Special Events

8:30pm CDT

Book Signing of John Kerry's "Every Day is Extra"
Join us for a signing of Secretary John Kerry's newest book, "Every Day is Extra." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

To ensure everyone gets their book signed in a timely manner, Sec. Kerry will be signing his books with signature only, and no posed photography but candid shots are allowed and encouraged.

This event is open to Festival passholders only.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for John Kerry

John Kerry

Former U.S. Secretary of State
Kerry served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. He previously represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 1982 to 2013, serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and was the 2004 Democratic nominee for president. Kerry... Read More →

Thursday September 27, 2018 8:30pm - 9:00pm CDT
ACL Live at The Moody Theater
  Special Events
 
Friday, September 28
 

7:00am CDT

Breakfast & Meet-and-Greet with 'Speakers Speak' Panelists
Kick off the day with breakfast & conversation with the panelists of Speakers Speak in the sixth floor lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation just before their panel.

Presented by the Texas Public Policy Foundation
Speakers
avatar for Ben Barnes

Ben Barnes

Former Speaker of the Texas House and Former Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Barnes served as lieutenant governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, the youngest person to hold the office. Prior to his election as lieutenant governor, he served as the youngest speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 1965 to 1969. After leaving office, Barnes worked as... Read More →
avatar for Tom Craddick

Tom Craddick

State Representative, R-Midland, and Former Speaker of the Texas House
Craddick, R-Midland, has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 1969. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the first Republican speaker of the House from 2003 to 2009. Craddick serves on the House Energy Resources and State Affairs committees and is the owner of Craddick Properties... Read More →
avatar for Pete Laney

Pete Laney

Former Speaker of the Texas House
Laney, D-Hale County, served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 2007. In 1993, he was unanimously elected speaker of the Texas House, serving until 2003. During his tenure, Laney served as chair of the House Administration and State Affairs committees. He is a practicing... Read More →
avatar for Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey

Executive Editor of The Texas Tribune
Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of the Tribune, where he writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly and as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Texas Public Policy Foundation

Texas Public Policy Foundation

Major Sponsor
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research organization based in Austin that promotes liberty, opportunity and personal responsibility. TPPF initiatives include criminal justice reform, improving educational outcomes and defending taxpayers.@TPPF... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

7:00am CDT

Breakfast & Meet-and-Greet with 'The Diversity of Diversity' Panelists
Kick off the day with breakfast & conversation with the panelists of The Diversity of Diversity in the Driskill Hotel mezzanine just before their panel.

Presented by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
Speakers
avatar for Salman Bhojani

Salman Bhojani

Euless City Councilman
Bhojani is a member of the Euless City Council, representing Place 6. He was elected in May 2018 and is the city’s first Muslim elected official. Bhojani also works as an attorney and entrepreneur, serving as managing partner of Bhojani Law, PLLC & Allegiance Title of Irving.
avatar for Theresa Chang

Theresa Chang

Harris County Court at Law Judge
Chang serves as the presiding judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law. She previously worked as an assistant county attorney and division chief of revenue and compliance for the Harris County Attorney’s Office. Chang serves on the commission for lawyer discipline of the State... Read More →
avatar for Bruno

Bruno "Ralphy" Lozano

Mayor of Del Rio
Lozano was elected mayor of Del Rio in May 2018, becoming the city’s first openly gay official and youngest mayor. He previously served as a security forces patrolman in the U.S. military. Prior to his election, Lozano also worked as an activist in Del Rio helping to clean local... Read More →
avatar for James White

James White

State Representative, R-Hillister
White, R-Hillister, has represented House District 19 since 2010. He serves as chairman of the House Corrections Committee and sits on the International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Previously, White served as a professor of government at Angelina College. He is an... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Supporting Sponsor
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas operates Naskila Gaming, an entertainment center offering electronic bingo on its tribal lands. Naskila Gaming is an alcohol-free gaming venue just an hour north of Houston that has proven to be a boon to the regional economy. The Alabama-Coushatta... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Mezzanine
  Partner Programming

7:00am CDT

Yoga on the Lawn
Join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for morning yoga on the southwest corner of the Texas State Capitol lawn. And come early! A free Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas yoga mat will be given to the first 25 attendees.

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Sponsors
avatar for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Major Sponsor
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas, serving 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Texas State Capitol Lawn 1100 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  Partner Programming

7:00am CDT

Breakfast with Walmart
Come kick off Friday of the Texas Tribune Festival with Walmart at the company's new technology center, Walmart ATX, recently voted one of Austin's coolest work spaces by the Austin Business Journal.

Walmart executives will share how Texas' largest private employer is reinventing retail as we know it.

Breakfast tacos from Taco Deli and refreshments will be provided. RSVP to this event here.

Presented by Walmart
Sponsors
avatar for Walmart

Walmart

Presenting Sponsor
Celebrating over 40 years of doing business in Texas, Walmart is proud to be the state's largest private employer with nearly 170,000 Texas associates and 596 stores. Walmart spent more than $52.4 billion with Texas-based suppliers in FY 2018, supporting an additional 285,000 Texas... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:00am - 8:30am CDT
Walmart Technology – ATX
  Partner Programming

7:30am CDT

Beyond Texas: Texas A&M University's Global Impact VR Demo
Ever been to Botswana? How about Palau? Kazakhstan or Peru? Experience these and other locations in 360° virtual reality in the lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation and learn how Texas A&M research and education goes beyond Texas. 


Presented by Texas A&M University
Sponsors
avatar for Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Supporting Sponsor
What began in 1876 as the state’s first public institution of higher learning, Texas A&M University has become one of the largest research universities in the U.S. Our students experience transformational learning on campus and across the globe, with more Aggies studying abroad... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:30am - 4:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, First Floor Lobby
  Partner Programming

7:30am CDT

Lobby Days Software Demonstration
Lobby Days is a new software that helps organizations set up and administer their days at the capitol with ease. The team will be set up during #TribFest18 to give an exclusive first look at the software to attendees. 

Presented by Lobby Days
Sponsors
avatar for Lobby Days

Lobby Days

Major Sponsor
Lobby Days is the first and only software that helps your staff set up and run a lobby day at the capitol. Through patent-pending automation software, we help save you time and money so you can focus on what matters during a legislative session: your issues.@LobbyDays... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:30am - 5:00pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, First Floor Lobby
  Partner Programming

8:00am CDT

Speakers Speak
Four former leaders of the Texas House on how the job has changed, the politics of winning and keeping it, and whether the power of the gavel has grown or waned.

Supported by AT&T, CenterPoint Energy, Oncor, H-E-B and Entergy
Moderators
avatar for Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey

Executive Editor of The Texas Tribune
Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of the Tribune, where he writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly and as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Ben Barnes

Ben Barnes

Former Speaker of the Texas House and Former Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Barnes served as lieutenant governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, the youngest person to hold the office. Prior to his election as lieutenant governor, he served as the youngest speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 1965 to 1969. After leaving office, Barnes worked as... Read More →
avatar for Tom Craddick

Tom Craddick

State Representative, R-Midland, and Former Speaker of the Texas House
Craddick, R-Midland, has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 1969. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the first Republican speaker of the House from 2003 to 2009. Craddick serves on the House Energy Resources and State Affairs committees and is the owner of Craddick Properties... Read More →
avatar for Pete Laney

Pete Laney

Former Speaker of the Texas House
Laney, D-Hale County, served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 2007. In 1993, he was unanimously elected speaker of the Texas House, serving until 2003. During his tenure, Laney served as chair of the House Administration and State Affairs committees. He is a practicing... Read More →
avatar for Gib Lewis

Gib Lewis

Former Speaker of the Texas House
Lewis, D-Tarrant County, served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1971 to 1993. He served five terms as speaker of the House from 1983 to 1993. During his tenure, Lewis served as chair of the House Intergovernmental Affairs and Natural Resources committees. He currently serves... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  #TBT

8:00am CDT

One on One with Tom Perez
The chairman of the Democratic National Committee on the battle for control of Congress, what his party stands for today, and politics in the age of Trump.
Moderators
avatar for Reid Epstein

Reid Epstein

Politics Reporter for the Wall Street Journal
Epstein covers national politics from the Washington bureau of The Wall Street Journal, where he has worked since 2014. Previously, he reported for Politico, where he covered President Barack Obama's White House and the 2012 presidential campaign. Epstein also covered New York politics... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Tom Perez

Tom Perez

Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Perez was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. He previously served as secretary of labor and assistant attorney general for civil rights under President Barack Obama. Before joining the Obama administration, Perez served as secretary of the Maryland Department... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  2018

8:00am CDT

Counting Every Texan
Is the U.S. census going to give us an accurate tally of  our population? What are the consequences if it doesn’t?

Read more about the Tribune’s coverage on the 2020 census.

Presented by the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Alexa Ura

Alexa Ura

Demographics Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Ura covers politics, demographics, with an emphasis on the state’s surging Hispanic population, and voting rights issues at the Tribune, where she started as a reporting fellow in 2013. Ura is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Speakers
avatar for César Blanco

César Blanco

State Representative, D-El Paso
Blanco, D-El Paso, has represented House District 76 since 2015. He serves as vice chairman of the House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs committee and sits on the Land & Resource Management Committee. He also serves on the Transportation Policy Board of the El Paso Metropolitan Planning... Read More →
avatar for Cathy Lacy

Cathy Lacy

Regional Director of the U.S. Census Bureau
Lacy has served as regional director of the Census Bureau’s Denver office since 2007, where she oversees administration and public relations for the bureau in 12 states. She previously served as chief of the Census Field Division’s Decennial Administrative Branch, overseeing staff... Read More →
avatar for Michael Li

Michael Li

Redistricting and Voting Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University
Li serves as senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, where he focuses on redistricting, voting rights and elections. He is also the author of txredistricting.org, a widely cited redistricting blog. Previously, he practiced law at Baker Botts LLP in Dallas and... Read More →
avatar for Steve Murdock

Steve Murdock

Former Texas State Demographer and Former Director of the U.S. Census Bureau
Murdock is currently a sociology professor and director of the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas at Rice University. He served as director of the U.S. Census Bureau from 2007 to 2009 and as the first Texas State Demographer from 2001 to 2007. Murdock was also the director of the... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  2050

8:00am CDT

The Diversity of Diversity
Race, ethnicity, gender and ideology are many-splendored in Texas these days.

Supported by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and Walmart
Moderators
avatar for Corrie MacLaggan

Corrie MacLaggan

Managing Editor of The Texas Tribune
MacLaggan is the Tribune’s managing editor. Previously she worked as a national correspondent for Reuters, writing and editing stories about Texas and nearby states and overseeing a network of freelance writers. Before joining Reuters, she covered Texas government and politics for... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Salman Bhojani

Salman Bhojani

Euless City Councilman
Bhojani is a member of the Euless City Council, representing Place 6. He was elected in May 2018 and is the city’s first Muslim elected official. Bhojani also works as an attorney and entrepreneur, serving as managing partner of Bhojani Law, PLLC & Allegiance Title of Irving.
avatar for Theresa Chang

Theresa Chang

Harris County Court at Law Judge
Chang serves as the presiding judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law. She previously worked as an assistant county attorney and division chief of revenue and compliance for the Harris County Attorney’s Office. Chang serves on the commission for lawyer discipline of the State... Read More →
avatar for Bruno

Bruno "Ralphy" Lozano

Mayor of Del Rio
Lozano was elected mayor of Del Rio in May 2018, becoming the city’s first openly gay official and youngest mayor. He previously served as a security forces patrolman in the U.S. military. Prior to his election, Lozano also worked as an activist in Del Rio helping to clean local... Read More →
avatar for James White

James White

State Representative, R-Hillister
White, R-Hillister, has represented House District 19 since 2010. He serves as chairman of the House Corrections Committee and sits on the International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Previously, White served as a professor of government at Angelina College. He is an... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  Diversity & Immigration

8:00am CDT

Mending the Safety Net
Two ex-administrators of Medicare and Medicaid on ensuring the least among us have the care they need.

Presented by Ascension-Seton and supported by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
Moderators
avatar for Mary Agnes Carey

Mary Agnes Carey

Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News
Carey covers health reform and federal health policy for Kaiser Health News. Previously, she served as associate editor of QC HealthBeat, a daily report on health care policy for Congressional Quarterly. Carey has also covered budgets, economics and health care for Dow Jones News... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mark McClellan

Mark McClellan

Former Administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President George W. Bush
McClellan is a professor and founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. He previously served as director of the Health Care Innovation and Value Initiative and the Richard Merkin Initiative on Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership. McClellan... Read More →
avatar for Andy Slavitt

Andy Slavitt

Acting Administrator of the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services under President Barack Obama
Slavitt oversaw Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace programs under President Barack Obama. He is the founder and a general partner in Town Hall Ventures, which invests in innovative health care businesses. Slavitt also... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  Health & Human Services

8:00am CDT

Student BreakFest
On Friday and Saturday mornings, students are invited for tacos and coffee to pre-game the day and connect with other #TTFStudents. Meet Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life staff and our social media ambassadors, get highlights of the day and inside information on what’s happening. Learn more about Students at the Fest.

Students at the Fest is presented in partnership with the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life. Supporting sponsors include the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, Pearson, Texas Exes, Austin Community College and the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation.
Sponsors
avatar for Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Supporting Sponsor
The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Austin was founded in the year 2000 on the belief that active, engaged citizens are made, not born, and that society benefits from increased citizen participation in civic life... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

8:00am CDT

Planet Texas 2050: A UT Grand Challenge
Today, Texas’ population is nearly 28 million. By 2050, that number is predicted to double. Visit Planet Texas 2050, the first grand challenge launched at The University of Texas at Austin to find out how more than 100 researchers from around campus are working together to address these issues. 

And be sure to stop by before and after the “Is the Water Crisis Over?” session from 2:45 – 4:45 p.m. to meet Planet Texas 2050 researchers with a particular expertise in Texas water resources.

Presented by The University of Texas at Austin
Sponsors
avatar for The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin

Major Sponsor
The University of Texas at Austin is a world-class research university tackling society’s greatest issues. With students from every state and more than 100 countries, UT is creating the next generation of leaders who will make an impact in Texas and around the world.@UTAustin... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

8:00am CDT

Executive Lounge
Need to catch up on calls, grab a cup of coffee or meet with a colleague? The Maximilian Room at The Driskill Hotel is reserved for executive passholders, speakers and sponsors to handle business or catch some much-needed air conditioning.

Supported by Chariot
Sponsors
avatar for Chariot

Chariot

Major Sponsor
When it comes to making traffic less of a nightmare, the goal has become increasingly straightforward: change the one person to one car culture. At Chariot, we're focused on creating a transit solution that relieves congestion while offering a comfortable, personalized commuting experience... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Maximillian Room
  Special Events

8:30am CDT

Spoiler Alert
The Libertarian Party wants to do more than disrupt elections.
Moderators
avatar for Matt Welch

Matt Welch

Editor-at-Large for Reason
Welch is editor-at-large of Reason, a libertarian-leaning magazine. He is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a co-host of “The Fifth Column” and “Reason” podcasts. Welch is a regular guest on MSNBC, Fox, CNN and HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher” and is the author... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lucy Brenton

Lucy Brenton

Libertarian Candidate for U.S. Senate in Indiana
Brenton is the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in Indiana. She currently serves as Secretary of the Hamilton County Libertarian Party and is an entrepreneur and business consultant. Brenton previously served as the treasurer of the Indiana Notary Association and president of... Read More →
avatar for Nick Sarwark

Nick Sarwark

Chairman of the National Libertarian Party and Libertarian Candidate for Mayor of Phoenix
Sarwark is the Libertarian candidate for mayor of Phoenix and is currently serving his third term as chairman of the National Libertarian Party. Sarwark has also worked as a criminal defense attorney, a deputy public defender in Colorado and an executive in the computer consulting... Read More →
avatar for Mark Tippetts

Mark Tippetts

Libertarian Candidate for Texas Governor
Tippetts is the Libertarian candidate for Texas governor. He currently works as an international legal and business consultant. Throughout his career, Tippetts has developed and operated several companies throughout Mexico and Latin America, including a law firm in Monterrey, Mexico... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  2018

8:30am CDT

The Prognosis for Paid Sick Leave
The latest battle over local control is already raging. (Thank you, Austin.)

Presented by the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Alana Rocha

Alana Rocha

Multimedia Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Rocha joined the Tribune staff as a multimedia reporter after working eight years in television and radio news. She's covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and Texas and traveled the country reporting from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign trails. In her five years... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Ann Beeson

Ann Beeson

CEO of the Center for Public Policy Priorities
Beeson has led the Center for Public Policy Priorities since 2013. Prior to joining CPPP, she served as executive director of U.S. programs at the Open Society Foundations, specializing in human rights advocacy. Beeson is also the former associate legal director of the American Civil... Read More →
avatar for Greg Casar

Greg Casar

Austin City Council Member
Casar was first elected to represent Austin City Council District 4 in 2014. He was the lead sponsor for the city of Austin’s Paid Sick Days ordinance, which gives every private sector employee in the city limits the right to earn a significant amount of paid sick time. Previously... Read More →
avatar for Robert Henneke

Robert Henneke

General Counsel and Director of the Center for the American Future at the Texas Public Policy Foundation
Henneke serves as general counsel and director of the Center for the American Future at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He previously served as Kerr County attorney and as assistant attorney general of Texas in the general litigation division. Henneke has appeared on several national... Read More →
avatar for Paul Workman

Paul Workman

State Representative, R-Austin
Workman, R-Austin, has represented House District 47 since 2011. He sits on the House Business & Industry and Natural Resources committees and the Subcommittee on Special Water Districts. Previously, he served 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserves. Workman is also the founder of Austin-based... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Stateside at The Paramount
  2019

8:30am CDT

Transportation for Tomorrow
It begins with enough of the right roads in enough of the right places, but it doesn’t end there.

Supported by Texas Central, AT&T, H-E-B, Chariot and Toyota North America and Gulf States Toyota
Moderators
avatar for Brandon Formby

Brandon Formby

Urban Affairs Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Formby writes about the challenges facing Texas’ largest metro areas as they experience unbridled growth. He joined the Tribune in October 2016 and is the organization’s first reporter based in Dallas. Previously, Formby spent more than 13 years at The Dallas Morning News, where... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for J. Bruce Bugg

J. Bruce Bugg

Chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission
Bugg was appointed chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2017. He serves as chairman and trustee of the Tobin Endowment, a charitable foundation in San Antonio, and as chairman and co-founder of the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation. Previously... Read More →
avatar for Celia Israel

Celia Israel

State Representative, D-Austin
Israel, D-Austin, has represented House District 50 since 2014. She serves as vice chairwoman of the House Elections Committee and sits on the Transportation Committee. Previously, she served on the boards of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance for Public... Read More →
avatar for Geanie Morrison

Geanie Morrison

State Representative, R-Victoria
Morrison, R-Victoria, has served House District 30 since 1999. She serves as chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee and sits on the Higher Education Committee and the Select Committee on Texas Ports, Innovation & Infrastructure. In the 85th legislative session, Morrison... Read More →
avatar for Robert Nichols

Robert Nichols

State Senator, R-Jacksonville
Nichols, R-Jacksonville, has represented Senate District 3 since 2006. He serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and sits on the Senate Administration, Business & Commerce, and Finance committees. Prior to joining the Senate, Nichols served as a transportation commissioner... Read More →
avatar for Chris Turner

Chris Turner

State Representative, D-Grand Prairie
Turner, D-Grand Prairie, has represented House District 101 since 2013. He also served as the district’s state representative from 2009 to 2011. He sits on the House Higher Education, Insurance, and General Investigating & Ethics committees as well as the Select Committee on State... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  2050

8:30am CDT

The Economics of Higher Ed
The price vs. cost vs. value debate is alive and well: Who should pay, how much is too much and is the money well spent?

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and supported by Austin Community College and Texas Exes
Moderators
avatar for Shannon Najmabadi

Shannon Najmabadi

Higher Education Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Najmabadi reports on higher education for the Tribune, where she started as a fellow in 2017. Previously, she reported for The Chronicle of Higher Education, where she covered the gender equity law Title IX, fallout from an executive order on immigration and a federal loan forgiveness... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Robert Duncan

Robert Duncan

Former Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System
Duncan served as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System from 2014 to August 2018. Previously, he spent 18 years in the Texas Senate, where he served as chairman of the Senate State Affairs Committee and as president pro tempore. Duncan also served in the Texas House and was... Read More →
avatar for Brian McCall

Brian McCall

Chancellor of the Texas State University System
McCall has been the Texas State University System chancellor since 2010. Previously, he served in the Texas House, representing parts of North Dallas, Frisco, Allen and Plano. He also served as chairman of the House Calendars and Ways & Means committees and as a member of the House... Read More →
avatar for Diana Natalicio

Diana Natalicio

President of the University of Texas at El Paso
Natalicio has served as president of the University of Texas at El Paso since 1988. She previously served as vice president for academic affairs, dean of liberal arts and chair of the modern language department. Natalicio has served on the board of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the... Read More →
avatar for Royce West

Royce West

State Senator, D-Dallas
West, D-Dallas, has represented Senate District 23 since 1993. He serves as vice-chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee and sits on the Administration and Finance committees. Additionally, West has been appointed to serve on the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial... Read More →
avatar for Michael K. Young

Michael K. Young

President of Texas A&M University
Young has served as president of Texas A&M University since 2015. Prior to joining A&M, he served as president and professor of law at the University of Washington and the University of Utah. Young has also worked as a professor at George Washington University Law School and Columbia... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  Education

8:30am CDT

Unleashing the Watchdogs
How big-city newspapers across Texas and around the country are holding people in power and institutions accountable.
Moderators
avatar for Margaret Sullivan

Margaret Sullivan

Columnist for The Washington Post
Sullivan is a media columnist for The Washington Post. She previously served as public editor for The New York Times and chief editor of The Buffalo News. Sullivan has served as a member of the Pulitzer Prize board and as director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. She... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Nancy Barnes

Nancy Barnes

Editor of the Houston Chronicle
Barnes has served as editor and executive vice president of the Houston Chronicle since 2013. Prior to joining the Chronicle, she served as editor and senior vice president of Star Tribune Media for six years. Barnes also serves as the vice president of the American Society of News... Read More →
avatar for Mindy Marques

Mindy Marques

Executive Editor of the Miami Herald
Marques has served as executive editor of the Miami Herald since 2010. She previously served as a metro reporter, assistant city editor and deputy metro editor for the Herald. Marques also worked as Miami bureau chief for People magazine from 2002 to 2007. She currently serves as... Read More →
avatar for Brian McGrory

Brian McGrory

Editor-in-Chief of The Boston Globe
McGrory serves as editor-in-chief of The Boston Globe, where he has worked for 27 years. He first joined the paper as a metro columnist and has served as an associate editor, metro editor, White House reporter and national reporter. He is the author of four published novels and recipient... Read More →
avatar for Mike Wilson

Mike Wilson

Editor of The Dallas Morning News
Wilson has served as editor of The Dallas Morning News since 2015. He previously worked for ESPN, where he served as founding managing editor of FiveThirtyEight. Wilson also worked as a writer and editor for the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times, where he eventually became managing... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Politics & the Press

8:30am CDT

The Threat Assessment
How vulnerable are we to terrorism today?

Supported by the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Texas Bankers Association
Moderators
avatar for William Inboden

William Inboden

Executive Director of the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin
Inboden has served as executive director of the Clements Center since 2015. He previously served as senior director for strategic planning on the National Security Council and as a member of the Policy Planning Staff of the U.S. State Department. Inboden is also a distinguished scholar... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for John Brennan

John Brennan

Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Brennan served as director of the CIA under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, he served as the assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. Brennan worked at the CIA from 1980 to 2005, serving as chief of staff to former... Read More →
avatar for Richard Engel

Richard Engel

Chief Foreign Correspondent for NBC News
Engel has served as chief foreign correspondent for NBC News since 2008. He joined NBC News in 2003, serving as the network’s primary Iraq correspondent and later as senior Middle East correspondent and Beirut bureau chief. Engel previously served as a freelance journalist for ABC... Read More →
avatar for William McRaven

William McRaven

Former Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command
McRaven served for 37 years as a Navy SEAL and was commander of U.S. Special Operations. He is the primary author of the government’s 2006 National Strategy for Combating Terrorism and has advised the secretary of defense, secretary of state and secretary of homeland security. Most... Read More →
avatar for Nicholas Rasmussen

Nicholas Rasmussen

Former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center
Rasmussen serves as senior director for counterterrorism programs at the McCain Institute for International Leadership. He previously served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2014 to 2017. Rasmussen has also served on the National Security Council staff under... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

9:00am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'Mending the Safety Net' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of Mending the Safety Net in the lobby of St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall immediately following their panel.

Presented by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
Speakers
avatar for Mary Agnes Carey

Mary Agnes Carey

Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News
Carey covers health reform and federal health policy for Kaiser Health News. Previously, she served as associate editor of QC HealthBeat, a daily report on health care policy for Congressional Quarterly. Carey has also covered budgets, economics and health care for Dow Jones News... Read More →
avatar for Mark McClellan

Mark McClellan

Former Administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President George W. Bush
McClellan is a professor and founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. He previously served as director of the Health Care Innovation and Value Initiative and the Richard Merkin Initiative on Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership. McClellan... Read More →
avatar for Andy Slavitt

Andy Slavitt

Acting Administrator of the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services under President Barack Obama
Slavitt oversaw Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace programs under President Barack Obama. He is the founder and a general partner in Town Hall Ventures, which invests in innovative health care businesses. Slavitt also... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

Supporting Sponsor
The mission of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities is to create change so that all people with disabilities are fully included in their communities and exercise control over their own lives. Through innovative projects and advocacy, we work to improve the lives of Texans... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall Lounge (Third Floor)
  Partner Programming

9:45am CDT

Where Did the Center Go?
There used to be a search for common ground in politics. It’s getting rarer by the day.
Moderators
avatar for Matthew Dowd

Matthew Dowd

Chief Political Analyst for ABC News
Dowd serves as chief political analyst for ABC News and is the founder of Paradox Capital, a social impact venture fund. Previously, he served as chief political strategist to former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and President George W. Bush in 2004. Most recently... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mickey Edwards

Mickey Edwards

Former U.S. Representative, R-Oklahoma
Edwards represented Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District from 1977 to 1993 and served as chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. He is currently the vice president of the Aspen Institute, where he directs a political leadership program for elected officials. Edwards... Read More →
avatar for Mike Rawlings

Mike Rawlings

Mayor of Dallas
Rawlings was first elected mayor of Dallas in 2011. As mayor, he has led initiatives to increase economic development in southern Dallas and to increase the city’s international profile. Previously, Rawlings served as chairman and managing partner at CIC Partners, a private equity... Read More →
avatar for Christine Todd Whitman

Christine Todd Whitman

Former Governor of New Jersey
Whitman is the former governor of New Jersey and was the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President George W. Bush. She currently serves as president of the Whitman Strategy Group, an environmental and energy consulting group. Whitman is the author of “It’s... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  #TBT

9:45am CDT

Hack the Vote
Are Texas elections as tamper-proof as they need to be?

Supported by the Texas Bankers Association
Moderators
avatar for Aman Batheja

Aman Batheja

Political Editor for The Texas Tribune
Batheja currently oversees the Tribune's political coverage. He previously worked for more than a decade as a reporter covering politics and other issues, first at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and then at the Tribune. He has a master’s degree in economics from the University of... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Dana DeBeauvoir

Dana DeBeauvoir

Travis County Clerk
DeBeauvoir has served as Travis County clerk since 1986, overseeing Travis County elections and the filing and preservation of property and court records. She has served as an adviser and election observer in Bosnia, Bangladesh, Kosovo and South Africa. DeBeauvoir is the recipient... Read More →
avatar for John Dickson

John Dickson

Principal at Denim Group
Dickson has been a principal at Denim Group since 2004, where he advises business and government executives on cybersecurity programs. He previously served as a U.S. Air Force officer in the Air Force Information Warfare Center and a member of the Air Force Computer Emergency Response... Read More →
avatar for Joshua Geltzer

Joshua Geltzer

Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University
Geltzer is executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University. He previously served as senior director for counterterrorism and deputy legal adviser at the National Security Council. Geltzer also serves as a fellow in New America’s... Read More →
avatar for Keith Ingram

Keith Ingram

Director of the Elections Division of the Texas Secretary of State's Office
Ingram has served as director of the Texas secretary of state’s elections division since 2012. Prior to joining the secretary of state’s office, he worked as appointments manager for Gov. Rick Perry. Ingram has also worked as an attorney in private practice.

Friday September 28, 2018 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  2018

9:45am CDT

Puddle, Wave, Tsunami, Sharknado
Which will it be? A frank conversation about the building up and tamping down of Democratic expectations.

Supported by Lobby Days
Moderators
avatar for Abby Livingston

Abby Livingston

Washington Bureau Chief for The Texas Tribune
Livingston joined the Tribune in 2014 as the lead reporter in Washington, D.C., and won the 2017 National Press Club Award for Washington Regional Reporting for her work. She has covered political campaigns, House leadership and Congress for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Ali Lapp

Ali Lapp

President of the House Majority PAC
Lapp founded the House Majority PAC in 2011, a super PAC aimed at supporting Democratic U.S. House candidates. She previously served as campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and deputy director of the committee’s independent expenditure during the... Read More →
avatar for Chris Perkins

Chris Perkins

Partner at Ragnar Research Partners
Perkins is a pollster at Ragnar Research, and is an expert in quantitative and qualitative analysis, having conducted and analyzed survey data for over a decade on behalf of Republican candidates. He was named the top pollster by Capitol Inside’s bipartisan “Texas Power Consultants... Read More →
avatar for Dave Wasserman

Dave Wasserman

U.S. House Editor for the Cook Political Report
Wasserman is the House editor for The Cook Political Report, providing analysis of presidential, Senate, House and gubernatorial races. He has served as an analyst for the NBC News Election Night Decision Desk since 2008 and is a frequent contributor to FiveThirtyEight.com. Wasserman... Read More →
avatar for David Weigel

David Weigel

National Political Correspondent for The Washington Post
Weigel is a national political correspondent for The Washington Post, where he covers Congress and grassroots political movements. He previously helped launch Bloomberg Politics and worked as a reporter for Slate, where he authored the political blog Weigel and hosted an interview... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  2018

9:45am CDT

One on One with Glenn Hegar
The Texas comptroller on the health of the economy and the first post-Harvey state budget.

Supported by AT&T, Deloitte and The Boeing Company
Moderators
avatar for Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey

Executive Editor of The Texas Tribune
Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of the Tribune, where he writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly and as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Glenn Hegar

Glenn Hegar

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Hegar, who was elected comptroller in 2014, serves as Texas’ treasurer, check writer, tax collector, procurement officer and revenue estimator. Previously, he served as a member of the Texas Senate and House. Hegar also served as chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission, which... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  2019

9:45am CDT

One on One with Kathleen Sebelius
The former health and human services secretary on the real impact of Obamacare and why so many Americans still can’t get access to coverage or treatment.

Presented by Ascension-Seton and supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Moderators
avatar for Elisabeth Rosenthal

Elisabeth Rosenthal

Editor-in-Chief of Kaiser Health News
Rosenthal has served as editor-in-chief of Kaiser Health News since 2016. She previously worked for The New York Times for 22 years, covering healthcare and the environment as a correspondent and serving as a reporter in the Times’ Beijing bureau. Rosenthal is also the author of... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kathleen Sebelius

Kathleen Sebelius

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Sebelius served as secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2014, where she oversaw the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. She currently serves as CEO of Sebelius Resources, where she advises companies, investors and nonprofits... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  Health & Human Services

10:00am CDT

State of Texas: The Long Road to Equality
Enjoy a special edition of KXAN's political program, "State of Texas," that explores hundreds of harassment and discrimination allegations and decades of hiring concerns at the Texas Department of Transportation.
Sponsors
avatar for KXAN

KXAN

Media Partner
KXAN News is dedicated to serving the community by delivering in-depth, investigative coverage of issues and events affecting the lives of Central Texans.@KXAN_news... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Partner Programming

10:00am CDT

Live Broadcast of "Texas Standard"
Texas Standard, the national daily news show of Texas, will be broadcasting live – from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, from 800 Congress at the Texas Tribune Festival. Stop by to watch David Brown and Wells Dunbar in action talking to the big newsmakers of the day including historian Douglas Brinkley and more.
Speakers
avatar for Douglas Brinkley

Douglas Brinkley

Professor of History at Rice University and CNN Presidential Historian
Brinkley is a professor of history and Baker Institute fellow at Rice University, presidential historian for CNN and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Audubon. He is the author of several award-winning books, including "The Great Deluge" and "Cronkite." Brinkley also served... Read More →
avatar for David Brown

David Brown

Host and Managing Editor of “Texas Standard”
Brown is the host and managing editor of “Texas Standard,” a statewide public radio program produced in the studios of KUT in Austin. He is a former host of the business program “Marketplace” and a longtime public radio correspondent who has covered national and international... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Partner Programming

10:30am CDT

The Red Team
Leading Republicans running for Congress on the politics of the moment, the issues of our time and what the next two years might look like.

Watch the Tribune’s Split Decision series featuring candidates in key 2018 election races.
Moderators
avatar for Patrick Svitek

Patrick Svitek

Political Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Svitek covers politics for the Tribune. Previously, he worked for the Houston Chronicle’s Austin bureau and interned at The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Huffington Post Politics and the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Svitek is a graduate of Northwestern University’s... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Dan Crenshaw

Dan Crenshaw

Republican Candidate for Texas' 2nd Congressional District
Crenshaw is the Republican nominee in Texas’ 2nd Congressional District in North Houston. He is a former Navy SEAL and retired lieutenant commander, and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Crenshaw holds a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of G... Read More →
avatar for Chip Roy

Chip Roy

Republican Candidate for Texas' 21st Congressional District
Roy is the Republican nominee for Texas’ 21st Congressional District. He previously served as vice president of strategy for the Texas Public Policy Foundation and director of the Center for the Tenth Amendment Action. Roy also served as the first assistant attorney general of Texas... Read More →
avatar for Van Taylor

Van Taylor

State Senator, R-Plano, and Republican Candidate for Texas' 3rd Congressional District
Taylor, R-Plano, has represented Senate District 8 since 2015. In 2017, he announced his resignation to seek the congressional seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Plano. Taylor previously served in the Texas House of Representatives. He also works as the director... Read More →
avatar for Ron Wright

Ron Wright

Republican Candidate for Texas' 6th Congressional District
Wright is the Republican nominee for Texas’ 6th Congressional District. He previously served as Tarrant County tax assessor-collector, a member of the Arlington City Council and chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Joe Barton. Wright has held leadership positions in the local Republican... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  2018

10:30am CDT

The Democratic Wish List
What the progressives in the Texas House want from the 86th Legislature.

Supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Alex Samuels

Alex Samuels

Community Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Samuels is a community reporter for The Texas Tribune. She joined the Tribune as a newsletters fellow in 2016 and later worked as a reporting fellow during the 85th Texas legislative session. Samuels previously worked as a collegiate and breaking news correspondent for USA Today College... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Nicole Collier

Nicole Collier

State Representative, D-Fort Worth
Collier, D-Fort Worth, has represented House District 95 since 2013. She currently sits on the House Public Health, Business & Industry, and Local & Consent Calendars committees. Collier also works as a trial attorney and is partner at West & Associates LLP in Fort Worth.
avatar for Mary González

Mary González

State Representative, D-Clint
González, D-Clint, has represented House District 75 since 2013. She serves as vice chairwoman of the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee and sits on the Appropriations Committee. Previously, González worked for state Reps. Paul Moreno and Richard Peña Raymond, at the National... Read More →
avatar for Donna Howard

Donna Howard

State Representative, D-Austin
Howard, D-Austin, has represented House District 48 since 2006. She serves as vice chairwoman of the House Calendars Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Budget Transparency & Reform. She also sits on the Administration, Higher Education and Appropriations committees... Read More →
avatar for Poncho Nevárez

Poncho Nevárez

State Representative, D-Eagle Pass
Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass, has represented House District 74 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee and sits on the Calendars, Natural Resources committees, as well as the Select Committee on Opioids & Substance Abuse. Nevárez... Read More →
avatar for Eddie Rodriguez

Eddie Rodriguez

State Representative, D-Austin
Rodriguez, D-Austin, has represented House District 51 since 2003. He sits on the House Environmental Regulation, Redistricting, and State Affairs committees. He is also chairman of the House Farm-to-Table Caucus and vice chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. Additionally... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  2019

10:30am CDT

One on One with Lawrence Krasner
The nation’s most reform-minded district attorney on the Philadelphia experiment: a new way to think about social justice, civil rights and the law in the City of Brotherly Love.
Moderators
avatar for Carrie Johnson

Carrie Johnson

Justice Correspondent for NPR
Johnson is a justice correspondent for NPR’s Washington desk, covering justice issues, law enforcement and legal affairs for “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” the newscasts and NPR.org. She previously worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, covering the FBI... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lawrence Krasner

Lawrence Krasner

District Attorney of Philadelphia
Krasner was elected district attorney of Philadelphia in 2017. He previously worked as a public defender and civil rights attorney for over 30 years, starting his own criminal defense and civil rights practice in 1993. Krasner’s clients have included protesters at the 2016 Democratic... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  Criminal Justice & the Law

10:30am CDT

Gender, Power and Leadership
Even though more than half the population of Texas is female, women haven’t come close to achieving parity in the upper ranks of politics, the law, advocacy and academia — yet.

Supported by BP, Lyft and The Panacea Collection
Moderators
avatar for Alexa Ura

Alexa Ura

Demographics Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Ura covers politics, demographics, with an emphasis on the state’s surging Hispanic population, and voting rights issues at the Tribune, where she started as a reporting fellow in 2013. Ura is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Speakers
avatar for Wendy Davis

Wendy Davis

Former State Senator, D-Fort Worth
Davis founded Deeds Not Words, an online engagement initiative focused on women’s rights, in 2016. Previously, she served in the Texas Senate for six years, representing parts of Fort Worth, and on the Fort Worth City Council. In 2014, Davis unsuccessfully ran for Texas governor... Read More →
avatar for Eva Guzman

Eva Guzman

Texas Supreme Court Justice
Guzman was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2009 and elected to a full term in 2010. Previously, she served as an associate justice on the Houston-based 14th Court of Appeals and as a trial court judge on the 309th Family District Court. Guzman also... Read More →
avatar for Linda Livingstone

Linda Livingstone

President of Baylor University
Livingstone has served as president of Baylor University since 2017. She was previously a dean at the George Washington University School of Business and Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. Livingstone also served as a faculty member and associate... Read More →
avatar for Senfronia Thompson

Senfronia Thompson

State Representative, D-Houston
Thompson, D-Houston, has represented House District 141 since 1973 and is the longest-serving woman and African-American in Texas history. She serves as chairwoman of the House Local & Consent Calendars Committee and as vice chairwoman of the  Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Diversity & Immigration

10:30am CDT

One on One with J.B. Milliken
The brand new chancellor of the University of Texas System on what he learned in Nebraska and New York, what it takes to make public universities world class, and his top agenda items for one of the nation’s most iconic higher ed institutions.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and supported by Pearson
Moderators
avatar for Shannon Najmabadi

Shannon Najmabadi

Higher Education Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Najmabadi reports on higher education for the Tribune, where she started as a fellow in 2017. Previously, she reported for The Chronicle of Higher Education, where she covered the gender equity law Title IX, fallout from an executive order on immigration and a federal loan forgiveness... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for J.B. Milliken

J.B. Milliken

Chancellor of the University of Texas System
Milliken was named chancellor of the University of Texas System in September 2018. He is a lawyer by training and previously served as chancellor of the City University of New York. Prior to joining CUNY, Milliken also served as president of the University of Nebraska and senior administrator... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Stateside at The Paramount
  Education

10:30am CDT

One on One with Bill de Blasio
The mayor of New York City on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Brian Rosenthal

Brian Rosenthal

Metro Investigative Reporter for the New York Times
Rosenthal has been an investigative reporter for The New York Times’ metro desk since 2017. He previously covered Texas government and politics, health and human services and enterprise projects for the Houston Chronicle’s statehouse bureau. Rosenthal also covered Washington state... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bill de Blasio

Bill de Blasio

Mayor of New York
De Blasio has served as mayor of New York City since 2014. He previously served on the New York City Council and was elected public advocate in 2009. De Blasio also served as a regional director at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and as a member of the Brooklyn... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  The Future

10:45am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with Kathleen Sebelius
Join us for refreshments & conversation with former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall lounge immediately following her panel.

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Speakers
avatar for Kathleen Sebelius

Kathleen Sebelius

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Sebelius served as secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2014, where she oversaw the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. She currently serves as CEO of Sebelius Resources, where she advises companies, investors and nonprofits... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Major Sponsor
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas, serving 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall Lounge (Third Floor)
  Partner Programming

11:00am CDT

Book Signing of Elisabeth Rosenthal's "An American Sickness"
Join us for a signing of Elisabeth Rosenthal's book, "An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Elisabeth Rosenthal

Elisabeth Rosenthal

Editor-in-Chief of Kaiser Health News
Rosenthal has served as editor-in-chief of Kaiser Health News since 2016. She previously worked for The New York Times for 22 years, covering healthcare and the environment as a correspondent and serving as a reporter in the Times’ Beijing bureau. Rosenthal is also the author of... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

11:00am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with Comptroller Glenn Hegar
Join us for a meet-and-greet with Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar in the Executive Lounge immediately following his Festival panel.

This meet-and-greet is open to Executive Conference Pass holders only.

Supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Speakers
avatar for Glenn Hegar

Glenn Hegar

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Hegar, who was elected comptroller in 2014, serves as Texas’ treasurer, check writer, tax collector, procurement officer and revenue estimator. Previously, he served as a member of the Texas Senate and House. Hegar also served as chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission, which... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Maximillian Room
  Special Events, addnew

11:30am CDT

Is Government Ethics an Oxymoron?
Why it’s so difficult to police and prosecute official corruption.
Moderators
avatar for Dave Levinthal

Dave Levinthal

Senior Political Reporter at the Center for Public Integrity
Levinthal joined the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit news organization, in 2013 and leads a reporting team investigating the influence of money in federal politics. Previously, he reported on campaign finance and lobbying issues for Politico. Levinthal... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Margaret Moore

Margaret Moore

District Attorney of Travis County
Moore was elected Travis County district attorney in 2016. She previously served as an assistant Texas attorney general for the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division from 2005 to 2014. As an attorney, Moore has also worked as a juvenile public defender, Travis County attorney, assistant district... Read More →
avatar for Richard Painter

Richard Painter

Chief Ethics Lawyer for President George W. Bush's Administration
Painter served as chief ethics lawyer for President Bush from 2005 to 2007 and as vice chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit organization of lawyers and researchers focused on campaign finance reform and ethics law. In 2018, Painter unsuccessfully... Read More →
avatar for Walter Shaub

Walter Shaub

Senior Director of Ethics at the Campaign Legal Center and Former Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics
Shaub was appointed director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics by President Barack Obama in 2013. Previously, he served as the office’s deputy general counsel and also as a supervisory attorney. Shaub also worked as an attorney focusing on federal employment law for a private... Read More →
avatar for Steve Wolens

Steve Wolens

Chairman of the Texas Ethics Commission
Wolens became chairman of the Texas Ethics Commission in 2017. Previously, he served in the Texas House from 1981 to 2005, where he authored legislation covering partnerships and limited liability corporations, ethics reform, antitrust laws and electric deregulation. Wolens also serves... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  Criminal Justice & the Law

11:30am CDT

Dreams of the Dreamers
DACA recipients on what they really want: to stay in this country; emerge from the shadows; work, go to school or serve in the military; and pay taxes. To be like us.

Supported by Lobby Days
Moderators
avatar for Dara Lind

Dara Lind

Senior Reporter for Vox
Lind covers immigration, criminal justice and politics for Vox, where she has worked since the site’s launch in 2014. She has worked as a reporting fellow for University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism and with John Jay College's Center for Media, Crime and Justice... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Edras Alvarado

Edras Alvarado

DACA Recipient and Student at the University of Houston
Alvarado is a first-generation student of the University of Houston. He moved to the United States from Honduras at the age of 5 and is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — an Obama-era initiative that protects immigrants brought into the United States... Read More →
avatar for Emelin S. Hernandez Reyes

Emelin S. Hernandez Reyes

DACA recipient and Graduate Student at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
Hernandez is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — an Obama-era initiative that protects immigrants brought into the United States as children from deportation. She has lived in the United States for nearly 13 years and recently completed a bachelor’s... Read More →
avatar for Maria Trevino-Rodriguez

Maria Trevino-Rodriguez

DACA Recipient and Student at the University of Houston
Trevino-Rodriguez is a student at the University of Houston and a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. She has worked on gubernatorial, congressional and city-wide political campaigns. In 2016, she co-led the Houston Beyond ICE campaign. Currently, Trevino-Rodriguez... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Diversity & Immigration

11:30am CDT

Is Social Media Good for Democracy?
Facebook, Twitter and the perils of the brave new world.

Supported by Texas A&M University and Texas State Technical College
Moderators
avatar for Gene Park

Gene Park

Embedded Audience Editor for The Washington Post's Opinion Desk
Park has served as embedded audience editor for The Washington Post’s opinion desk since 2015. He has represented The Washington Post on various emerging social media platforms, including Facebook Live, Reddit and Twitch. Prior to joining the Post, Park was a community manager and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Jim Brady

Jim Brady

CEO of Spirited Media and Former Public Editor of ESPN
Brady has served as CEO and co-founder of Spirited Media, a mobile-focused news startup, since 2014. He was previously the public editor for ESPN and executive editor of washingtonpost.com. Brady has also served as editor-in-chief of Digital First Media and as an executive for America... Read More →
avatar for Roger McNamee

Roger McNamee

Managing Director at Elevation Partners
McNamee helped launch Elevation Partners, an investment partnership focused on the intersection of media/entertainment content and consumer technology, in 2004. Previously, he co-founded Silver Lake Partners, the first private equity fund focused on technology businesses. McNamee... Read More →
avatar for Vivian Schiller

Vivian Schiller

CEO of the Civil Media Foundation and Former Head of News at Twitter
Schiller serves as CEO of the Civil Media Foundation, which distributes philanthropic grants in support of sustainable journalism. She previously served as head of news at Twitter, leading the company’s strategy for news and partnerships. Schiller has also served as senior vice... Read More →
avatar for Siva Vaidhyanathan

Siva Vaidhyanathan

Director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia
Vaidhyanathan is the director of the Center for Media and Citizenship and the Robertson professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. He is the author of several books on media, technology and intellectual property, including his most recent book, “Antisocial Media... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  Politics & the Press

11:30am CDT

One on One with Jeff Merkley
The U.S. senator from Oregon on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Jon Ralston

Jon Ralston

Editor of The Nevada Independent
Ralston has covered Nevada politics for over 30 years and currently serves as editor of The Nevada Independent. He has written for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Reno Gazette-Journal and the Las Vegas Sun, in addition to running his own political blog, Ralston Reports. Ralston... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley

U.S. Senator, D-Oregon
Merkley has represented Oregon in the U.S. Senate since 2009. He is a member of the Senate Appropriations, Environment & Public Works, Budget, and Foreign Relations committees. Prior to joining the U.S. Senate, Merkley served as a member and speaker of the Oregon House of Represe... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  The Future

11:30am CDT

One Veteran’s Journey: A Luncheon
How do veterans transition from active duty to the workforce? Join The Boeing Company and retired Capt. Jason Pak in the Driskill's Grand Ballroom for a conversation on transitioning to civilian life and how you can help our nation’s veterans. In 2012, an improvised explosive device blast claimed both his legs and two of his fingers. Today, he is a senior manager of veterans outreach at The Boeing Company and speaks on veterans issues and encouraging communities in Texas and around the U.S. to work together to assist our nation’s heroes.

An additional ticket is required to attend this event. This luncheon is included with an Executive Conference Pass and individual tickets are available to purchase for this luncheon here.

Presented by The Boeing Company
Sponsors
avatar for Boeing

Boeing

Major Sponsor
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defense, space and security systems, and service provider of aftermarket support. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in over 150... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 1:30pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  Partner Programming

11:30am CDT

Executives at #TribFest18 Luncheon
Get out of the heat and enjoy lunch with colleagues on the mezzanine of the historic Driskill Hotel. Discuss panels, further professional development and build strategic alliances with fellow attendees. This unique environment is a gathering place for individuals with diverse levels of professional experiences to come together during the busy Festival.

An additional ticket is required to attend this event. This luncheon is included with an Executive Conference Pass and individual tickets are available to purchase for this luncheon here.

Supported by Chariot and Spurs Sports and Entertainment 
Sponsors
avatar for Chariot

Chariot

Major Sponsor
When it comes to making traffic less of a nightmare, the goal has become increasingly straightforward: change the one person to one car culture. At Chariot, we're focused on creating a transit solution that relieves congestion while offering a comfortable, personalized commuting experience... Read More →
avatar for Spurs Sports and Entertainment

Spurs Sports and Entertainment

Supporting Sponsor
Spurs Sports & Entertainment is the premier provider of sports and entertainment in South Texas. SS&E owns and operates the San Antonio Spurs (NBA), San Antonio Rampage (AHL), Austin Spurs (NBA Development League), San Antonio FC (USL), and also manages the day-to-day operations of... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 11:30am - 1:30pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Mezzanine
  Special Events

12:45pm CDT

Book Signing of Siva Vaidhyanathan's "Antisocial Media"
Join us for a signing of Siva Vaidhyanathan's book, "Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Siva Vaidhyanathan

Siva Vaidhyanathan

Director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia
Vaidhyanathan is the director of the Center for Media and Citizenship and the Robertson professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. He is the author of several books on media, technology and intellectual property, including his most recent book, “Antisocial Media... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 12:45pm - 1:15pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

1:00pm CDT

Live Broadcast of KERA’s “Think”
Join acclaimed journalist and host Krys Boyd, along with Richard Painter, former candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota and former chief ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, for a live broadcast of KERA's "Think." Featuring compelling interviews on a wide range of subjects with authors, politicians, entertainers, innovators and other newsmakers, "Think" sparks the most fascinating conversations in Texas. The program and its host have earned more than a dozen local, regional and national awards. "Think" is produced by KERA in North Texas and airs each weekday on public radio stations across the state.

This event is free to attend and open to the public. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Moderators
avatar for Krys Boyd

Krys Boyd

Host of "Think" on KERA
Boyd has served as host and managing editor of “Think,” KERA-FM’s midday talk show, since 2006. She joined KERA in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2001 as host of the nightly radio talk show “Conversations.” Boyd has also worked as a writer and producer of documentary and educational... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Richard Painter

Richard Painter

Chief Ethics Lawyer for President George W. Bush's Administration
Painter served as chief ethics lawyer for President Bush from 2005 to 2007 and as vice chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit organization of lawyers and researchers focused on campaign finance reform and ethics law. In 2018, Painter unsuccessfully... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for KERA - Think

KERA - Think

Media Partner
Think is an award-winning radio program featuring the most interesting conversations in Texas with local, national and international newsmakers; authors; artists; scientists and more. Hosted by acclaimed journalist Krys Boyd, Think is produced by KERA in North Texas and airs five... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  Partner Programming

1:30pm CDT

A Test for the New Texas
The state’s commissioners of public and higher education and a former U.S. education secretary on the innovations necessary to serve the next generation of students.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and supported by the Texas Association of Community Colleges
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for John King

John King

Former U.S. Secretary of Education
King served as secretary of education under President Barack Obama. He previously served as U.S. deputy secretary of education, overseeing all policies and programs related to P-12 education, English learners, special education and innovation. He currently serves as president and... Read More →
avatar for Mike Morath

Mike Morath

Texas Education Commissioner
Morath was appointed education commissioner by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2016. In this role, he heads the Texas Education Agency, which oversees pre-kindergarten through high school education for more than five million Texas students. Morath previously served on the Dallas Independent School... Read More →
avatar for Raymund Paredes

Raymund Paredes

Texas Commissioner of Higher Education
Paredes was appointed commissioner by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2004. He was formerly a member of the national board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and previously served as the vice chancellor for academic development at the University of California, Los Angeles. Paredes... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  2050

1:30pm CDT

So Did We Clean Up Foster Care?
A year ago, under legal threat, the state took notice of the mess it made. What’s changed and what hasn’t?

Presented by Ascension-Seton and the Annie E. Casey Foundation and supported by Upbring
Moderators
avatar for Edgar Walters

Edgar Walters

Investigative Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Walters is an investigative reporter for The Texas Tribune, where he started as an intern in 2013. Previously, he had a political reporting fellowship with the Berliner Zeitung, a daily newspaper in Berlin. He is a graduate of the Plan II Honors Program at The University of Texas... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kristene Blackstone

Kristene Blackstone

Associate Commissioner of Child Protective Services at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Blackstone has served as associate commissioner of Child Protective Services since 2016. She has spent 17 years working with CPS, first as a caseworker and later as a supervisor, program director and regional program administrator. Blackstone has also served as deputy director for... Read More →
avatar for James Frank

James Frank

State Representative, R-Wichita Falls
Frank, R-Wichita Falls, has represented House District 69 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee and sits on the Local & Consent Calendars and Natural Resources committees. In the 85th legislative session, Frank sponsored House Bill 5 and House... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Rubin

Stephanie Rubin

CEO of Texans Care for Children
Rubin has served as CEO of Texans Care for Children since 2015. She previously served as senior officer of campaigns for The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she coordinated state policy and advocacy strategies for Pew’s early education, health and justice initiatives. Rubin was also... Read More →
avatar for Gene Wu

Gene Wu

State Representative, D-Houston
Wu, D-Houston, has represented House District 137 since 2013. He sits on the House Appropriations and Human Services committees. In the 85th legislative session, Wu co-authored and passed House Bill 7, a Child Protective Services overhaul bill reforming court processes and procedure... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Health & Human Services

1:30pm CDT

One on One with Michael Avenatti
The attorney at the center of so much of the day’s news on what happens now — and what he’ll do next.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for John Heilemann

John Heilemann

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
Heilemann is a reporter and commentator currently serving as co-host of Showtime’s political documentary series “The Circus.” He is a national affairs analyst for NBC and MSNBC, appearing regularly on programs including Morning Joe and Hardball. Heilemann previously served as... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Michael Avenatti

Michael Avenatti

Co-Founder of the Eagan Avenatti Law Firm
Avenatti is an attorney, commentator and co-founder of the Eagan Avenatti Law Firm based in Los Angeles. Before founding the firm in 2007, he worked as an attorney for several law firms including O’Melveny & Myers and Greene Broillet & Wheeler. Avenatti has represented several high-profile... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Stateside at The Paramount
  The Future

1:30pm CDT

Faith in the System
These are challenging times for politically engaged members of the clergy.
Moderators
avatar for Ana Marie Cox

Ana Marie Cox

Host of the "With Friends Like These" Podcast
Cox is a political columnist and culture critic. She previously conducted the “Talk” interviews featured in The New York Times Magazine. Since starting the political blog Wonkette in 2004, she has contributed to a variety of outlets, including Time magazine, GQ and The Guardian... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Andrew Doyle

Andrew Doyle

Episcopal Bishop of Texas
Doyle was elected bishop in 2008. He has served churches in Temple and College Station and was elected deputy to several General Conventions. He is currently president of the Compass Rose Society. His writings include “Unabashedly Episcopalian: The Good News of the Episcopal Church... Read More →
avatar for Mara Nathan

Mara Nathan

Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio
Nathan has served as senior rabbi at Temple Beth-El since 2014 and is the first woman to serve as senior rabbi of a major congregation in Texas. She previously served as associate rabbi and director of congregational learning at Larchmont Temple in New York. Nathan is also a former... Read More →
avatar for Bruce Nieli

Bruce Nieli

Nieli is an evangelist and missionary based at St. Austin Church in Austin. He was ordained in 1973, and was named by Pope Francis part of a select corps of priests to serve as missionaries of mercy. Previously, he served as director of evangelization of the United States Conference... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

1:30pm CDT

Making Mr. Right
Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan and the fate of conservatism.
Moderators
avatar for Susan Glasser

Susan Glasser

Staff Writer at The New Yorker
Glasser is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she writes the weekly column “Trump’s Washington.” Prior to joining The New Yorker, she served as editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy, editor of Politico and founder of Politico Magazine. Glasser also worked as a foreign correspondent... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Amanda Carpenter

Amanda Carpenter

Author and Contributor for CNN
Carpenter is a contributor for CNN, covering politics as a commentator. She is the author of “Gaslighting America: Why We Love it When Trump Lies to Us.” Carpenter previously worked as communications adviser for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and as a senior adviser for former U.S. Sen. Jim... Read More →
avatar for Ben Domenech

Ben Domenech

Publisher of The Federalist
Domenech is publisher of The Federalist and hosts the Federalist Radio Hour. He also writes The Transom, a daily subscription newsletter for political insiders. Domenech previously served as editor-in-chief of The City, an academic journal covering politics and culture, and as a media... Read More →
avatar for Bill Kristol

Bill Kristol

Founder and Editor-at-Large of The Weekly Standard
Kristol is the founder and editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard, as well as a political commentator for ABC. He appears on the network’s program "This Week" and contributes to special events and election coverage. Previously, Kristol was a columnist for The New York Times and... Read More →
avatar for Matt K. Lewis

Matt K. Lewis

Senior Columnist for The Daily Beast and Commentator for CNN
Lewis is a senior columnist at the Daily Beast and political commentator for CNN. He is also the author of “Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections (and How It Can Reclaim Its Conservative Roots).” Lewis is the host of his own podcast, Matt... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

2:00pm CDT

The Latina Moment
Politically speaking, demography is destiny in Texas this election cycle. Why did it take so long, and how will it change us?
Moderators
avatar for Victoria DeFrancesco Soto

Victoria DeFrancesco Soto

Lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin
Soto specializes in immigration, race and gender in politics, and campaigns as a lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where she was selected as one of the University’s Game Changing faculty. Her research on political behavior has been featured in The New York Times, the... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Veronica Escobar

Veronica Escobar

Democratic Candidate for Texas's 16th Congressional District
Escobar has served two terms as El Paso County judge and is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 16th Congressional District. Previously, she served as county commissioner for Precinct 2 and as a member of numerous boards and commissions in El Paso, where she focused on border policy... Read More →
avatar for Sylvia Garcia

Sylvia Garcia

State Senator, D-Houston, and Democratic Candidate for Texas' 29th Congressional District
Garcia, D-Houston, has represented Senate District 6 since 2013. In June 2018, she announced her resignation to seek the congressional seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston. Previously, Garcia served as director and presiding judge of the Houston Municipal... Read More →
avatar for María Teresa Kumar

María Teresa Kumar

President and CEO of Voto Latino
Kumar has served as president and CEO of Voto Latino since 2004. She is also a contributor and political commentator for MSNBC and past host of “Changing America” on msnbc.org. Kumar serves as a board member of Planned Parenthood, EMILY’s List and the Latino Leaders Network... Read More →
avatar for Cristina Tzintzún

Cristina Tzintzún

Founder and Executive Director of Jolt Texas
Tzintzún is founder and executive director of Jolt Texas, a Latino civic advocacy and leadership organization. She is also a co-founder of the Workers Defense Project, a worker’s rights organization focusing on immigrant workers in Texas. Tzintzún has written for NPR, Vogue and... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  2018

2:00pm CDT

The Freedom Caucus Wish List
What the movement conservatives in the Texas House want from the 86th Legislature.

Supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Jay Caruso

Jay Caruso

Editorial Writer at The Dallas Morning News
Caruso joined the editorial board of The Dallas Morning News in 2017. He was a previously a contributing editor at RedState.com and a contributor for The Atlantic and National Review. Caruso founded Pocket Full of Liberty, a political blog.

Speakers
avatar for Matt Krause

Matt Krause

State Representative, R-Fort Worth
Krause, R-Fort Worth, has represented House District 93 since 2013. He serves on the House Corrections and Land & Resource Management committees and works as a constitutional attorney and as a college professor of American history and government. Krause and his business partner also... Read More →
avatar for Matt Rinaldi

Matt Rinaldi

State Representative, R-Irving
Rinaldi, R-Irving, has represented House District 115 since 2015. He is a member of the House Agriculture & Livestock and Judiciary & Jurisprudence committees. Rinaldi currently serves as a health care attorney and sits on the board of a publicly traded real estate investment tru... Read More →
avatar for Matt Schaefer

Matt Schaefer

State Representative, R-Tyler
Schaefer, R-Tyler, has represented House District 6 since 2013. He sits on the House Corrections and Homeland Security & Public Safety committees and is chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. Previously, he served as director of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's regional office in Tyler. Schaefer... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  2019

2:00pm CDT

How Texas Invented the Artificial Heart
The inside story of a medical moonshot that saved lives and changed the world.

Presented by Ascension-Seton and supported by Texas A&M University
Moderators
avatar for Corrie MacLaggan

Corrie MacLaggan

Managing Editor of The Texas Tribune
MacLaggan is the Tribune’s managing editor. Previously she worked as a national correspondent for Reuters, writing and editing stories about Texas and nearby states and overseeing a network of freelance writers. Before joining Reuters, she covered Texas government and politics for... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for O.H. Frazier

O.H. Frazier

Chief and Program Director of the Center for Cardiac Support and Director of Cardiovascular Surgery Research at the Texas Heart Institute
Frazier is a renowned heart surgeon and director of cardiovascular surgery research at the Texas Heart Institute. He has been recognized as a pioneer in the treatments of severe heart failure and heart transplantation, performing over 1,200 heart transplants and implanting 900 artificial... Read More →
avatar for Mimi Swartz

Mimi Swartz

Executive Editor at Texas Monthly
Swartz is a senior executive editor of Texas Monthly magazine and op-ed writer for The New York Times. She was previously a staff writer at The New Yorker and Talk Magazine. Swartz has been with Texas Monthly for nearly 30 years and is the author of “Ticker: The Quest to Create... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Health & Human Services

2:00pm CDT

One on One with Pete Buttigieg
The mayor of South Bend on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Charlotte Alter

Charlotte Alter

National Correspondent for Time
Alter is a national correspondent for Time magazine and author of several Time cover stories, including several 2016 election covers and the magazine’s “Enough” cover after the Parkland shooting. She is the co-host of “Alter Family Politics,” a weekly family talk show on... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg

Mayor of South Bend, Indiana
Buttigieg has served as mayor of South Bend since 2012. He is president of the Indiana Urban Mayors Caucus and was a candidate for chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. Buttigieg is also a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve and took a leave of absence for a seven-month... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  The Future

2:30pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'A Test for the New Texas' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of A Test for the New Texas in the lobby of St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall immediately following their panel.

Presented by the Texas Association of Community Colleges
Speakers
avatar for John King

John King

Former U.S. Secretary of Education
King served as secretary of education under President Barack Obama. He previously served as U.S. deputy secretary of education, overseeing all policies and programs related to P-12 education, English learners, special education and innovation. He currently serves as president and... Read More →
avatar for Raymund Paredes

Raymund Paredes

Texas Commissioner of Higher Education
Paredes was appointed commissioner by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2004. He was formerly a member of the national board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and previously served as the vice chancellor for academic development at the University of California, Los Angeles. Paredes... Read More →
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Sponsors
avatar for Texas Association of Community Colleges

Texas Association of Community Colleges

Supporting Sponsor
The Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) is a nonprofit advocacy organization serving all 50 public community college districts across the state. Texas community colleges enroll almost one-half of all students in higher education. TACC's core mission is to advocate for community... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall Lounge (Second Floor)
  Partner Programming

2:30pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'So Did We Clean Up Foster Care?' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of So Did We Clean Up Foster Care? in the sixth floor lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation immediately following their panel.

The Heart Gallery of Central Texas, a program of Partnerships for Children, features portraits of Central Texas children in the foster care system who are available for adoption. Working together, our community raises awareness around adoption, foster care and permanency

Presented by Upbring
Speakers
avatar for Kristene Blackstone

Kristene Blackstone

Associate Commissioner of Child Protective Services at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Blackstone has served as associate commissioner of Child Protective Services since 2016. She has spent 17 years working with CPS, first as a caseworker and later as a supervisor, program director and regional program administrator. Blackstone has also served as deputy director for... Read More →
avatar for James Frank

James Frank

State Representative, R-Wichita Falls
Frank, R-Wichita Falls, has represented House District 69 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee and sits on the Local & Consent Calendars and Natural Resources committees. In the 85th legislative session, Frank sponsored House Bill 5 and House... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Rubin

Stephanie Rubin

CEO of Texans Care for Children
Rubin has served as CEO of Texans Care for Children since 2015. She previously served as senior officer of campaigns for The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she coordinated state policy and advocacy strategies for Pew’s early education, health and justice initiatives. Rubin was also... Read More →
avatar for Edgar Walters

Edgar Walters

Investigative Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Walters is an investigative reporter for The Texas Tribune, where he started as an intern in 2013. Previously, he had a political reporting fellowship with the Berliner Zeitung, a daily newspaper in Berlin. He is a graduate of the Plan II Honors Program at The University of Texas... Read More →
avatar for Gene Wu

Gene Wu

State Representative, D-Houston
Wu, D-Houston, has represented House District 137 since 2013. He sits on the House Appropriations and Human Services committees. In the 85th legislative session, Wu co-authored and passed House Bill 7, a Child Protective Services overhaul bill reforming court processes and procedure... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Upbring

Upbring

Supporting Sponsor
Upbring is a leading Texas-based, faith-inspired nonprofit working to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. Each year, we serve nearly 30,000 families through our life-changing programs—including foster care, adoption, education, residential... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:30pm - 3:00pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

2:45pm CDT

Book Signing of Amanda Carpenter's "Gaslighting America"
Join us for a signing of Amanda Carpenter's book, "Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Amanda Carpenter

Amanda Carpenter

Author and Contributor for CNN
Carpenter is a contributor for CNN, covering politics as a commentator. She is the author of “Gaslighting America: Why We Love it When Trump Lies to Us.” Carpenter previously worked as communications adviser for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and as a senior adviser for former U.S. Sen. Jim... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

3:15pm CDT

Book Signing of Mimi Swartz's "Ticker"
Join us for a signing of Mimi Swartz's book, "Ticker: The Quest to Create an Artificial Heart." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Mimi Swartz

Mimi Swartz

Executive Editor at Texas Monthly
Swartz is a senior executive editor of Texas Monthly magazine and op-ed writer for The New York Times. She was previously a staff writer at The New Yorker and Talk Magazine. Swartz has been with Texas Monthly for nearly 30 years and is the author of “Ticker: The Quest to Create... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 3:45pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

3:15pm CDT

Take the W
Twenty-five years ago this fall, George W. Bush began his successful campaign for governor of Texas. The rest, literally, is history.

Supported by Oncor
Moderators
avatar for Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey

Executive Editor of The Texas Tribune
Ramsey is the executive editor and co-founder of the Tribune, where he writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he served as editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly and as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times Herald... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Dan Bartlett

Dan Bartlett

Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Walmart
Bartlett has served as executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart since 2013, overseeing government relations, corporate communication and social responsibility initiatives. He was previously the president and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Bartlett also served as... Read More →
avatar for Mark McKinnon

Mark McKinnon

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
McKinnon has served as a commentator and a media adviser for numerous companies and candidates, including former Texas Gov. Ann Richards and former President George W. Bush. He is a cofounder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to promoting bipartisanship in politics. McKinnon... Read More →
avatar for Karl Rove

Karl Rove

Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff
Rove served as deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to President George W. Bush. He has served as a political strategist, advising numerous candidates including President Bush in his 1994 gubernatorial campaign. Rove is the co-founder of American Crossroads, a conservative super... Read More →
avatar for Margaret Spellings

Margaret Spellings

President of the University of North Carolina System
Spellings currently serves as president of the University of North Carolina System. She previously served as president of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, overseeing its economic growth, education and global health initiatives. Spellings also served as Secretary of Education... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  #TBT

3:15pm CDT

Code Red at HHSC
The troubled Texas Health and Human Services Commission is the state agency most in need of acute care. Will legislators provide it?

Presented by Ascension – Seton and supported by AARP
Moderators
avatar for David McSwane

David McSwane

Reporter for The Dallas Morning News
McSwane has worked as an investigative reporter for The Dallas Morning News since 2015. He was previously a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he covered the environment and city hall. McSwane was the author of the award-winning investigative... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Davis

Sarah Davis

State Representative, R-West University Place
Davis, R-West University Place, has represented House District 134 since 2011. She serves as chairwoman of both the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article II and General Investigating & Ethics Committee. She is of counsel with the law firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edleman... Read More →
avatar for Kyle Janek

Kyle Janek

Former Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Janek served as executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission from 2012 to 2015. Prior to his appointment, he represented Texas Senate District 17 from 2003 to 2008 and served on the Senate Public Health and Health Services committees. Janek has been a practicing... Read More →
avatar for Kirk Watson

Kirk Watson

State Senator, D-Austin
Watson has represented Senate District 14 since 2007. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Nominations Committee and sits on the Finance, Health & Human Services, and Higher Education committees. Previously, Watson served as chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus and as mayor... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  2019

3:15pm CDT

Yes, We Cannabis
Is this the session Texas finally goes to pot? Or are there still too many lawmakers who don’t mari-wanna?

Watch the Tribune’s “Out of Options” documentary on medical cannabis oil.
Moderators
avatar for Alex Samuels

Alex Samuels

Community Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Samuels is a community reporter for The Texas Tribune. She joined the Tribune as a newsletters fellow in 2016 and later worked as a reporting fellow during the 85th Texas legislative session. Samuels previously worked as a collegiate and breaking news correspondent for USA Today College... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Morris Denton

Morris Denton

CEO of Compassionate Cultivation
Denton has served as CEO of Compassionate Cultivation, the first licensed medical cannabis company in Texas, since 2017. Previously, he worked as an executive in various industries, specializing in technology, consumer goods and marketing. Denton also served as general manager and... Read More →
avatar for Heather Fazio

Heather Fazio

Coalition Coordinator for Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy
Fazio has worked at the Marijuana Policy Project since 2014, where she launched the advocacy coalition Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy. She previously served as executive director of Texans for Accountable Government, where she specialized in civil liberties and marijuana... Read More →
avatar for Eddie Lucio III

Eddie Lucio III

State Representative, D-Brownsville
Lucio, D-Brownsville, has represented House District 38 since 2007. He is chairman of the House Rules & Resolutions Committee and a member of the House Natural Resources and Government Transparency & Operation committees. Lucio is the author of House Bill 2107, which aimed to legalize... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Klick

Stephanie Klick

State Representative, R-Fort Worth
Klick, R-Fort Worth, has represented House District 91 since 2013. She is a member of the House Human Services and Public Health committees. Klick is a registered nurse and works as a case manager and health consultant for long-term care facilities and legal firms. She played a central... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  2019

3:15pm CDT

All Rise
The presiding judges of the state’s top courts on how to ensure fair treatment under the law for every Texan.

Supported by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (Texas State of Mind)
Moderators
avatar for Emma Platoff

Emma Platoff

Breaking News and Civil Courts Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Platoff is a breaking news and civil courts reporter for The Texas Tribune. She is the former managing editor of the Yale Daily News and a former intern at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Hartford Courant. Platoff is a graduate of Yale University.

Speakers
avatar for Nathan Hecht

Nathan Hecht

Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court
Hecht was appointed chief justice by then-Gov. Rick Perry in 2013. First elected to the state’s high court in 1988, he is the longest-serving Texas Supreme Court member in history. He has led the court’s efforts to ensure Texans have access to basic civil legal services and serves... Read More →
avatar for Sharon Keller

Sharon Keller

Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Keller has served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals since 1994 and was the first woman elected to be presiding judge in 2000. She serves as chairman of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and is on the board of the Council of State Governments Justice Center. Keller is also... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  Criminal Justice & the Law

3:15pm CDT

Is the Water Crisis Over?
Five years ago, the Texas Legislature passed and voters funded a comprehensive plan to combat the worst drought in our history. The situation’s still fluid.

Supported by The University of Texas at Austin and NRG Energy
Moderators
avatar for Laura Huffman

Laura Huffman

Texas State Director of The Nature Conservancy
Huffman establishes conservation strategy, provides policy leadership and leads a statewide team of scientists and conservation experts at The Nature Conservancy in Texas. She also serves as founding director of the Conservancy’s North America Cities program and board chair for... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bech Bruun

Bech Bruun

Former Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board
Bruun served on the Texas Water Development board from 2013 to 2017 and was named chairman in 2015 by Gov. Greg Abbott. He also served as the board’s designated appointee to the Texas Environmental Flows Advisory Group and the Western States Water Council. Most recently, Bruun unsuccessfully... Read More →
avatar for Kathleen Jackson

Kathleen Jackson

Member of the Texas Water Development Board
Jackson was first appointed to the Texas Water Development Board in 2014. She is an engineer by training and previously served as a public affairs manager for a petroleum engineering firm and has represented agricultural, environmental and industrial interests. Jackson was also a... Read More →
avatar for Carlos Rubinstein

Carlos Rubinstein

Former Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board
Rubinstein is currently the principal member of RSAH2O, an environmental consulting firm specializing in water issues. Before joining RSAH2O, he served as chairman of the Texas Water Development Board and the Texas representative to the Western States Water Council. Rubinstein has... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Infrastructure & Natural Resources

3:15pm CDT

One on One with Eric Holder
The former U.S. attorney general on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Emily Bazelon

Emily Bazelon

Staff Writer for The New York Times Magazine and Co-host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest”
Bazelon is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, where she covers politics and law, and is co-host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest,” a weekly current events podcast. She is also the Truman Capote Fellow for Creative Writing and Law at Yale Law School and author of national... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Eric Holder

Eric Holder

Former U.S. Attorney General under President Barack Obama and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee
Holder formerly served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States from February 2009 to April 2015 under President Obama. He currently serves as chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a political organization dedicated to redistricting reform through legal... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  The Future

3:15pm CDT

Have We Made the Economy Great Again?
Tax cuts, unemployment, the stock market, and what’s best for America.
Moderators
avatar for Ben White

Ben White

Chief Economic Correspondent for POLITICO
White is the chief economic correspondent for POLITICO and author of the Morning Money column, which covers finance and public policy. He previously served as a Wall Street reporter for The New York Times and U.S. Banking editor for the Financial Times. White has also worked at The... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for James K. Galbraith

James K. Galbraith

Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. Chair in Government/Business Relations at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Former Executive Director of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress
Galbraith is the former executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress. He also served as chair of the board of Economists for Peace and Security and is director of the University of Texas Inequality Project. Galbraith is currently a government professor and... Read More →
avatar for Grover Norquist

Grover Norquist

President of Americans for Tax Reform
Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform, which he founded in 1985. He serves on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association and as president of the American Society for Competitiveness. Norquist previously served as an economist and chief speechwriter for the... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Stateside at The Paramount
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

3:45pm CDT

Bail and Pot are Only the Beginning
Right and left have plenty of ideas about how to improve the criminal justice system — and to a surprising degree, they’re on the same page.

Supported by the Charles Koch Institute
Moderators
avatar for Jolie McCullough

Jolie McCullough

Criminal Justice Reporter for The Texas Tribune
McCullough reports on Texas criminal justice issues and policy for the Tribune. Previously, she worked on the Tribune's data visuals team and spent four years as a reporter and web developer at the Albuquerque Journal. McCullough also interned at the Arizona Republic before she graduated... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Art Acevedo

Art Acevedo

Chief of the Houston Police Department
Acevedo joined the Houston Police Department in 2016. Previously, he led the Austin Police Department for nearly 10 years, serving as the department’s first Hispanic chief. Acevedo also serves as first vice president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and previously served as... Read More →
avatar for Christina Melton Crain

Christina Melton Crain

Founder, President and CEO of Unlocking Doors and Former Chairwoman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
Crain is president and CEO of Unlocking Doors, an advocacy nonprofit dedicated to reducing recidivism and helping incarcerated individuals re-enter society. She previously served as chairwoman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the only woman to hold the position. Crain also... Read More →
avatar for Doug Deason

Doug Deason

Criminal Justice Reform Advocate
Deason has served as president of Deason Capital Services LLC and the Deason Foundation since 2009. Previously, he was the CEO of a family-owned commercial builder. Deason is an active political donor, serving on the finance committee of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign... Read More →
avatar for Alice Marie Johnson

Alice Marie Johnson

Federal Clemency Recipient and Buried Alive Project Fellow
Johnson is an advocate for criminal justice reform. She was sentenced in 1997 to mandatory life without parole for her role in a nonviolent federal drug case — her first ever arrest and conviction. After serving more than 21 years in prison, she was granted clemency in June 2018... Read More →
avatar for Mimi Marziani

Mimi Marziani

President of the Texas Civil Rights Project
Marziani is the president of the Texas Civil Rights Project and an election law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She previously served as counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, where she litigated election law cases... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  Criminal Justice & the Law

3:45pm CDT

Education Reform That Makes the Grade
More money? More choice? More accountability? The only thing that matters is what works.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas
Moderators
avatar for Krys Boyd

Krys Boyd

Host of "Think" on KERA
Boyd has served as host and managing editor of “Think,” KERA-FM’s midday talk show, since 2006. She joined KERA in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2001 as host of the nightly radio talk show “Conversations.” Boyd has also worked as a writer and producer of documentary and educational... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Robert Enlow

Robert Enlow

President and CEO of EdChoice
Enlow has served as president and CEO of EdChoice, formerly the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, since 2009. He has been involved with the foundation since 1996 as a fundraiser, projects coordinator, vice president and executive director. Enlow currently... Read More →
avatar for Gina Hinojosa

Gina Hinojosa

State Representative, D-Austin
Hinojosa, D-Austin, has represented House District 49 since 2017. She sits on the House Economic & Small Business Development, Homeland Security & Public Safety, and Administration committees. Previously, Hinojosa served on the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees... Read More →
avatar for Randan Steinhauser

Randan Steinhauser

Co-founder of Steinhauser Strategies and Former Executive Director of Texans for Education Opportunity
Steinhauser is co-founder of Steinhauser Strategies, a public relations and communications strategy firm. She previously served as executive director of Texans for Education Opportunity and director of external affairs for the Alliance for School Choice. Steinhauser has also worked... Read More →
avatar for Todd Williams

Todd Williams

Chairman and CEO of The Commit Partnership
Williams is the founding chairman, CEO and president of The Commit Partnership, an organization dedicated to improving postsecondary completion levels across the DFW area. He also serves as education policy adviser to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and as a senior trustee and former board... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  Education

3:45pm CDT

Private Property and the Public Interest
From pipelines and utilities to highways and high-speed rail, eminent domain is a fight without end.

Supported by Barron Adler Clough & Oddo
Moderators
avatar for Jim Malewitz

Jim Malewitz

Reporter for Bridge Magazine
Malewitz reports on the environment and public policy for Bridge Magazine. He was previously an investigative reporter for The Texas Tribune, primarily covering the intersection of energy and the environment. Malewitz also covered energy and environmental issues for Stateline, a nonprofit... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for George Christian

George Christian

Senior Counsel at the Texas Civil Justice League
Christian has worked with the Texas Civil Justice League, an organization promoting civil justice reform, since 2007. He is also an adjunct professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin and a practicing lawyer.
avatar for Arif Panju

Arif Panju

Managing Attorney for the Texas Office of the Institute for Justice
Panju is the managing attorney at the Institute for Justice’s Texas Office, where he litigates economic liberty, First Amendment, property rights and school choice cases. Previously, he served as an attorney at Cantilo & Bennett LLP and as a constitutional law fellow at the Institute... Read More →
avatar for Marissa Patton

Marissa Patton

Associate Legislative Director for the Texas Farm Bureau
Patton joined the Texas Farm Bureau in 2013 and currently serves as associate legislative director, where she advocates on behalf of members on eminent domain, agricultural and wildlife policy. She previously worked in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn... Read More →
avatar for Julia Rathgeber

Julia Rathgeber

President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas
Rathgeber has served as president and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas since 2016. She previously served as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Greg Abbott and as Texas commissioner of insurance. Rathgeber has also worked at the Texas General Land Office and Texas Commission... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Infrastructure & Natural Resources

3:45pm CDT

Affairs of State
Does America still believe in diplomacy?

Supported by Texas A&M University
Moderators
avatar for Indira Lakshmanan

Indira Lakshmanan

Executive Editor of the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting
Lakshmanan is executive editor at the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and a columnist for The Boston Globe. Previously she was Newmark Chair in journalism ethics at the Poynter Institute. She covered the State Department and politics for Bloomberg News, traveling with Secretaries... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Ryan Crocker

Ryan Crocker

Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq
Crocker served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan under President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2012. Before that, he had served as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon. He is currently diplomat-in-residence at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of... Read More →
avatar for Bill Richardson

Bill Richardson

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Former Governor of New Mexico
Richardson served as New Mexico's governor from 2003 to 2011. He has also served as a U.S. congressman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. secretary of energy under President Bill Clinton. Richardson founded the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which focuses on... Read More →
avatar for Wendy Sherman

Wendy Sherman

Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs at the U.S. Department of State
Sherman served as undersecretary of state for political affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 2011-2015, where she oversaw the department’s multiple global bureaus. She led the U.S. negotiating team in the talks leading up to the Iran nuclear agreement and was awarded the... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

4:00pm CDT

Texas Exes Happy Hour
Come say cheers and hook ’em at the Texas Exes #TribFest18 Happy Hour, hosted by Texas Exes executive director Chuck Harris,, and enjoy the company of fellow Longhorn speakers and attendees!

The Texas Exes boasts more than 106,000 members across the world. Join today!

Presented by Texas Exes
Sponsors
avatar for Texas Exes

Texas Exes

Supporting Sponsor
The Texas Exes, the alumni association for the University of Texas, was founded in 1885. The core purpose of the Texas Exes is to formally organize alumni and friends of the University of Texas at Austin to be its champions and advance its interests. Today there are more than 103,000... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 4:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Partner Programming

4:15pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'Code Red at HHSC' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of Code Red at HHSC in the lobby outside the St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall immediately following their panel.

Presented by Ascension – Seton
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Davis

Sarah Davis

State Representative, R-West University Place
Davis, R-West University Place, has represented House District 134 since 2011. She serves as chairwoman of both the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article II and General Investigating & Ethics Committee. She is of counsel with the law firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edleman... Read More →
avatar for Kyle Janek

Kyle Janek

Former Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Janek served as executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission from 2012 to 2015. Prior to his appointment, he represented Texas Senate District 17 from 2003 to 2008 and served on the Senate Public Health and Health Services committees. Janek has been a practicing... Read More →
avatar for Kirk Watson

Kirk Watson

State Senator, D-Austin
Watson has represented Senate District 14 since 2007. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Nominations Committee and sits on the Finance, Health & Human Services, and Higher Education committees. Previously, Watson served as chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus and as mayor... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Ascension Seton

Ascension Seton

Major Sponsor
In Texas, Ascension operates Providence Healthcare Network and Seton Healthcare Family, which includes Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Serving Texas for 115 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 4:15pm - 4:45pm CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall Lounge (Second Floor)
  Partner Programming

4:45pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'Bail and Pot Are Only the Beginning' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of Bail and Pot Are Only the Beginning in the sixth floor lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation immediately following their panel.

Presented by the Charles Koch Institute
Speakers
avatar for Art Acevedo

Art Acevedo

Chief of the Houston Police Department
Acevedo joined the Houston Police Department in 2016. Previously, he led the Austin Police Department for nearly 10 years, serving as the department’s first Hispanic chief. Acevedo also serves as first vice president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and previously served as... Read More →
avatar for Christina Melton Crain

Christina Melton Crain

Founder, President and CEO of Unlocking Doors and Former Chairwoman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice
Crain is president and CEO of Unlocking Doors, an advocacy nonprofit dedicated to reducing recidivism and helping incarcerated individuals re-enter society. She previously served as chairwoman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the only woman to hold the position. Crain also... Read More →
avatar for Doug Deason

Doug Deason

Criminal Justice Reform Advocate
Deason has served as president of Deason Capital Services LLC and the Deason Foundation since 2009. Previously, he was the CEO of a family-owned commercial builder. Deason is an active political donor, serving on the finance committee of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign... Read More →
avatar for Alice Marie Johnson

Alice Marie Johnson

Federal Clemency Recipient and Buried Alive Project Fellow
Johnson is an advocate for criminal justice reform. She was sentenced in 1997 to mandatory life without parole for her role in a nonviolent federal drug case — her first ever arrest and conviction. After serving more than 21 years in prison, she was granted clemency in June 2018... Read More →
avatar for Mimi Marziani

Mimi Marziani

President of the Texas Civil Rights Project
Marziani is the president of the Texas Civil Rights Project and an election law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She previously served as counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, where she litigated election law cases... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 4:45pm - 5:15pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

5:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Wendy Sherman's "Not for the Faint of Heart"
Join us for a signing of Wendy Sherman's book, "Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Wendy Sherman

Wendy Sherman

Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs at the U.S. Department of State
Sherman served as undersecretary of state for political affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 2011-2015, where she oversaw the department’s multiple global bureaus. She led the U.S. negotiating team in the talks leading up to the Iran nuclear agreement and was awarded the... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 5:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

7:30pm CDT

TribFeast: A Dinner To Support Nonprofit Journalism – SOLD OUT!
We're pleased to announce that the cast of Showtime’s “The Circus” — John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon — will be our guests at this year’s TribFeast, in conversation with Tribune CEO and co-founder Evan Smith!

This event is not included in the regular Festival pass and requires an extra ticket. It is now sold out and there will not be tickets available for purchase at the door.

This event is generously presented by AT&T and supported by Laura and John Arnold, Jeff Eller Group LLC, IBC Bank, St. David's Foundation, Ascension Seton, Austin Ventures, EdChoice, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP, Texas Capital Bank, Akerman LLP, Enoch Kever PLLC, LatinWorks and McCollough Public Affairs LLC.
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for John Heilemann

John Heilemann

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
Heilemann is a reporter and commentator currently serving as co-host of Showtime’s political documentary series “The Circus.” He is a national affairs analyst for NBC and MSNBC, appearing regularly on programs including Morning Joe and Hardball. Heilemann previously served as... Read More →
avatar for Mark McKinnon

Mark McKinnon

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
McKinnon has served as a commentator and a media adviser for numerous companies and candidates, including former Texas Gov. Ann Richards and former President George W. Bush. He is a cofounder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to promoting bipartisanship in politics. McKinnon... Read More →
avatar for Alex Wagner

Alex Wagner

Co-host of Showtime's "The Circus"
Wagner is co-host of Showtime’s “The Circus,” a weekly political documentary program, and is a national correspondent for CBS News. She was previously a senior editor at The Atlantic and remains a contributing editor, bi-weekly columnist and host of the podcast “Radio Atlantic... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:30pm - 10:00pm CDT
Brazos Hall
  Special Events

7:30pm CDT

Trivia Night with Steve Kornacki – Special #TribFest18 Edition
After a full day of programming at the Festival, you are invited to join Steve Kornacki, national political correspondent for MSNBC and NBC News and author of "The Red and the Blue," as he hosts a special edition of The Texas Tribune's Trivia Night. Bring your friends and test your knowledge on everything from current events to politics. Teams of up to six will compete for prizes, and there will be a special prize for the best team names.

Tickets for this event are not included with your Festival badge and a Festival badge is not required to attend. Pre-register here for $10 per person and then form your team at the event. Doors to the event will open at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28.

At the event, Kornacki will also sign copies of his book, "The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism."

Presented by Pearson, Spurs Sports and Entertainment, Lyft and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Prizes provided by SXSW, LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue, Uchi and Loro. The trivia game is provided by Trivia 512.
Speakers
avatar for Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki

National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC
Steve Kornacki is a national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. A former host of Up with Steve Kornacki and a co-host of The Cycle, Steve is now a regular substitute for Chris Matthews on Hardball and a mainstay of election night coverage. His first book, “The Red and... Read More →

Friday September 28, 2018 7:30pm - 10:00pm CDT
Scholz Garten
  Special Events

8:00pm CDT

Live Recording of Larry Wilmore's "Black on the Air" Podcast
Join Larry Wilmore for a live recording of the "Black on the Air" podcast featuring special guest Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the U.S. House.

This event is open to Festival pass holders only. It is free to attend, and entry will be granted on a first come, first served basis.

Supported by Huston-Tillotson University
Moderators
avatar for Larry Wilmore

Larry Wilmore

Host of the "Black on the Air" podcast
Wilmore has been a producer, actor, comedian and writer for more than 25 years. Previously, he hosted “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” on Comedy Central and was an executive producer for ABC’s “Black-ish.” Wilmore currently serves as host of “Black on the Air... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader of the U.S. House
Pelosi has served in Congress since 1987, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. She has served as House Democratic leader since 2002 and as speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, becoming the first female party leader and speaker of the House.

Friday September 28, 2018 8:00pm - 10:00pm CDT
Stateside at The Paramount
  Special Events
 
Saturday, September 29
 

7:00am CDT

Yoga on the Lawn
Join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for morning yoga on the southwest corner of the Texas State Capitol lawn. And come early! A free Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas yoga mat will be given to the first 25 attendees.

Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Sponsors
avatar for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Major Sponsor
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas, serving 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Texas State Capitol Lawn 1100 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  Partner Programming

7:30am CDT

Beyond Texas: Texas A&M University's Global Impact VR Demo
Ever been to Botswana? How about Palau? Kazakhstan or Peru? Experience these and other locations in 360° virtual reality in the lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation and learn how Texas A&M research and education goes beyond Texas. 


Presented by Texas A&M University
Sponsors
avatar for Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Supporting Sponsor
What began in 1876 as the state’s first public institution of higher learning, Texas A&M University has become one of the largest research universities in the U.S. Our students experience transformational learning on campus and across the globe, with more Aggies studying abroad... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 7:30am - 4:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, First Floor Lobby
  Partner Programming

7:30am CDT

Lobby Days Software Demonstration
Lobby Days is a new software that helps organizations set up and administer their days at the capitol with ease. The team will be set up during #TribFest18 to give an exclusive first look at the software to attendees. 

Presented by Lobby Days
Sponsors
avatar for Lobby Days

Lobby Days

Major Sponsor
Lobby Days is the first and only software that helps your staff set up and run a lobby day at the capitol. Through patent-pending automation software, we help save you time and money so you can focus on what matters during a legislative session: your issues.@LobbyDays... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 7:30am - 5:00pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, First Floor Lobby
  Partner Programming

8:00am CDT

Breakfast & Meet-and-Greet with 'The Republican Wish List' Panelists
Kick off the day with breakfast & conversation with the panelists of The Republican Wish List in the sixth floor lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation just before their panel.

Presented by Entergy
Speakers
avatar for Travis Clardy

Travis Clardy

State Representative, R-Nacogdoches
Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, has represented House District 11 since 2012. He serves as vice chairman of the House Local & Consent Calendars Committee and sits on the Higher Education and Energy Resources committees. In August 2018, Clardy announced his candidacy for House speaker for the... Read More →
avatar for Chris Paddie

Chris Paddie

State Representative, R-Marshall
Paddie, R-Marshall, has represented House District 9 since 2013. He sits on the House Calendars, Licensing & Administrative Procedures, and State Affairs committees. He is also a member of the Texas Conservative Coalition and serves as vice chairman of the Young Texans Legislative... Read More →
avatar for Cassandra Pollock

Cassandra Pollock

Engagement Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Pollock has served as an engagement reporter for The Texas Tribune since 2017 after serving as a fellow during the 85th Texas legislative session. She has also reported for The Daily Texan and The Washington Examiner in Washington, D.C. Pollock is a graduate of The University of Texas... Read More →
avatar for Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons

State Representative, R-Carrollton
Simmons, R-Carrollton, has represented House District 65 since 2012. He sits on the House Appropriations, Local & Consent Calendars and Transportation committees. He also serves on the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute Board of Directors. Simmons is also co-founder and... Read More →
avatar for Drew Springer

Drew Springer

State Representative, R-Muenster
Springer, R-Muenster, has represented House District 68 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House County Affairs committee and sits on the House Redistricting and Ways & Means committees. Previously, Springer worked as an accountant and president for a Texas rail car company... Read More →
avatar for John Zerwas

John Zerwas

State Representative, R-Richmond
Zerwas has represented House District 28 since 2007. He serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Legislative Budget Board. In 2017, he announced his candidacy for House speaker for the 86th legislative session. Zerwas is a practicing anesthesiologist... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Entergy

Entergy

Supporting Sponsor
Entergy Texas generates and delivers electricity to approximately 450,000 customers in 27 counties across Southeast Texas. We are committed to ensuring a bright future for our customers by providing reliable and affordable power, while growing the communities we serve. Together, We... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

8:00am CDT

Student BreakFest
On Friday and Saturday mornings, students are invited for tacos and coffee to pre-game the day and connect with other #TTFStudents. Meet Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life staff and our social media ambassadors, get highlights of the day and inside information on what’s happening.Learn more about Students at the Fest.

Students at the Fest is presented in partnership with the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life. Supporting sponsors include the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, Pearson, Texas Exes, Austin Community College and the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation.
Sponsors
avatar for Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Supporting Sponsor
The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Austin was founded in the year 2000 on the belief that active, engaged citizens are made, not born, and that society benefits from increased citizen participation in civic life... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

8:30am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the U.S. House
Join us for a meet-and-greet with Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the U.S. House, in the Executive Lounge preceding her Festival panel.

This meet-and-greet is open to Executive Conference Pass holders only.

Supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Speakers
avatar for Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader of the U.S. House
Pelosi has served in Congress since 1987, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. She has served as House Democratic leader since 2002 and as speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, becoming the first female party leader and speaker of the House.

Saturday September 29, 2018 8:30am - 9:00am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Maximillian Room
  Special Events

8:30am CDT

Are Students of Color Getting a Raw Deal?
Attainment levels and graduation rates lag in the state’s largest communities of color. Who’s responsible, and what can be done about it?

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Aliyya Swaby

Aliyya Swaby

Public Education Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Swaby covers public education for the Tribune. She joined the Tribune in October 2016 from the hyperlocal nonprofit New Haven Independent, where she covered education, zoning and transit for two years. After graduating from Yale University in 2013, Swaby spent a year freelance reporting... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Colette Pierce Burnette

Colette Pierce Burnette

President of Huston-Tillotson University
Burnette has led Huston-Tillotson since 2015. She serves on numerous boards and committees, including the steering committee for My Brother’s Keeper, an initiative started by President Barack Obama to provide intervention and mentorship to young men of color, and on the board of... Read More →
avatar for Steve Flores

Steve Flores

Superintendent of the Round Rock Independent School District
Flores has led Round Rock ISD as superintendent since 2013. Previously, he served as superintendent of Harlingen CISD and as assistant superintendent for both Pflugerville ISD and Round Rock ISD. Flores also worked as executive assistant for special projects for the Texas Association... Read More →
avatar for Joe May

Joe May

Chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District
May has served as chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District since 2014. He previously served as founding president of Rebuilding America’s Middle Class, a national consortium of community colleges. May has also served as president of the Louisiana Community and... Read More →
avatar for Miguel Solis

Miguel Solis

Trustee of the Dallas Independent School District
Solis was elected to the board of the Dallas Independent School District in 2013 and has served as board president and vice president. He has previously served as special assistant to the Dallas ISD superintendent and as a public school teacher for Teach for America. Solis has also... Read More →
avatar for Marc Veasey

Marc Veasey

U.S. Representative, D-Fort Worth
Veasey, D-Fort Worth, has represented Texas’ 33rd Congressional District since 2013. He is a member of the House Armed Services and Science, Space & Technology committees. Veasey has served as an assistant and regional whip in the U.S. House and is a member of the Congressional... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  Education

8:30am CDT

Tacos and #txlege
Grab breakfast tacos and a cup of coffee courtesy of Entergy Texas before starting day two of the Festival.

Presented by Entergy
Sponsors
avatar for Entergy

Entergy

Supporting Sponsor
Entergy Texas generates and delivers electricity to approximately 450,000 customers in 27 counties across Southeast Texas. We are committed to ensuring a bright future for our customers by providing reliable and affordable power, while growing the communities we serve. Together, We... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

The Political Rhetoric of Donald Trump and Alex Jones: On Fake News and Weaponized Communications
Charlie Warzel, senior technology writer at BuzzFeed and Jennifer Mercieca, historian of American political discourse and author of the forthcoming book, “Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Brilliance of Donald Trump,” will speak with Austin American-Statesman chief political writer Jonathan Tilove about the limits of fake news in the age of Trump.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by the Austin American-Statesman
Sponsors
avatar for Austin American-Statesman

Austin American-Statesman

Media Partner
The Austin American-Statesman reaches more than 804,065 print readers each week and draws more than 5 million visitors accessing more than 26 million pages online each month. Named Newspaper of the Year in 2013 and 2014 by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors, the Statesman... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

The Republican Wish List
What the traditional conservatives in the Texas House want from the 86th Legislature.

Supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Cassandra Pollock

Cassandra Pollock

Engagement Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Pollock has served as an engagement reporter for The Texas Tribune since 2017 after serving as a fellow during the 85th Texas legislative session. She has also reported for The Daily Texan and The Washington Examiner in Washington, D.C. Pollock is a graduate of The University of Texas... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Travis Clardy

Travis Clardy

State Representative, R-Nacogdoches
Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, has represented House District 11 since 2012. He serves as vice chairman of the House Local & Consent Calendars Committee and sits on the Higher Education and Energy Resources committees. In August 2018, Clardy announced his candidacy for House speaker for the... Read More →
avatar for Chris Paddie

Chris Paddie

State Representative, R-Marshall
Paddie, R-Marshall, has represented House District 9 since 2013. He sits on the House Calendars, Licensing & Administrative Procedures, and State Affairs committees. He is also a member of the Texas Conservative Coalition and serves as vice chairman of the Young Texans Legislative... Read More →
avatar for Ron Simmons

Ron Simmons

State Representative, R-Carrollton
Simmons, R-Carrollton, has represented House District 65 since 2012. He sits on the House Appropriations, Local & Consent Calendars and Transportation committees. He also serves on the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute Board of Directors. Simmons is also co-founder and... Read More →
avatar for Drew Springer

Drew Springer

State Representative, R-Muenster
Springer, R-Muenster, has represented House District 68 since 2013. He serves as vice chairman of the House County Affairs committee and sits on the House Redistricting and Ways & Means committees. Previously, Springer worked as an accountant and president for a Texas rail car company... Read More →
avatar for John Zerwas

John Zerwas

State Representative, R-Richmond
Zerwas has represented House District 28 since 2007. He serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Legislative Budget Board. In 2017, he announced his candidacy for House speaker for the 86th legislative session. Zerwas is a practicing anesthesiologist... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  2019

9:00am CDT

The Consequences of Gun Violence
They’re survivors of four infamous mass-casualty shootings — and they’re victims. Here are their stories.
Moderators
avatar for Pamela Colloff

Pamela Colloff

Senior Writer at ProPublica and Writer-at-Large for The New York Times Magazine
Colloff joined ProPublica and the Times in 2017 after serving as an executive editor and staff writer for Texas Monthly. At Texas Monthly, she earned a National Magazine Award in Feature Writing for her 2012 story, "The Innocent Man." Colloff was awarded the Louis M. Lyons Award for... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Chris Grady

Chris Grady

Survivor of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting
Grady is a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He is a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Grady has been a vocal advocate for gun policy reform in the wake of the shooting and is actively involved in the March for Our Lives movement... Read More →
avatar for Nicole Hockley

Nicole Hockley

Founder of Sandy Hook Promise
Hockley is the founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, an organization aiming to teach young people and parents about the signs of gun violence. She founded the organization after losing her son, Dylan, in the Sandy Hook school shooting and currently serves as spokeswoman... Read More →
avatar for Suzanna Gratia Hupp

Suzanna Gratia Hupp

Former State Representative, R-Lampasas
Hupp, R-Lampasas, represented Texas House District 54 from 1997 to 2007. She is a survivor of the 1991 Luby’s mass shooting in Killeen, Texas. Since then, she has become a strong proponent of allowing individuals to carry firearms for self-defense, testifying in favor of concealed-carry... Read More →
avatar for Frank Pomeroy

Frank Pomeroy

Pastor of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs
Pomeroy has served as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs since 2002. The church was the site of the November 2017 Sutherland Springs mass shooting that claimed the lives of 26 people, including Pomeroy’s 14-year-old daughter. Pomeroy graduated from Texas State... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  Criminal Justice & the Law

9:00am CDT

From Deployment to Employment
How Texas is putting veterans to work.

Supported by the Texas Tech University System, Zachry Group and The Boeing Company
Moderators
avatar for Alana Rocha

Alana Rocha

Multimedia Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Rocha joined the Tribune staff as a multimedia reporter after working eight years in television and radio news. She's covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and Texas and traveled the country reporting from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign trails. In her five years... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Jodey Arrington

Jodey Arrington

U.S. Representative, R-Lubbock
Arrington, R- Lubbock, has represented Texas’ 19th Congressional District since 2017. He is a member of the House Agriculture, Budget, and Veterans’ Affairs committees and serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Arrington previously served as an adviser... Read More →
avatar for Richard Delgado

Richard Delgado

Director of Military Affairs for Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Delgado, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has served as director of military affairs and ROTC at Texas A&M University-San Antonio for nearly 10 years, where he has helped facilitate training for faculty and staff on military cultural competence and built community partnerships.
avatar for Ruth Ruggero Hughs

Ruth Ruggero Hughs

Chairwoman of the Texas Workforce Commission
Hughs was appointed to the Texas Workforce Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015, and was named chairwoman in August 2018. Prior to her appointment, she served as director of defense litigation for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, where she oversaw 11 civil litigation divisions... Read More →
avatar for Paul Rieckhoff

Paul Rieckhoff

Founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Rieckhoff has served as founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America since 2004. He served as an Army first lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Rieckhoff is a regular contributor to The New York... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Economy

9:00am CDT

Public Equity
How cities are promoting upward mobility, advancing opportunity and driving economic growth.

Supported by Texas A&M University and Lyft
Moderators
avatar for Brandon Formby

Brandon Formby

Urban Affairs Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Formby writes about the challenges facing Texas’ largest metro areas as they experience unbridled growth. He joined the Tribune in October 2016 and is the organization’s first reporter based in Dallas. Previously, Formby spent more than 13 years at The Dallas Morning News, where... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Henry Cisneros

Henry Cisneros

Former Mayor of San Antonio and Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Cisneros served as housing secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997 and as mayor of San Antonio from 1981 to 1989. He previously served as president and chief operating officer of Univision, president of the National League of Cities and deputy chairman of the Federal... Read More →
avatar for Annise Parker

Annise Parker

President and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Institute and Former Mayor of Houston
Parker served as mayor of Houston from 2010 to 2016 — the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city. Previously, she served on the Houston City Council and was later elected city controller. Parker currently serves as president and CEO of the Victory Fund and Victory Institute... Read More →
avatar for Kasim Reed

Kasim Reed

Former Mayor of Atlanta
Reed served as mayor of Atlanta from 2010 to January 2018. Prior to serving as mayor, he served nearly four terms as a state senator and two terms as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Reed is a graduate of Howard University.

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  Economy

9:00am CDT

Live Recording of Slate's "El Gabfest" Podcast
El Gabfest will be live in Austin as part of Slate Day, a full-day affair put on in conjunction with the Texas Tribune Festival to showcase Slate's lineup of bold, curious, politically minded podcasts. El Gabfest host León Krauze, an anchor for Univision in Los Angeles and a professor of journalism at the University of Southern California, will lead a conversation on U.S.-Mexico relations after the election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

He’ll be joined by Antonio Garza and Roberta Jacobson, both former U.S. ambassadors to Mexico.

Tickets to El Gabfest Live are not included with a Festival pass and are sold separately here. Festival passholders will be admitted to this event for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Supported by IBC Bank
Moderators
avatar for León Krauze

León Krauze

Journalist for Univision and Co-Host of Slate’s “El Gabfest” Podcast
Krauze serves as the main anchor at Univision’s KMEX station in Los Angeles. A native of Mexico and a longtime chronicler of U.S. politics, immigration and the lives of Angelenos, he is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, The Daily Beast and KCRW’s “Left, Right and Center... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Antonio Garza

Antonio Garza

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Garza served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009. He is currently counsel to White & Case in Mexico City and serves as a trustee to Southern Methodist University. He is a past president of the University of Texas at Austin's alumni association. Garza has also served... Read More →
avatar for Roberta Jacobson

Roberta Jacobson

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Jacobson served as U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2016 to 2018. She has worked in the State Department’s civil service since 1989 and has specialized in Latin American affairs. Since joining the State Department, Jacobson served as assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Podcast

9:00am CDT

A White House Briefing
What it’s really like to cover this president and this administration.
Moderators
avatar for Shawna Thomas

Shawna Thomas

DC Bureau Chief for VICE News
Thomas is the D.C. bureau chief for VICE News, overseeing all political and D.C.-based coverage for VICE Media and VICE News Tonight. Prior to joining VICE, she served as senior producer and digital editor of NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” Thomas also covered the White House and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kimberly Atkins

Kimberly Atkins

Washington D.C. Bureau Chief for the Boston Herald
Atkins has covered the White House, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court for the Boston Herald since 2014. She previously covered the Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall for the Herald and served as Washington bureau chief for the Dolan Company newspapers. Atkins is also... Read More →
avatar for Michael Bender

Michael Bender

White House Reporter for The Wall Street Journal
Bender has covered the White House and American politics for The Wall Street Journal since 2016. Prior to joining The Wall Street Journal, he worked as a senior writer for Bloomberg Politics in Washington, D.C. Bender has worked as a reporter at newspapers in Ohio, Colorado and Florida... Read More →
avatar for Eli Stokols

Eli Stokols

White House Reporter for the Los Angeles Times
Stokols is a White House reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He previously covered the Trump administration at The Wall Street Journal and spent two years as a national political reporter for Politico, covering the 2016 Republican primaries. Stokols covered Colorado politics for KDVR-TV... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  Politics & the Press

9:00am CDT

One on One with Julián Castro
The former U.S. secretary of housing and urban development on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Emily Ramshaw

Emily Ramshaw

Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune
Ramshaw oversees The Texas Tribune’s editorial, technology, events and audience-building operations. Under her leadership, the Tribune has won a Peabody Award, 10 national Edward R. Murrow Awards and top honors from the Online News Association. She is a member of the board of the... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Julián Castro

Julián Castro

Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Former San Antonio Mayor
Castro served as housing secretary under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, he served as mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014 and as a member of the San Antonio City Council. Since leaving HUD, Castro has launched a political action committee, Opportunity... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
  The Future

9:00am CDT

NAMIWalks Austin
Join the 2018 NAMIWalks Austin to Change the Mental Health Conversation on September 29 at the Long Center. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and walk at 9. For more information visit namiwalks.org/austin.

Presented by NAMI Austin
Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Know Your Numbers Screening Tests
Stop in and learn where you stand on your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. A registered nurse will be on hand to explain your results and give a little coaching on how you could improve. If you or a loved one has diabetes, learn about classes and resources Texas A&M Healthy Texas provides to help people manage their blood sugar through healthy living.


Presented by Texas A&M Healthy Texas
Sponsors
avatar for The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System

Supporting Sponsor
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 1:00pm CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall Lounge (Second Floor)
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

AT&T Mobile Retail Store on Wheels
This new approach allows the AT&T mobile team to be nimble and quick to adapt in how they serve their customers. AT&T is out in the community to personally connect people with their world; everywhere they live and work, especially the nation's First Responders.
Sponsors
avatar for AT&T

AT&T

Major Sponsor
AT&T brings it all together, from an industry leading smartphone portfolio to next-generation home automation services and sophisticated solutions for multi-national businesses. For more than a century, AT&T has provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Bumble Profile Doctoring
Bumble Bizz is all about helping you build out your professional network on your own terms. Developing Bizz connections is more important than ever before, because one connection can change the course of your entire career. You never know where you’ll find your next business partner, mentor, side hustle or capital raise. Come by the Bumble Bizz booth at Open Congress to have our experts make sure you have the best profile you can and start to network like a boss.

Presented by Bumble BIzz
Sponsors
avatar for Bumble Bizz

Bumble Bizz

Major Sponsor
Bumble Bizz is the brand new section of the Bumble app all about improving your professional life. We consider this an app of FOMO, or “Fear of Missed Opportunity” because you never know where you’ll find your next side hustle, mentor, business partner or ways to make more money... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Engage with the Arts: An Interactive Exhibition
Join the Texas Cultural Trust for an interactive fine arts extravaganza, featuring hands-on visual arts displays and live music, dance, and theatre performances.

Performance Schedule: 
  • 8:30-6:00 Live Mural Painting by Big Medium's Co-Founder Jana Swec
  • 10:15-10:30 Texas Young Master Behnam Arzaghi
  • 12:00-12:15 Dancers from Oaxaca Arte en Movimiento
  • 12:15-12:30 Ensemble Performance from The Adderley School
  • 1:45-2:00 Texas Young Master Behnam Arzaghi
  • 3:15-3:30 Student Ensemble from The Adderley School
  • 3:30-3:45 Texas Young Master Behnam Arzaghi
  • 5:30-5:45 Student Ensemble from The Adderley School

Presented by Texas Cultural Trust
Sponsors
avatar for Texas Cultural Trust

Texas Cultural Trust

The Texas Cultural Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to be the leading voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of our state. Taking a holistic approach to raising awareness and advancing... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Healthy Texas, Active for Life
Talk with a fitness trainer about ways to stay active, even at the office. Texas A&M Healthy Texas will have demonstrations and tips for incorporating activity into your daily routine. Plus, snag some free swag to help you move more every day.

Presented by Texas A&M Healthy Texas
Sponsors
avatar for The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System

Supporting Sponsor
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Meet Walmart’s Texas Suppliers
Come visit with some of Walmart’s Texas-based suppliers, sample free products, and learn about how these Texans got their products onto the retailer’s shelves!

Presented by Walmart
Sponsors
avatar for Walmart

Walmart

Presenting Sponsor
Celebrating over 40 years of doing business in Texas, Walmart is proud to be the state's largest private employer with nearly 170,000 Texas associates and 596 stores. Walmart spent more than $52.4 billion with Texas-based suppliers in FY 2018, supporting an additional 285,000 Texas... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Texas A&M AgriLife Water Education Bus
This graphic-wrapped recreation vehicle tours the Lone Star State giving Texans D.I.Y instructions on projects that naturally protect water quality and conserve water resources. The “Water University Team” conducts free public events on harvesting rainwater; landscaping with food plants; using resource-efficient ornamental plants; designing water-efficient landscapes and much more.  

Presented by The Texas A&M University System
Sponsors
avatar for The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System

Supporting Sponsor
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Texas REALTORS® Working for You
Texas REALTORS® advocate for you as a real estate consumer and protect your private-property rights at all levels of government. Swing by the tent at 8th and Congress to grab some free items and enter to win a $500 gift card.

Presented by Texas REALTORS®
Sponsors
avatar for Texas Association of Realtors

Texas Association of Realtors

Supporting Sponsor
With more than 118,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Texas Secretary of State – Bring it to the Booth
Bring it to the Booth is a campaign created by the Office of the Texas Secretary of State to educate Texas on the form IDs they need to bring to the voting booth to cast their ballot and make their voice heard.

Presented by the Texas Secretary of State
Sponsors
avatar for Texas Secretary of State

Texas Secretary of State

Supporting Sponsor
Powered by the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, VoteTexas.gov is the official online source for voting information in the state. VoteTexas.gov provides Texans with information about what they need to register to vote, what they need to bring to the polls when they vote and... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Texas Task Force 1: Urban Search and Rescue Canines
Meet the canines of Texas Task Force 1! These urban search and rescue dogs and their handlers are available to answer your questions about the Texas Task Force and search dogs. 

Presented by The Texas A&M University System
Sponsors
avatar for The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System

Supporting Sponsor
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:00am CDT

Walmart Health & Wellness
Walmart’s Health & Wellness team will be offering free blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol screenings for Texas Tribune Festival attendees.

Presented by Walmart
Sponsors
avatar for Walmart

Walmart

Presenting Sponsor
Celebrating over 40 years of doing business in Texas, Walmart is proud to be the state's largest private employer with nearly 170,000 Texas associates and 596 stores. Walmart spent more than $52.4 billion with Texas-based suppliers in FY 2018, supporting an additional 285,000 Texas... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:00am - 6:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

9:15am CDT

One on One with Bill Bradley
The onetime college phenom, NBA star and U.S. senator on the latest convergence of sports, politics and activism.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.
Moderators
avatar for Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki

National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC
Steve Kornacki is a national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. A former host of Up with Steve Kornacki and a co-host of The Cycle, Steve is now a regular substitute for Chris Matthews on Hardball and a mainstay of election night coverage. His first book, “The Red and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley

Former U.S. Senator, D-New Jersey
Bradley represented New Jersey in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1997. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was a professional basketball player for the New York Knicks and an Olympic gold medalist. Since leaving office, Bradley has authored seven books and currently serves as managing... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Diversity & Immigration

9:30am CDT

One on One with Nancy Pelosi
The Democratic leader of the U.S. House on party unity, retaking the reins and moving America forward.
Moderators
avatar for Alex Wagner

Alex Wagner

Co-host of Showtime's "The Circus"
Wagner is co-host of Showtime’s “The Circus,” a weekly political documentary program, and is a national correspondent for CBS News. She was previously a senior editor at The Atlantic and remains a contributing editor, bi-weekly columnist and host of the podcast “Radio Atlantic... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader of the U.S. House
Pelosi has served in Congress since 1987, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. She has served as House Democratic leader since 2002 and as speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, becoming the first female party leader and speaker of the House.

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  2018

9:30am CDT

The Pervasiveness of Climate
It touches every other issue, which is why it’s so important to address and so hard to resolve.

Supported by BP
Moderators
avatar for Michael Webber

Michael Webber

Josey Centennial Fellow in Energy Resources at the University of Texas at Austin
Webber is the Josey Centennial Fellow in Energy Resources and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the co-director of the Clean Energy Incubator at the Austin Technology Incubator. Webber’s research focuses on policy and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Jason Bordoff

Jason Bordoff

Former Senior Director for Energy and Climate Change at the National Security Council
Bordoff served in the Obama administration as special assistant and senior director for energy and climate change from 2009 to 2013. He also served on the White House National Economic Council and Council on Environmental Quality. Bordoff is the founding director of Columbia University’s... Read More →
avatar for Katharine Hayhoe

Katharine Hayhoe

Atmospheric Scientist and Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University
Hayhoe is a professor at Texas Tech University, where she is also the director of the Climate Science Center. She is a lead author for the National Climate Assessment and her research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. Hayhoe... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Infrastructure & Natural Resources

9:30am CDT

One on One with Mitch Landrieu
The former mayor of New Orleans on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Ben Goldberger

Ben Goldberger

Assistant Managing Editor of Time Magazine
Goldberger is assistant managing editor of Time magazine, overseeing coverage of national news and sports across all platforms and directing the magazine’s special projects, including Person of the Year. He joined Time in 2012, serving initially as senior editor and later as nation... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mitch Landrieu

Mitch Landrieu

Former Mayor of New Orleans
Landrieu served as mayor of New Orleans from 2010 through May 2018. He also served as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Prior to being elected mayor, Landrieu served as lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010 and as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  The Future

10:00am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'From Deployment to Employment' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of From Deployment to Employment at Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune immediately following their panel.

Presented by the Texas Tech University System
Speakers
avatar for Jodey Arrington

Jodey Arrington

U.S. Representative, R-Lubbock
Arrington, R- Lubbock, has represented Texas’ 19th Congressional District since 2017. He is a member of the House Agriculture, Budget, and Veterans’ Affairs committees and serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Arrington previously served as an adviser... Read More →
avatar for Richard Delgado

Richard Delgado

Director of Military Affairs for Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Delgado, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has served as director of military affairs and ROTC at Texas A&M University-San Antonio for nearly 10 years, where he has helped facilitate training for faculty and staff on military cultural competence and built community partnerships.
avatar for Ruth Ruggero Hughs

Ruth Ruggero Hughs

Chairwoman of the Texas Workforce Commission
Hughs was appointed to the Texas Workforce Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015, and was named chairwoman in August 2018. Prior to her appointment, she served as director of defense litigation for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, where she oversaw 11 civil litigation divisions... Read More →
avatar for Paul Rieckhoff

Paul Rieckhoff

Founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Rieckhoff has served as founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America since 2004. He served as an Army first lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Rieckhoff is a regular contributor to The New York... Read More →
avatar for Alana Rocha

Alana Rocha

Multimedia Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Rocha joined the Tribune staff as a multimedia reporter after working eight years in television and radio news. She's covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and Texas and traveled the country reporting from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign trails. In her five years... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for The Texas Tech University System

The Texas Tech University System

Major Sponsor
The Texas Tech University System is a $2 billion enterprise encompassing Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University and TTUHSC El Paso. The TTU System is on a mission to serve the needs of the state through comprehensive, innovative... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Partner Programming

10:00am CDT

The Art of Covering Trump: How the Press Covers Trump Visually
Join TIME Creative Director D.W. Pine for a conversation about the delicate politics of creating the magazine's cover each week and how a single image is often the most effective way to distill historic moments. He’ll also discuss how he works with artists like Edel Rodriguez and Tim O’Brien and why some covers have an outsized impact on the national conversation.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by TIME magazine
Sponsors
avatar for TIME Magazine

TIME Magazine

Media Partner
With an audience of more than 100 million people, TIME is one of the most trusted and recognized sources of news and information in the world.@TIME

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:00am - 10:30am CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

10:00am CDT

All the Opinion That’s Fit to Print
Two New York Times columnists and one of their top editors on reporting vs. commentary, how the expanding media ecosystem impacts their work, and material that practically writes itself.
Moderators
avatar for Brian Stelter

Brian Stelter

Senior Media Correspondent for CNN and Host of Reliable Sources
Stelter is the senior media correspondent for CNN and host of CNN’s Reliable Sources program. He previously worked as a media reporter at The New York Times, covering TV and digital media for the paper’s Business Day and Arts sections. Stelter is the author of “Top of the Morning... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Michelle Goldberg

Michelle Goldberg

New York Times Op-Ed Columnist
Goldberg joined The New York Times as an op-ed columnist in 2017. She also serves as senior contributing writer at The Nation. Goldberg previously served as a columnist for Slate and The Daily Beast. She is the author of “Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism” and... Read More →
avatar for Kathleen Kingsbury

Kathleen Kingsbury

Deputy Editorial Page Editor for The New York Times
Kingsbury joined The New York Times as deputy editorial page editor in 2017. She previously served as managing editor for digital and as an editorial writer for The Boston Globe, where she won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. Kingsbury was previously a contributing writer... Read More →
avatar for Bret Stephens

Bret Stephens

New York Times Op-Ed Columnist
Stephens has worked as an op-ed columnist for The New York Times since 2017. He previously served as a deputy editorial page editor and foreign affairs columnist for The Wall Street Journal and as editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. Stephens is the author of “America In Retreat... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
  Politics & the Press

10:00am CDT

Healthy Texas Tailgating Cooking Demo
Don’t skip the tailgate party just because you’re trying to eat healthier! Visit Texas A&M Healthy Texas at the Festival Hub to see how a registered dietitian does tailgating with healthy alternatives to barbecue, snacks and drinks. Sample the food and pick up the recipes to make your next sports-related gathering full of flavor and light on the waistline.

Cooking demonstrations will take place at 10am and noon.

Presented by Texas A&M Healthy Texas
Sponsors
avatar for The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System

Supporting Sponsor
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Partner Programming

10:15am CDT

Book Signing of Henry Cisneros' "Building Equitable Cities"
Join us for a signing of Henry Cisneros' book, "Building Equitable Cities: How to Drive Economic Mobility and Regional Growth." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Henry Cisneros

Henry Cisneros

Former Mayor of San Antonio and Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Cisneros served as housing secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997 and as mayor of San Antonio from 1981 to 1989. He previously served as president and chief operating officer of Univision, president of the National League of Cities and deputy chairman of the Federal... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

10:30am CDT

The Way Forward is Urban
Texas has six of the 20 largest cities in America — and they’re all growing rapidly. What does this mean for the next 30 years?

Supported by The University of Texas at Austin and Chariot
Moderators
avatar for David Brown

David Brown

Host and Managing Editor of “Texas Standard”
Brown is the host and managing editor of “Texas Standard,” a statewide public radio program produced in the studios of KUT in Austin. He is a former host of the business program “Marketplace” and a longtime public radio correspondent who has covered national and international... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Steve Adler

Steve Adler

Mayor of Austin
Adler has served as mayor since 2015. He has represented Austin in the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Adler is also vice president of the board of the National Council of Democratic Mayors. He previously practiced civil rights law... Read More →
avatar for Beth Van Duyne

Beth Van Duyne

Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Van Duyne was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as a HUD regional administrator in May 2017. Previously, she served as mayor of Irving. Van Duyne was a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Advisory Board, the Texas Municipal League and the North Central Texas Council... Read More →
avatar for Dee Margo

Dee Margo

Mayor of El Paso
Margo was elected mayor in May 2017. Previously, he represented District 78 in the Texas House and served as chairman of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. Margo also helped found the Regional Economic Development Corporation and served as president of the El Paso ISD Board... Read More →
avatar for Ron Nirenberg

Ron Nirenberg

Mayor of San Antonio
Nirenberg has served as mayor of San Antonio since 2017. Previously, he served on the San Antonio City Council, where he chaired the city’s Quality of Life and City Council Comprehensive Planning committees and served on the board of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
  2050

10:30am CDT

Live Recording of Slate's "Political Gabfest"
Political Gabfest will be live in Austin as part of Slate Day, a full-day affair put on in conjunction with the Texas Tribune Festival to showcase Slate's lineup of bold, curious, politically minded podcasts. Let hosts Emily Bazelon of the New York Times Magazine, John Dickerson of CBS This Morning and David Plotz of Atlas Obscura guide you through the thick of today's difficult-to-navigate political terrain with their always entertaining discussion and analysis of the week's top headlines. They will be joined by special guest DeRay Mckesson, civil rights activist and organizer.

Tickets to Political Gabfest Live are not included with a Festival pass and are sold separately here. Festival passholders will be admitted to this event for free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Speakers
avatar for Emily Bazelon

Emily Bazelon

Staff Writer for The New York Times Magazine and Co-host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest”
Bazelon is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, where she covers politics and law, and is co-host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest,” a weekly current events podcast. She is also the Truman Capote Fellow for Creative Writing and Law at Yale Law School and author of national... Read More →
avatar for John Dickerson

John Dickerson

Co-Anchor of CBS “This Morning” and Contributing Editor for The Atlantic
Dickerson joined CBS “This Morning” in 2018 after serving as CBS News’ chief Washington correspondent. He is also a contributing editor to The Atlantic and a contributor to Slate’s “Political Gabfest” podcast. Dickerson was previously anchor of CBS News’ “Face The... Read More →
avatar for DeRay Mckesson

DeRay Mckesson

Civil Rights Activist and Organizer
Mckesson is a prominent activist with the Black Lives Matter movement and an outspoken voice against police violence. He began speaking out against police violence during the August 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and has since amassed a large online following. In 2015, Mckesson... Read More →
avatar for David Plotz

David Plotz

CEO of Atlas Obscura and Host of Slate’s “Political Gabfest” Podcast
Plotz has served as CEO of the online travel and discovery magazine Atlas Obscura since 2014. Before joining Atlas Obscura, he served as editor-in-chief of Slate Magazine from 2008 to 2014 after serving as a writer and deputy editor. Plotz is currently the host of Slate’s “Political... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Podcast

10:45am CDT

Book Signing of Mitch Landrieu's "In the Shadow of Statues"
Join us for a signing of Mitch Landrieu's book, "In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Mitch Landrieu

Mitch Landrieu

Former Mayor of New Orleans
Landrieu served as mayor of New Orleans from 2010 through May 2018. He also served as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Prior to being elected mayor, Landrieu served as lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010 and as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:15am CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

10:45am CDT

Will We Ever Get School Finance Right?
Members of the state commission studying the issue on whether progress is possible.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and supported by Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium and the Texas Association of Realtors
Moderators
avatar for Aliyya Swaby

Aliyya Swaby

Public Education Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Swaby covers public education for the Tribune. She joined the Tribune in October 2016 from the hyperlocal nonprofit New Haven Independent, where she covered education, zoning and transit for two years. After graduating from Yale University in 2013, Swaby spent a year freelance reporting... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Diego Bernal

Diego Bernal

State Representative, D-San Antonio
Bernal, D-San Antonio, has represented House District 123 since 2015. He serves as vice chairman of the House Public Education Committee and sits on the Administration and Urban Affairs committees. Previously, Bernal served as an attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and... Read More →
avatar for Scott Brister

Scott Brister

Chairman of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance
Brister was appointed chairman of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2017. He previously served as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court and as the chief justice of the 1st and 14th Courts of Appeals of Texas. After his term as Supreme Court justice... Read More →
avatar for Keven Ellis

Keven Ellis

Member of the State Board of Education
Ellis represents District 9 on the State Board of Education. He serves on the board’s Committee on School Initiatives, which oversees items including charter schools, certification rules and school board member training. Ellis previously served as a member and president of the Lufkin... Read More →
avatar for Nicole Conley Johnson

Nicole Conley Johnson

CFO of the Austin Independent School District
Conley Johnson has served as chief financial officer for AISD since 2009. In 2018, she was appointed to the Texas Commission on Public School Finance by Speaker Joe Straus. Prior to joining AISD, Conley Johnson worked for several large urban school systems, including the New York... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  2019

10:45am CDT

Transforming Public Health
How do we build and pay for a system that will care for this generation of Texans and the next?

Presented by Ascension – Seton and supported by Quest Diagnostics and Deloitte
Moderators
avatar for Marissa Evans

Marissa Evans

Health and Human Services Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Evans reports on health and human services policy issues for the Tribune since October 2016. Before the Tribune she reported for CQ Roll Call in Washington, D.C., where she covered state legislatures and health care issues. Evans’ reporting has appeared in Civil Eats, CityLab, NBC... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Garnet Coleman

Garnet Coleman

State Representative, D-Houston
Coleman, D-Houston, has represented House District 147 since 1992. He serves as chairman of the House County Affairs Committee and sits on the Public Health Committee. In the 85th Legislative Session, Coleman authored the House version of the Sandra Bland Act, requiring more training... Read More →
avatar for Karen DeSalvo

Karen DeSalvo

Former Acting Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
DeSalvo is currently a professor of medicine and population health at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Previously, she served as assistant secretary for health and as national coordinator for health information technology at the U.S. Department of Health and... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Muth

Stephanie Muth

Texas Medicaid Director
Muth has served as state Medicaid director for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission since 2017. She has spent 13 years at the commission, including as the deputy executive commissioner for transformation and deputy executive commissioner of the Office of Social Services... Read More →
avatar for Four Price

Four Price

State Representative, R-Amarillo
Price, R-Amarillo, has represented House District 87 since 2010. He serves as chairman of the House Public Health Committee, where he oversees matters pertaining to mental health programs, and chairman of the House Select Committee on Opioids & Substance Abuse. Price also sits on... Read More →
avatar for Avik Roy

Avik Roy

Opinion Editor at Forbes and Founder of The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity
Roy is an opinion editor at Forbes and manager of The Apothecary, a Forbes health care policy blog. In 2016, he helped form The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, a think tank devoted to expanding economic opportunity to low-income individuals. Previously, he worked as... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  2050

10:45am CDT

Early Indications
What pre-K does for Texas, and what Texas does — or doesn’t do — for pre-K.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas and the Annie E. Casey Foundation
Moderators
avatar for Ayan Mittra

Ayan Mittra

Editor of The Texas Tribune
Mittra oversees the Tribune's newsroom, which includes more than 30 journalists who have won multiple state, regional and national awards. He joined the Tribune in 2012 after more than a decade at The Dallas Morning News, where he worked as a copy editor, assistant political editor... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Baray

Sarah Baray

CEO of Pre-K 4 SA
Baray has served as CEO of Pre-K 4 SA, San Antonio’s early learning initiative, since 2016. Prior to joining Pre-K 4 SA, she worked as a professor of education and community leadership at Texas State University. Baray has also worked as an elementary school teacher, principal and... Read More →
avatar for Libby Doggett

Libby Doggett

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Early Learning at the U.S. Department of Education
Doggett served as deputy assistant secretary for policy and early learning at the U.S. Department of Education from 2013 to 2017, overseeing the Race to the Top program. She previously worked for the Pew Charitable Trusts, where she directed the Pew Home Visiting Campaign and Pew’s... Read More →
avatar for Robert Kaplan

Robert Kaplan

President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Kaplan has served as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas since 2015. He was previously a professor and senior associate dean at Harvard Business School and vice chairman of Goldman Sachs. Kaplan also chairs Project A.L.S. and is co-chairman of the Draper Richards Kaplan... Read More →
avatar for Betsy Price

Betsy Price

Mayor of Fort Worth
Price was first elected in 2011 to lead the city of Fort Worth. As mayor, she has helped launch Fort Worth’s Education Initiative to promote early childhood education by aiming to have 100 percent of Fort Worth third-graders read at or above grade level by 2025. Before being elected... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Education

10:45am CDT

One on One with Amy Klobuchar
The U.S. senator from Minnesota on the challenges we face today and her vision for the future of the country.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Abby Livingston

Abby Livingston

Washington Bureau Chief for The Texas Tribune
Livingston joined the Tribune in 2014 as the lead reporter in Washington, D.C., and won the 2017 National Press Club Award for Washington Regional Reporting for her work. She has covered political campaigns, House leadership and Congress for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Amy Klobuchar

Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senator, D-Minnesota
Klobuchar has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2007 and is the state’s first female senator. She is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, ranking member of the Senate Rules & Administration Committee and chair of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee. Klobuchar... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
  The Future

10:45am CDT

One on One with Deval Patrick
The former governor of Massachusetts on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Jake Sherman

Jake Sherman

Senior Writer at Politico and Co-Author of the Politico Playbook
Sherman is a senior writer for Politico, covering Congress and elections since 2009, and co-author of Politico’ Playbook, the publication’s daily morning political newsletter. He previously worked in the Washington bureaus of The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and the Minneapolis... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Deval Patrick

Deval Patrick

Former Governor of Massachusetts
Patrick served as governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. Prior to being elected governor, he served as the assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights under President Bill Clinton and as executive vice president and general counsel of The Coca-Cola Company. Patrick is currently... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  The Future

11:00am CDT

The State of Music in Texas
Hear from Brendon Anthony, director of the Texas Music Office, about the state of Texas' music industry and what officials are doing to help Texas-based musicians. Moderated by Joe Lanane, executive editor for Community Impact Newspaper.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by Community Impact Newspaper
Sponsors
avatar for Community Impact

Community Impact

Media Partner
Since Community Impact Newspaper launched in 2005, the hyperlocal monthly print publication has restructured an antiquated model—the community newspaper—and turned it into an essential tool by providing readers with useful, informative news. Community Impact Newspaper reports... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

11:00am CDT

One on One with Steve Kornacki
The NBC News and MSNBC national political correspondent on his new book about the roots of polarization (spoiler: blame the ‘90s) and what the devil is happening in the 2018 elections.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki

National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC
Steve Kornacki is a national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. A former host of Up with Steve Kornacki and a co-host of The Cycle, Steve is now a regular substitute for Chris Matthews on Hardball and a mainstay of election night coverage. His first book, “The Red and... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  #TBT

11:15am CDT

One on One with Cecile Richards
The former head of Planned Parenthood on her years in the trenches, the renewed threat to Roe and three generations of the family business.
Moderators
avatar for Anna Palmer

Anna Palmer

Senior Washington Correspondent for Politico and Co-Author of the Politico Playbook
Palmer is currently a senior Washington correspondent for Politico and co-author of the daily Politico Playbook newsletter. She also host's Politico's "Women Rule" podcast. Previously, shey co-authored the daily newsletter Politico Influence. Prior to joining Politico, Palmer covered... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Cecile Richards

Cecile Richards

Former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Richards served as president of Planned Parenthood from 2006 to April 2018, where she oversaw more than 600 affiliate health centers and advocates for reproductive rights. She previously served as deputy chief of staff for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and is the founder of... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  Health & Human Services

11:15am CDT

Frack Nation
The authors of two new books about hydraulic fracturing on the good and bad of this century’s energy boom.
Moderators
avatar for Russell Gold

Russell Gold

Senior Energy Reporter for the Wall Street Journal
Gold has been a reporter in Texas for The Wall Street Journal since 2000. He covers fracking and the U.S. energy industry and is the author of the book “The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World.” Gold has previously worked for the San... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Eliza Griswold

Eliza Griswold

Author and Contributor for The New Yorker
Griswold is a poet and journalist whose reporting focuses on the Middle East. She is the author of the “The Tenth Parallel,” a book about the intersection of Islam and Christianity in Africa and Asia, and “Amity and Prosperity,” which covers fracking and the energy boom in... Read More →
avatar for Bethany McLean

Bethany McLean

Contributing Editor at Vanity Fair
McLean has been a contributing editor at Vanity Fair since 2008. She was previously a reporter and editor-at-large for Fortune Magazine. She is the co-author of “Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron” and the author of “Saudi America: The Truth... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Infrastructure & Natural Resources

11:15am CDT

One on One with John Hickenlooper
The governor of Colorado on the challenges we face today and his vision for the future of the country.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Moderators
avatar for Bianna Golodryga

Bianna Golodryga

Correspondent for CBS News and Contributor for CNN
Golodryga joined CBS and CNN as a contributor in 2017. Prior to joining CBS and CNN, she previously worked at ABC as co-anchor of the weekend edition of Good Morning America and as a business correspondent. Golodryga also managed ABC’s digital media and social network coverage during... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for John Hickenlooper

John Hickenlooper

Governor of Colorado
Hickenlooper has served as governor of Colorado since 2011. He previously served as mayor of Denver, where he led the campaign to pass FasTracks, the largest regional transportation initiative in U.S. history. Hickenlooper’s gubernatorial administration has created the Colorado... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  The Future

11:30am CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'The Way Forward is Urban' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of The Way Forward is Urban in the mezzanine of The Driskill Hotel immediately following their panel.

Presented by Ascension – Seton
Speakers
avatar for David Brown

David Brown

Host and Managing Editor of “Texas Standard”
Brown is the host and managing editor of “Texas Standard,” a statewide public radio program produced in the studios of KUT in Austin. He is a former host of the business program “Marketplace” and a longtime public radio correspondent who has covered national and international... Read More →
avatar for Beth Van Duyne

Beth Van Duyne

Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Van Duyne was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as a HUD regional administrator in May 2017. Previously, she served as mayor of Irving. Van Duyne was a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Advisory Board, the Texas Municipal League and the North Central Texas Council... Read More →
avatar for Dee Margo

Dee Margo

Mayor of El Paso
Margo was elected mayor in May 2017. Previously, he represented District 78 in the Texas House and served as chairman of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. Margo also helped found the Regional Economic Development Corporation and served as president of the El Paso ISD Board... Read More →
avatar for Ron Nirenberg

Ron Nirenberg

Mayor of San Antonio
Nirenberg has served as mayor of San Antonio since 2017. Previously, he served on the San Antonio City Council, where he chaired the city’s Quality of Life and City Council Comprehensive Planning committees and served on the board of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Ascension Seton

Ascension Seton

Major Sponsor
In Texas, Ascension operates Providence Healthcare Network and Seton Healthcare Family, which includes Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Serving Texas for 115 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Mezzanine
  Partner Programming

12:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Steve Kornacki’s “The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism”
Join NBC News & MSNBC for a signing of Steve Kornacki's book, "The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism." Limited copies of the book will be given away onsite at the NBC News & MSNBC South Tent.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by NBC News & MSNBC
Speakers
avatar for Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki

National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC
Steve Kornacki is a national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. A former host of Up with Steve Kornacki and a co-host of The Cycle, Steve is now a regular substitute for Chris Matthews on Hardball and a mainstay of election night coverage. His first book, “The Red and... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for NBC News and MSNBC

NBC News and MSNBC

Media Partner
More Americans watch NBC News and MSNBC than any news organization in the world. NBC News is a global leader in news across all broadcast and digital platforms. Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," "TODAY," "Meet the... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:00pm - 12:45pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

12:00pm CDT

Texas Sized Games and Prizes from the National Magazine of Texas
Make a stop at Texas Monthly for Texas-sized Plinko and prizes! Enter and play for your chance to win Texas Monthly prizes from 1-year subscriptions to tickets to our 2018 TM BBQ Festival!

Presented by Texas Monthly
Sponsors
avatar for Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly

Media Partner
Since 1973, Texas Monthly has chronicled life in contemporary Texas, reporting on vital issues such as politics, the environment, industry and education. As a leisure guide, Texas Monthly continues to be the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering music, the arts, travel... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Open Congress Street Festival
  Partner Programming

12:30pm CDT

Book Signing of Bethany McLean's "Saudi America"
Join us for a signing of Bethany McLean's book, "Saudi America: The Truth about Fracking and How It's Changing the World." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Bethany McLean

Bethany McLean

Contributing Editor at Vanity Fair
McLean has been a contributing editor at Vanity Fair since 2008. She was previously a reporter and editor-at-large for Fortune Magazine. She is the co-author of “Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron” and the author of “Saudi America: The Truth... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

12:30pm CDT

Book Signing of Cecile Richards' "Make Trouble"
Join us for a signing of Cecile Richards' book, "Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead--My Life Story." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Cecile Richards

Cecile Richards

Former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Richards served as president of Planned Parenthood from 2006 to April 2018, where she oversaw more than 600 affiliate health centers and advocates for reproductive rights. She previously served as deputy chief of staff for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and is the founder of... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

12:30pm CDT

Book Signing of Eliza Griswold's "Amity and Prosperity"
Join us for a signing of Eliza Griswold's book, "Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Eliza Griswold

Eliza Griswold

Author and Contributor for The New Yorker
Griswold is a poet and journalist whose reporting focuses on the Middle East. She is the author of the “The Tenth Parallel,” a book about the intersection of Islam and Christianity in Africa and Asia, and “Amity and Prosperity,” which covers fracking and the energy boom in... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

12:45pm CDT

Book Signing of Chris Matthews’ “Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit”
Join NBC News & MSNBC for a signing of Chris Matthews' book, "Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit." Limited copies of the book will be given away onsite at the NBC News & MSNBC South Tent.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by NBC News & MSNBC
Speakers
avatar for Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews

Author and Host of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”
Matthews is an American political commentator, talk show host and best-selling author. Matthews began hosting his own talk show, “Hardball,” in 1997. Previously, he worked as a congressional aide, a presidential speechwriter and as the Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for NBC News and MSNBC

NBC News and MSNBC

Media Partner
More Americans watch NBC News and MSNBC than any news organization in the world. NBC News is a global leader in news across all broadcast and digital platforms. Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," "TODAY," "Meet the... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:30pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

12:45pm CDT

Chasing Madam President
Two best-selling authors on the Hillary Clinton years — from within and without.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.
Moderators
avatar for Emily Ramshaw

Emily Ramshaw

Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune
Ramshaw oversees The Texas Tribune’s editorial, technology, events and audience-building operations. Under her leadership, the Tribune has won a Peabody Award, 10 national Edward R. Murrow Awards and top honors from the Online News Association. She is a member of the board of the... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Amy Chozick

Amy Chozick

Writer-at-Large for The New York Times
Chozick was the Times’ lead reporter covering Hillary Clinton and the Clinton presidential campaign, beginning in 2013. Prior to joining the Times, she served as a political reporter for The Wall Street Journal and covered both the Clinton and Obama presidential campaigns in 2008... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Palmieri

Jennifer Palmieri

Former Director of Communications at the White House
Palmieri served as communications director for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2015. Previously, she served as president of the Center for American Progress Action fund. Palmieri also served as director of communications for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and as... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
  #TBT

12:45pm CDT

One on One with Lupe Valdez
The Democratic nominee for Texas governor on her longshot campaign and her vision for the state.
Moderators
avatar for Patrick Svitek

Patrick Svitek

Political Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Svitek covers politics for the Tribune. Previously, he worked for the Houston Chronicle’s Austin bureau and interned at The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Huffington Post Politics and the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Svitek is a graduate of Northwestern University’s... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lupe Valdez

Lupe Valdez

Democratic Candidate for Texas Governor
Valdez is the Democratic nominee for governor of Texas. She previously served three terms as Dallas County sheriff and was the only Hispanic female sheriff in the United States and one of only four female sheriffs in Texas. Before becoming sheriff in 2005, Valdez had over three decades... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  2018

12:45pm CDT

Priced Out
Why is it so expensive to live in Texas cities, and what can local officials do about it?

Supported by Lobby Days
Moderators
avatar for Matthew Watkins

Matthew Watkins

Breaking News Editor for The Texas Tribune
Watkins is the breaking news editor for the Tribune. Before becoming an editor, he wrote about higher education and the business of college sports for the Tribune. Previously, Watkins covered local government as the Dallas County government reporter at The Dallas Morning News and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Gerald Cichon

Gerald Cichon

CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso
Cichon has led the El Paso Housing Authority since 2008. He previously served as chief counsel for the western district of Texas with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. Cichon was also a former senior felony prosecutor for the El Paso District Attorney’s Office... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Eckhardt

Sarah Eckhardt

Travis County Judge
Eckhardt has served as Travis County judge since 2015. Prior to her election, she spent eight years working as an assistant attorney for the county and was elected to the commissioners court in 2006. Eckhardt also serves on the Transportation Policy Board of the Capital Area Metropolitan... Read More →
avatar for Rodney Ellis

Rodney Ellis

Harris County Commissioner
Ellis has served as a Harris County commissioner since 2017. He previously represented Texas Senate District 13 from 1990 to 2017, where he worked on economic development, education and budget policy. Ellis also served three terms on the Houston City Council and as chief of staff... Read More →
avatar for Eddie Bernice Johnson

Eddie Bernice Johnson

U.S Representative, D-Dallas
Johnson, D-Dallas, has represented Texas’ 30th Congressional District since 1993. She is currently a ranking member of the House Committee on Science, Space & Technology and a senior member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Johnson previously served as a regional... Read More →
avatar for Rey Saldaña

Rey Saldaña

San Antonio City Councilman
Saldaña has represented San Antonio Council District 4 since 2011. He currently serves as vice chairman of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and as chief engagement officer for KIPP San Antonio. Saldaña has worked on several education initiatives, including organizing... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Economy

12:45pm CDT

Trade Winds
What the battles over NAFTA and tariffs could mean for the economic future of Texas.

Supported by Texas A&M University
Moderators
avatar for Julián Aguilar

Julián Aguilar

Immigration and Border Security Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Aguilar reports on politics, immigration and border security issues for The Texas Tribune from the Texas-Mexico border. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Previously, Aguilar was... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Rafael Anchia

Rafael Anchia

State Representative, D-Dallas
Anchia, D-Dallas, has represented House District 103 since 2005. He serves as chairman of the House International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and sits on the Pensions Committee and the Select Committee on State & Federal Power & Responsibility. Anchia also serves as... Read More →
avatar for Antonio Garza

Antonio Garza

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Garza served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009. He is currently counsel to White & Case in Mexico City and serves as a trustee to Southern Methodist University. He is a past president of the University of Texas at Austin's alumni association. Garza has also served... Read More →
avatar for Jack Martin

Jack Martin

Global Chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Martin has served as global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies since 2011. He founded Public Strategies Inc., a communications consulting firm, now part of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Martin has managed the communications, government affairs and investor relations strategy... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  Economy

12:45pm CDT

The Name of This Panel is Talking Heads
Cable TV’s most visible, voluble pundits on the news of the day.
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for Allie Stuckey

Allie Stuckey

Blogger at The Conservative Millennial
Stuckey is a blogger and creator of the video blog The Conservative Millennial, which provides commentary on political and social issues. She has worked as a communications strategist, public speaker and political commentator. Stuckey is also a contributor to TheBlaze, Fox News and... Read More →
avatar for Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

Contributing Editor for The Weekly Standard and Contributor for MSNBC
Sykes is a prominent conservative political commentator. He hosted a daily talk radio show for 23 years, leaving to join “Indivisible,” a national radio show about America in a time of change produced by WNYC. Sykes is also founder and editor-in-chief of Right Wisconsin, a conservative... Read More →
avatar for Rick Tyler

Rick Tyler

Political Analyst for MSNBC
Tyler is a political analyst for MSNBC and co-founder of Foundry Road Strategies, a political communications consulting firm. He previously served as national spokesperson and communications director for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign. Tyler has also served on the... Read More →
avatar for Rick Wilson

Rick Wilson

Republican Political Strategist and CEO of Intrepid Media
Wilson is a Republican political strategist and media consultant. He has produced television ads for several gubernatorial and Senate candidates as well as super PACs and corporations. He is also a columnist for The Daily Beast, where he covers national politics. Wilson’s work has... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  Politics & the Press

1:00pm CDT

Texas Standard: Politics, Social Media and the Lone Star State
Join Texas Standard associate managing producer Laura Rice and social media producer Wells Dunbar, along with the LBJ School of Public Affairs' Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, as they explore how changes in our modern media landscape influence civic discourse.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by Texas Standard
Speakers
avatar for Victoria DeFrancesco Soto

Victoria DeFrancesco Soto

Lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin
Soto specializes in immigration, race and gender in politics, and campaigns as a lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where she was selected as one of the University’s Game Changing faculty. Her research on political behavior has been featured in The New York Times, the... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Texas Standard

Texas Standard

Media Partner
“Texas Standard,” the national daily news show of Texas, sets the bar for broadcast news coverage, offering crisp, expansive coverage of politics, lifestyle and culture, the environment, technology, business and the economy — from a distinctly Texas perspective. Hosted by journalist... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

1:00pm CDT

Live Recording of Slate's "Amicus" Podcast
Amicus will be live in Austin as part of Slate Day, a full-day affair put on in conjunction with the Texas Tribune Festival to showcase Slate's lineup of bold, curious, politically minded podcasts. Amicus host Dahlia Lithwick, Slate’s Supreme Court correspondent and legal writer, invites some of the nation’s best lawyers and legal thinkers to discuss the future of the court after Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement. 

She'll be joined by Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean and Professor of Law at the Boston University Law School; Cristina Rodríguez, Leighton Homer Surbeck professor of law at Yale Law School; Stephen Vladeck, the A. Dalton Cross professor of law at the University of Texas Law School; and Adam White, director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School.

Tickets to Amicus Live are not included with a Festival pass and are sold separately here. Festival passholders will be admitted to this event for free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Moderators
avatar for Dahlia Lithwick

Dahlia Lithwick

Host of Slate's Amicus Podcast
Lithwick is a senior editor and legal correspondent for Slate. She hosts the magazine’s Amicus podcast, a weekly podcast covering the Supreme Court, and is the author of the Supreme Court Dispatches column. Lithwick is also a weekly legal commentator for NPR’s Day to Day and her... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Angela Onwuachi-Willig

Angela Onwuachi-Willig

Dean and Professor of Law at the Boston University Law School
Onwuachi-Willig was named the dean of Boston University’s School of Law in May 2018. She previously served as the chancellor’s professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley. Onwuachi-Willig has also taught law at the University of Iowa, University of Michigan and... Read More →
avatar for Cristina Rodríguez

Cristina Rodríguez

Leighton Homer Surbeck Professor of Law at Yale Law School
Rodriguez is a law professor at Yale Law School, where she specializes in constitutional law, immigration and administrative law. She previously served as deputy assistant attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel from 2011 to 2013. Rodriguez is... Read More →
avatar for Stephen Vladeck

Stephen Vladeck

A. Dalton Cross Professor of Law at the University of Texas Law School
Vladeck is the A. Dalton Cross Professor in Law at The University of Texas School of Law. He specializes in federal jurisdiction, constitutional law and national security law. Vladeck is also a Supreme Court analyst for CNN and is a Supreme Court fellow at the Constitution Projec... Read More →
avatar for Adam White

Adam White

Director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School
White is the director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. His work specializes in the administrative state, the Supreme Court and the Constitution. White serves... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Podcast

1:15pm CDT

Stories from the Storm
Hurricane Harvey was one of the nation’s worst rainstorm, flooding more than 154,000 homes across the Houston area. One year later, community leaders and everyday Houstonians reflect on how the storm changed their lives – from the way they define community to how they envision their future and the future of Houston.

Join us for this short film from Houston Public Media ahead of the "This is the Story of a Hurricane" panel.
Sponsors
avatar for Houston Public Media

Houston Public Media

Media Partner
Houston Public Media provides informative, thought-provoking and entertaining content through a multi-media platform that includes TV 8 | PBS, News 88.7 | NPR and Classical and reaches a combined weekly audience of more than 1.5 million. Focused on delivering high quality local, regional... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:15pm - 1:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Partner Programming

1:30pm CDT

Will Congress Ever Come Together on Immigration?
If a Republican from Texas and a Democrat from California can, maybe there’s hope.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Supported by IBC Bank
Moderators
avatar for Steve Kornacki

Steve Kornacki

National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC
Steve Kornacki is a national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. A former host of Up with Steve Kornacki and a co-host of The Cycle, Steve is now a regular substitute for Chris Matthews on Hardball and a mainstay of election night coverage. His first book, “The Red and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Pete Aguilar

Pete Aguilar

U.S. Representative, D-California
Aguilar, D-California, has represented California’s 31st Congressional District since 2015. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the Subcommittee on Energy, Water & Development, and the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development. Aguilar serves... Read More →
avatar for Will Hurd

Will Hurd

U.S. Representative, R-Helotes
Hurd, R-Helotes, has represented Texas’ 23rd Congressional District since 2015. He is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the Oversight & Government Reform Committee, as well as the Select Committee on Intelligence. He also serves as chairman of the Information... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Diversity & Immigration

1:45pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'Trade Winds' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of Trade Winds in the sixth floor lobby of the Texas Public Policy Foundation immediately following their panel.

Presented by H+K Strategies
Speakers
avatar for Julián Aguilar

Julián Aguilar

Immigration and Border Security Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Aguilar reports on politics, immigration and border security issues for The Texas Tribune from the Texas-Mexico border. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Previously, Aguilar was... Read More →
avatar for Rafael Anchia

Rafael Anchia

State Representative, D-Dallas
Anchia, D-Dallas, has represented House District 103 since 2005. He serves as chairman of the House International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and sits on the Pensions Committee and the Select Committee on State & Federal Power & Responsibility. Anchia also serves as... Read More →
avatar for Jack Martin

Jack Martin

Global Chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Martin has served as global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies since 2011. He founded Public Strategies Inc., a communications consulting firm, now part of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Martin has managed the communications, government affairs and investor relations strategy... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Hill+Knowlton Strategies

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

Major Sponsor
With 85 offices in 45 countries -- including right here in Austin -- H+K offers senior counsel, insightful research and strategic communications throughout the world.facebooklinkedin@HKStrategies... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:45pm - 2:15pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
  Partner Programming

1:45pm CDT

The Kavanaugh Download
Members of the cast of Showtime’s The Circus — along with a few very special guests — debrief a week of news like no other and answer your burning questions about what happens next.
Moderators
avatar for John Heilemann

John Heilemann

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
Heilemann is a reporter and commentator currently serving as co-host of Showtime’s political documentary series “The Circus.” He is a national affairs analyst for NBC and MSNBC, appearing regularly on programs including Morning Joe and Hardball. Heilemann previously served as... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mieke Eoyang

Mieke Eoyang

Vice President for the National Security Program at Third Way
Eoyang is vice president for the National Security Program at Third Way. She previously served as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo and as defense policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy. Eoyang is a contributor for Lawfare and has been featured in Politico, The Wall Street Journal... Read More →
avatar for Virginia Heffernan

Virginia Heffernan

Cultural Critic and Co-Host of Slate’s Trumpcast
Heffernan is a journalist, critic and author. In addition to co-hosting Slate's Trumpcast, she serves as a contributing editor at Politico and a columnist at FastCompany. Heffernan wrote "The Medium," a weekly column about internet culture for The New York Times, from 2008 to 2012... Read More →
avatar for Mark McKinnon

Mark McKinnon

Co-host of Showtime's The Circus
McKinnon has served as a commentator and a media adviser for numerous companies and candidates, including former Texas Gov. Ann Richards and former President George W. Bush. He is a cofounder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to promoting bipartisanship in politics. McKinnon... Read More →
avatar for Steve Schmidt

Steve Schmidt

Political Strategist
Schmidt is a veteran political strategist. He served as a top strategist for President George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign and in his administration as his deputy assistant. Schmidt also worked on John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign; Woody Harrelson played him in the... Read More →
avatar for Joyce White Vance

Joyce White Vance

Former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama
Vance served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama during the Obama administration. She currently serves as a distinguished professor from practice at the University of Alabama School of Law and is a contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. Vance previously served as assistant... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  Criminal Justice & the Law

1:45pm CDT

This is the Story of a Hurricane
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on what Harvey wrought, how his city rebuilt and lessons learned.

Read more about the Tribune’s Hurricane Harvey coverage.

Supported by HoustonFirst, The University of Texas at Austin, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (Texas State of Mind)
Moderators
avatar for Neena Satija

Neena Satija

Investigative Reporter and Producer for The Texas Tribune and Reveal
Satija works for the Tribune and Reveal, a public radio program from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Previously, she was the environment reporter for the Tribune. Satija has also worked for a number of East Coast news outlets, including the New Haven Independent, The Connecticut... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Sylvester Turner

Sylvester Turner

Mayor of Houston
Turner was elected Houston’s mayor in 2015. Previously, he represented District 139 in the Texas House for more than 20 years. In the Legislature, Turner served three terms as speaker pro tem, on the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee and on the Legislative Budget... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  Infrastructure & Natural Resources

1:45pm CDT

Every Day is Trump Day
The Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize-winners on the make-or-break moment for political reporting.
Moderators
avatar for Julie Mason

Julie Mason

Host of SiriusXM's Press Pool
Mason joined SiriusXM in 2011, serving as host of Press Pool. She was previously a White House correspondent for Politico and the Washington Examiner, covering four presidential campaigns. Mason also worked as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle for 20 years, covering local, state... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Robert Costa

Robert Costa

National Political Reporter for The Washington Post and Moderator of PBS' “Washington Week”
Costa serves as a national political reporter for The Washington Post, where he has worked since 2014. He has also served as the moderator of “Washington Week,” PBS’ weekly news analysis series, since 2017. Costa previously worked as a reporter and Washington editor for the... Read More →
avatar for Ashley Parker

Ashley Parker

White House Reporter for The Washington Post
Parker has been a White House reporter for The Washington Post since 2017. Prior to joining the Post, she worked as a reporter for The New York Times, covering the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. Parker has written for The New York Times Magazine, Huffington Post and The New... Read More →
avatar for Philip Rucker

Philip Rucker

White House Bureau Chief at The Washington Post
Rucker is the White House bureau chief for The Washington Post. He joined the Post in 2005 as a local news reporter and has covered Congress, the Obama White House and the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns. Rucker also serves as a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC.

Saturday September 29, 2018 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  Politics & the Press

2:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Amy Chozick's "Chasing Hillary"
Join us for a signing of Amy Chozick's book, "Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns, and One Intact Glass Ceiling." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Amy Chozick

Amy Chozick

Writer-at-Large for The New York Times
Chozick was the Times’ lead reporter covering Hillary Clinton and the Clinton presidential campaign, beginning in 2013. Prior to joining the Times, she served as a political reporter for The Wall Street Journal and covered both the Clinton and Obama presidential campaigns in 2008... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

2:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Charlie Sykes' "How the Right Lost Its Mind"
Join us for a signing of Charlie Sykes' book, "How the Right Lost Its Mind." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

Contributing Editor for The Weekly Standard and Contributor for MSNBC
Sykes is a prominent conservative political commentator. He hosted a daily talk radio show for 23 years, leaving to join “Indivisible,” a national radio show about America in a time of change produced by WNYC. Sykes is also founder and editor-in-chief of Right Wisconsin, a conservative... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

2:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Jennifer Palmieri's "Dear Madam President"
Join us for a signing of Jennifer Palmieri's book, "Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Palmieri

Jennifer Palmieri

Former Director of Communications at the White House
Palmieri served as communications director for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2015. Previously, she served as president of the Center for American Progress Action fund. Palmieri also served as director of communications for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and as... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

2:00pm CDT

Book Signing of Rick Wilson's "Everything Trump Touches Dies"
Join us for a signing of Rick Wilson's book, "Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real about the Worst President Ever." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Rick Wilson

Rick Wilson

Republican Political Strategist and CEO of Intrepid Media
Wilson is a Republican political strategist and media consultant. He has produced television ads for several gubernatorial and Senate candidates as well as super PACs and corporations. He is also a columnist for The Daily Beast, where he covers national politics. Wilson’s work has... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

2:15pm CDT

1968
The most monumental political year of the modern era feels closer than half a century ago.
Moderators
avatar for Hendrik Hertzberg

Hendrik Hertzberg

Staff Writer and Senior Editor for The New Yorker and Editorial Director for The Nation Institute
Hertzberg, a longtime writer and editor at The New Yorker, has been President Jimmy Carter’s chief speechwriter, editor of The New Republic, and, back in 1968, a combination Naval officer and antiwar activist. Hertzberg is the author of "Politics: Observations & Arguments" and "Obamanos... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Luci Baines Johnson

Luci Baines Johnson

Daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson
Johnson, the youngest daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, is a businesswoman and philanthropist, raising funds for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the American Heart Association. She serves on the board of the LBJ Foundation and is the founder and limited partner... Read More →
avatar for Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews

Author and Host of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”
Matthews is an American political commentator, talk show host and best-selling author. Matthews began hosting his own talk show, “Hardball,” in 1997. Previously, he worked as a congressional aide, a presidential speechwriter and as the Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco... Read More →
avatar for Lawrence O’Donnell

Lawrence O’Donnell

Author and Host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell”
O’Donnell is an American television pundit, actor and host of “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.” Previously, he worked on staff for the U.S. Senate and as an executive producer and writer for the TV series “The West Wing,” for which he won an Emmy Award. O’Donnell... Read More →
avatar for Dan Rather

Dan Rather

Legendary Newsman and Founder of News & Guts Media
Rather is a journalist who served as anchor of CBS Evening News for 24 years, from 1981 to 2005. He joined CBS in 1961, working as a reporter and White House correspondent and later as host and co-editor of CBS’s “60 Minutes.” Since leaving CBS, Rather has released several books... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  #TBT

2:15pm CDT

The Mood Out There
Political pulse-takers assess the nation’s temperament heading into November.
Moderators
avatar for Jim Henson

Jim Henson

Director of the Texas Politics Project
Henson directs the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a founder and co-director of the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, the only open-source statewide survey of public opinion in Texas. Henson is also the co-author of a Texas politics web-based... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kristen Soltis Anderson

Kristen Soltis Anderson

Co-Founder of Echelon Insights and Contributor for ABC News
Soltis Anderson is the co-founder of Echelon Insights and a political commentator for ABC News. She is a commentator and columnist at The Washington Examiner and has written for The New York Times and The Washington Post. Soltis Anderson specializes in public opinion research, particularly... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Martin

Jonathan Martin

National Political Correspondent for The New York Times
Martin has served as national political correspondent for The New York Times since 2013. He was previously a senior political writer and White House correspondent for Politico, where he covered the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. Martin was also a reporter for The Hotline and... Read More →
avatar for Mark Murray

Mark Murray

Senior Political Editor at NBC News
Murray joined NBC News in 2003 and is currently senior political editor and author of NBC’s First Read blog. He appears regularly on MSNBC and Washington, D.C.’s NBC affiliate and also serves as a manager of NBC’s political coverage. Murray was previously a reporter at National... Read More →
avatar for Margie Omero

Margie Omero

Principal at GBA Strategies
Omero is a principal at GBA Strategies, a Democratic polling firm. She is the founder of Momentum Analysis, a Democratic public opinion research firm, and former managing director of Purple Insights, the research division of the political communications firm Purple Strategies. Omero... Read More →
avatar for Elena Schneider

Elena Schneider

Campaign Reporter for Politico
Schneider is a campaign reporter for Politico, focusing on House and Senate races. She previously served as a news assistant and freelancer for The New York Times’ D.C. bureau. Schneider’s work has also appeared in The Texas Tribune, Texas Monthly and Business Insider.

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  2018

2:15pm CDT

Is Texas Really the Future?
The best-selling author of “God Save Texas” and one of the state’s leading historians on the Lone Star bellwether.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Supported by The University of Texas at Austin
Moderators
avatar for Stephen Harrigan

Stephen Harrigan

Author
Harrigan is an author and longtime writer for Texas Monthly. He has written 10 books, including the New York Times bestseller “The Gates of the Alamo,” a novel about the siege and fall of the Alamo in 1836. Harrigan was a finalist for the 2015 National Magazine Awards. Most recently... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lawrence Wright

Lawrence Wright

Author and Staff Writer for The New Yorker
Wright is an author, screenwriter and playwright who joined The New Yorker in 1992. He is most recently the author of “ God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State.” Wright is also the author of “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” and co-produced... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
  2050

2:15pm CDT

One on One with Juan Sanchez
The CEO of Southwest Key on the politics and economics of housing immigrant children.

Read more about the Tribune’s coverage on separated immigrant families.
Moderators
avatar for Jay Root

Jay Root

Investigative Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Root is an award-winning journalist and author of “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail”, an insider’s account of Rick Perry’s gaffe-filled run for president. Since 2011, Root has been a senior political and investigative reporter at the Texas Tribune. In 2016, Root... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Juan Sanchez

Juan Sanchez

CEO of Southwest Key Programs
Sanchez is the founder and CEO of Southwest Key Programs, a nonprofit hired by the U.S. government to operate shelters for unaccompanied immigrant minors. He has served on the boards of the National Council of La Raza and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Sanchez is also... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  Diversity & Immigration

2:15pm CDT

The World According to Lawfare
How a national security blog became one of the must-reads of 2018.
Moderators
avatar for Carrie Johnson

Carrie Johnson

Justice Correspondent for NPR
Johnson is a justice correspondent for NPR’s Washington desk, covering justice issues, law enforcement and legal affairs for “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” the newscasts and NPR.org. She previously worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, covering the FBI... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Bobby Chesney

Bobby Chesney

Co-Founder of Lawfare and James Baker Chair and Associate Dean at the University of Texas School of Law
Chesney joined the University of Texas School of Law in 2008, where he teaches law and serves as director of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. He previously served on the Justice Department’s Detention Policy Task Force under President Barack Obama. Chesney... Read More →
avatar for Benjamin Wittes

Benjamin Wittes

Editor-in-Chief of Lawfare and Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution
Wittes is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Lawfare blog and a senior fellow in governance studies at The Brookings Institution. He serves on the Hoover Institution’s Task Force on National Security and Law. Wittes previously served as an editorial writer for The Washington... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Politics & the Press

2:30pm CDT

Live Recording of Slate's "The Gist" Podcast
The Gist will be live in Austin as part of Slate Day, a full-day affair put on in conjunction with the Texas Tribune Festival to showcase Slate's lineup of bold, curious, politically minded podcasts. Get your much-needed dose of culture and politics from your favorite daily podcast host, Mike Pesca. He’ll be joined by Neal Katyal, former acting U.S solicitor general; Jennifer Mercieca, historian of American political discourse and author of the forthcoming book, “Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Brilliance of Donald Trump;” and comedian Paul Reiser.

Tickets to The Gist Live are not included with a Festival pass and are sold separately here. Festival passholders will be admitted to this event for free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Moderators
avatar for Mike Pesca

Mike Pesca

Host of Slate's "The Gist" Podcast
Pesca is a reporter and sports correspondent for NPR and host of Slate’s daily news podcast, “The Gist.” He has covered major sporting events, the Republican and Democratic national conventions and both presidential and vice presidential debates as a reporter. Pesca is also... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Neal Katyal

Neal Katyal

Former Acting U.S. Solicitor General
Katyal served as acting solicitor general of the United States from 2010 to 2011. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Hogan Lovells and law professor at Georgetown University. In 2017, Katyal led the state of Hawaii’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 2:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Podcast

3:00pm CDT

POSiBLE ATX: A Conversation on Latino Entrepreneurs and Wealth Initiatives (en Español)
Unase con nosotros para un conversación con expertos locales y expertos de pequeñas empresas en la área de Austin y empresarios sobre POSIBLE ATX, un iniciativa de emprendedores Latinos y riqueza.

Join Univision for a conversation with Austin-area small- business experts and entrepreneurs on POSiBLE ATX, a Latino entrepreneur and wealth initiative. Moderated by Marina Veraza, co-anchor for Univision Austin Media.

This conversation will be conducted in Spanish.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by Univision
Sponsors
avatar for Univision 62

Univision 62

Media Partner
Univision Communications Inc. is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. The Company, a leading content creator in the U.S., has 16 broadcast, cable and digital networks; 62 television stations; 68 radio stations; and an array of online and mobile apps and products.@U... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

3:00pm CDT

Book Signing of DeRay Mckesson's "On the Other Side of Freedom"
Join us for a signing of DeRay Mckesson's book, "On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for DeRay Mckesson

DeRay Mckesson

Civil Rights Activist and Organizer
Mckesson is a prominent activist with the Black Lives Matter movement and an outspoken voice against police violence. He began speaking out against police violence during the August 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and has since amassed a large online following. In 2015, Mckesson... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

3:00pm CDT

Is There Nothing We Should Do About Gun Policy?
The congressmen who represent Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, on the tragedies back home and how to prevent the next one.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.
Moderators
avatar for Garrett Haake

Garrett Haake

Washington Correspondent for MSNBC
Haake covers national politics and breaking news for MSNBC, where he is a two-time regional Emmy winner for environmental and documentary reporting. Previously, he worked as a television reporter for WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C., and was an embedded reporter on the 2012 presidential... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Ted Deutch

Ted Deutch

U.S. Representative, D-Florida
Deutch has represented Florida’s 22nd Congressional District since 2010. He serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee and as a senior member of the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees. Deutch has been a prominent proponent of gun reform legislation in the... Read More →
avatar for Randy Weber

Randy Weber

U.S. Representative, R-Friendswood
Weber, R-Friendswood, has represented Texas' 14th Congressional District since 2009. He is a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure and Science, Space & Technology committees and chairman of the Energy Subcommittee. Weber previously served in the Texas House.

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Criminal Justice & the Law

3:30pm CDT

Book Signing of Lawrence Wright's "God Save Texas"
Join us for a signing of Lawrence Wright's book, "God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State." The book will be available for advance purchase through BookPeople in the online book store or on-site at the event.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by BookPeople
Speakers
avatar for Lawrence Wright

Lawrence Wright

Author and Staff Writer for The New Yorker
Wright is an author, screenwriter and playwright who joined The New Yorker in 1992. He is most recently the author of “ God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State.” Wright is also the author of “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” and co-produced... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Festival Hub at 800 Congress
  Special Events

3:30pm CDT

PAC Attack
The heads of two of the biggest and best-funded national political action committees on their strategies for the midterms and beyond.
Moderators
avatar for Dave Levinthal

Dave Levinthal

Senior Political Reporter at the Center for Public Integrity
Levinthal joined the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit news organization, in 2013 and leads a reporting team investigating the influence of money in federal politics. Previously, he reported on campaign finance and lobbying issues for Politico. Levinthal... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Steven Law

Steven Law

President and CEO of American Crossroads
Law has served as CEO of the conservative PACs American Crossroads, Crossroads GPS and One Nation. He previously served as deputy secretary of labor under President George W. Bush and chief legal officer and general counsel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Law has also served as the... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Schriock

Stephanie Schriock

President of EMILY's List
Schriock has served as president of EMILY’s List, a national organization aimed at electing pro-choice Democratic women to office, since 2010. She previously served as national finance director for Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign and campaign manager for U.S. Sens. John... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
  2018

3:30pm CDT

The Blue Team
Leading Democrats running for Congress on the politics of the moment, the issues of our time and what the next two years might look like.

Watch the Tribune’s Split Decision series featuring candidates in key 2018 election races. 
Moderators
avatar for Abby Livingston

Abby Livingston

Washington Bureau Chief for The Texas Tribune
Livingston joined the Tribune in 2014 as the lead reporter in Washington, D.C., and won the 2017 National Press Club Award for Washington Regional Reporting for her work. She has covered political campaigns, House leadership and Congress for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Colin Allred

Colin Allred

Democratic Candidate for Texas' 32nd Congressional District
Allred is the Democratic nominee for Texas' 32nd Congressional District in North Dallas. He is a civil rights lawyer and a former special assistant in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of General Counsel under Secretary Julián Castro. Allred also served... Read More →
avatar for Lizzie Pannill Fletcher

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher

Democratic Candidate for Texas' 7th Congressional District
Fletcher is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 7th Congressional District in Houston. She has worked as an attorney in Houston since 2006 at the international law firm of Vinson & Elkins and currently as a partner at AZA. Fletcher is a co-founder of Planned Parenthood Young Leaders... Read More →
avatar for MJ Hegar

MJ Hegar

Democratic Candidate for Texas' 31st Congressional District
Hegar is the Democratic nominee for Texas' 31st Congressional District in North Austin. She is a retired Air Force officer and recipient of the Purple Heart. In 2012, she successfully sued the Department of Defense to repeal the Ground Combat Exclusion Policy, which prevented women... Read More →
avatar for Gina Ortiz Jones

Gina Ortiz Jones

Democratic Candidate for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District
Ortiz Jones is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, challenging Republican incumbent Will Hurd. She served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force for 12 years and as a senior adviser for trade enforcement under President Barack Obama. Ortiz Jones... Read More →
avatar for Joseph Kopser

Joseph Kopser

Democratic Candidate for Texas’ 21st Congressional District
Kopser is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 21st Congressional District. He is a U.S. Army veteran and tech entrepreneur serving as president of Grayline, an advisory and analytics firm. Kopser also served as a board member of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and as co-founder... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
  2018

3:30pm CDT

Mulling Mueller
Registration
Where are we on the investigation into Russian meddling, and where are we headed?
Moderators
avatar for Virginia Heffernan

Virginia Heffernan

Cultural Critic and Co-Host of Slate’s Trumpcast
Heffernan is a journalist, critic and author. In addition to co-hosting Slate's Trumpcast, she serves as a contributing editor at Politico and a columnist at FastCompany. Heffernan wrote "The Medium," a weekly column about internet culture for The New York Times, from 2008 to 2012... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Joaquin Castro

Joaquin Castro

U.S. Representative, D-San Antonio
Castro, D-San Antonio, has represented Texas’ 20th Congressional District since 2013. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Previously, Castro served for 10 years in the Texas Legislature.
avatar for Mieke Eoyang

Mieke Eoyang

Vice President for the National Security Program at Third Way
Eoyang is vice president for the National Security Program at Third Way. She previously served as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo and as defense policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy. Eoyang is a contributor for Lawfare and has been featured in Politico, The Wall Street Journal... Read More →
avatar for Evan McMullin

Evan McMullin

Former CIA Officer and Co-Founder of Stand Up Republic
McMullin was an independent candidate for president in the 2016 election. In 2017, he co-founded Stand Up Republic, a nonpartisan political advocacy organization, with his former running mate Mindy Finn. McMullin previously served as a senior adviser for the House Committee on Foreign... Read More →
avatar for Adam Schiff

Adam Schiff

U.S. Representative, D-California
Schiff, D-California, has represented California’s 28th Congressional District since 2013. Previously, he represented the state’s 29th District from 2003 to 2013 and 27th District from 2001-2003. He currently serves as the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee... Read More →
avatar for Michael Schmidt

Michael Schmidt

Reporter for The New York Times
Schmidt covers national security and federal investigations for The New York Times. He was part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams, one of which covered President Donald Trump and his campaign’s ties to Russia. While at the Times, Schmidt has covered the FBI, Department of Homeland... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre 713 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

3:45pm CDT

XPOTUS
Two key members of Team Obama and a leading historian on building a post-presidency.
Moderators
avatar for Mark Updegrove

Mark Updegrove

President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation
Updegrove serves as president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation and is a presidential historian for ABC News. He previously served as director of the LBJ Presidential Library, where he hosted the library’s 2014 Civil Rights Summit featuring Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Douglas Brinkley

Douglas Brinkley

Professor of History at Rice University and CNN Presidential Historian
Brinkley is a professor of history and Baker Institute fellow at Rice University, presidential historian for CNN and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Audubon. He is the author of several award-winning books, including "The Great Deluge" and "Cronkite." Brinkley also served... Read More →
avatar for Valerie Jarrett

Valerie Jarrett

Former Senior Adviser to President Barack Obama
Jarrett served as senior adviser to President Obama and director of the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs from 2009 to 2017. She previously served as co-chairwoman of the Obama- Biden transition team and as chairwoman of the White House Council on Women and... Read More →
avatar for David Simas

David Simas

CEO of the Obama Foundation
Simas is CEO of the Obama Foundation. He previously served as deputy assistant to President Barack Obama and director of opinion research for President Obama’s re-election campaign. Simas also served as director of the Office of Political Strategy under President Obama and deputy... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
  #TBT

3:45pm CDT

Family Values
How did we come to separate children from their parents at the border, and how do we make sure it never happens again?

Read more about the Tribune’s coverage on separated immigrant families.

Presented by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and supported by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
Moderators
avatar for Julián Aguilar

Julián Aguilar

Immigration and Border Security Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Aguilar reports on politics, immigration and border security issues for The Texas Tribune from the Texas-Mexico border. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Previously, Aguilar was... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Daniel Garza

Daniel Garza

President of The LIBRE Initiative
Garza is the founder of the Libre Initiative and Libre Institute, two nonprofits that work to inform and empower the U.S. Hispanic community. He currently serves as executive director of the Libre Initiative and chairman of the Libre Institute. Previously, Garza served as associate... Read More →
avatar for Celina Moreno

Celina Moreno

Interim Southwest Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
Moreno was appointed interim southwest regional counsel for MALDEF in 2017, where she leads the office’s litigation and policy work. She previously served as a staff attorney for MALDEF and co-leader of Texas Residents United for a Stronger Texas, an advocacy coalition co-founded... Read More →
avatar for Ali Noorani

Ali Noorani

Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum
Noorani has led the National Immigration Forum since 2008. Previously, he served as executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. Noorani was named a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and, most recently, is the author of “There... Read More →
avatar for Filemon Vela

Filemon Vela

U.S. Representative, D-Brownsville
Vela, D-Brownsville, has represented Texas’ 34th Congressional District since 2013. He sits on the House Agriculture and Homeland Security committees and serves as co-chairman of the Congressional Border Caucus. Previously, Vela served as an attorney in both state and federal courts... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church
  Diversity & Immigration

3:45pm CDT

Making Schools Safe
It’s job No. 1 after Santa Fe, but it’s not only about guns.

Presented by Raise Your Hand Texas
Moderators
avatar for Lauren McGaughy

Lauren McGaughy

Reporter for The Dallas Morning News
McGaughy is a state politics reporter based in Austin for The Dallas Morning News. She focuses on LGBT issues and the court system. She has previously covered state politics for the Houston Chronicle and the New Orleans Times-Picayune and foreign affairs at the U.S. Department of... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Deborah Fowler

Deborah Fowler

Executive Director of Texas Appleseed
Fowler heads Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit that focuses on promoting social and economic justice for all Texans. She is a nationally recognized expert in school discipline and juvenile justice issues, having authored three major reports on the school-to-prison pipeline in Texas. Previously... Read More →
avatar for Joan Huffman

Joan Huffman

State Senator, R-Houston
Huffman, R-Houston, has represented Senate District 17 since 2008. She serves as chairwoman of the Senate State Affairs Committee and vice chairwoman of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Select Committee on Violence in Schools & School Security. Huffman previously served as a... Read More →
avatar for Joe Moody

Joe Moody

State Representative, D-El Paso
Moody, D-El Paso, has represented House District 78 since 2009. He serves as chairman of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, vice chairman of the General Investigating & Ethics Committee and sits on the Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee. Previously, Moody served as... Read More →
avatar for Leigh Wall

Leigh Wall

Superintendent of Santa Fe Independent School District
Wall has served as superintendent of the Santa Fe Independent School District since 2008. She has worked as an educator for the past 35 years, including 11 at Santa Fe ISD. Wall is also the president-elect of Learning Forward, a nonprofit professional organization of educators. Her... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
  Education

3:45pm CDT

Dangerous Deliveries
Whether we’re the worst in the Western world or merely awful, why can’t we solve our maternal mortality problem?

Read more about the Tribune’s maternal mortality coverage.

Presented by Ascension-Seton and the Annie E. Casey Foundation and supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Moderators
avatar for Marissa Evans

Marissa Evans

Health and Human Services Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Evans reports on health and human services policy issues for the Tribune since October 2016. Before the Tribune she reported for CQ Roll Call in Washington, D.C., where she covered state legislatures and health care issues. Evans’ reporting has appeared in Civil Eats, CityLab, NBC... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Carla Ortique

Carla Ortique

Vice Chairwoman of the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force at the Texas Department of State Health Services
Ortique has been a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist since 1997 and currently practices at Texas Children’s Hospital. She is the vice chairwoman of the Texas’ Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force, which was founded in 2013. The task force is tasked with studying maternal... Read More →
avatar for Sable Swallow

Sable Swallow

Mother and Survivor of Postpartum Preeclampsia and Stroke
Swallow is a mother and survivor of postpartum preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure after giving birth. In March 2014, she survived a stroke soon after giving birth to her newborn son.
avatar for Shawn Thierry

Shawn Thierry

State Representative, D-Houston
Thierry, D-Houston, has represented House District 146 since 2017. She is a member of the House Country Affairs and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues committees. Thierry sponsored several bills during the 2017 legislative sessions focusing on maternal mortality, including HB 2403... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
  Health & Human Services

4:00pm CDT

A Conversation with Annise Parker, Victory Fund CEO and Former Houston Mayor
The nation's first openly gay big-city mayor discusses the record slate of LGBTQ candidates in Texas and nationwide in 2018, President Trump and LGBTQ rights, what's at stake in the midterm elections, the changing Texas political landscape and more. Moderated by OutSmart Editor John Wright.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by OutSmart Magazine
Speakers
avatar for Annise Parker

Annise Parker

President and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Institute and Former Mayor of Houston
Parker served as mayor of Houston from 2010 to 2016 — the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city. Previously, she served on the Houston City Council and was later elected city controller. Parker currently serves as president and CEO of the Victory Fund and Victory Institute... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for OutSmart Magazine

OutSmart Magazine

Media Partner
Established in 1994, OutSmart is an award-winning monthly magazine and website serving Houston’s LGBTQ community. Each month, our news and entertainment coverage reaches 200,000-plus readers. OutSmart was voted “Nation’s Best Local Magazine” by the Vice Versa Gay Press Awards... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

4:00pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with MSNBC's Garrett Haake
Join NBC News & MSNBC for a meet-and-greet with Garrett Haake, Washington Correspondent for MSNBC, immediately following his panel.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by NBC News & MSNBC
Speakers
avatar for Garrett Haake

Garrett Haake

Washington Correspondent for MSNBC
Haake covers national politics and breaking news for MSNBC, where he is a two-time regional Emmy winner for environmental and documentary reporting. Previously, he worked as a television reporter for WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C., and was an embedded reporter on the 2012 presidential... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for NBC News and MSNBC

NBC News and MSNBC

Media Partner
More Americans watch NBC News and MSNBC than any news organization in the world. NBC News is a global leader in news across all broadcast and digital platforms. Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," "TODAY," "Meet the... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

4:00pm CDT

One on One with DeRay Mckesson
The author, organizer, educator and agitator on his new book about the legacy of racism, the power of resistance and why optimism trumps oppression.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Supported by Texas Southern University – Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs
Moderators
avatar for Neena Satija

Neena Satija

Investigative Reporter and Producer for The Texas Tribune and Reveal
Satija works for the Tribune and Reveal, a public radio program from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Previously, she was the environment reporter for the Tribune. Satija has also worked for a number of East Coast news outlets, including the New Haven Independent, The Connecticut... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for DeRay Mckesson

DeRay Mckesson

Civil Rights Activist and Organizer
Mckesson is a prominent activist with the Black Lives Matter movement and an outspoken voice against police violence. He began speaking out against police violence during the August 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and has since amassed a large online following. In 2015, Mckesson... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
  Diversity & Immigration

4:30pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with Evan McMullin and Stand Up Republic Texas
Stand Up Republic is working to grow a nationwide community of Americans to defend democratic ideals, norms and institutions. Come meet Evan McMullin and the Stand Up Republic Texas team to learn more about the work we're doing and how you can be a part of it.
Speakers
avatar for Evan McMullin

Evan McMullin

Former CIA Officer and Co-Founder of Stand Up Republic
McMullin was an independent candidate for president in the 2016 election. In 2017, he co-founded Stand Up Republic, a nonpartisan political advocacy organization, with his former running mate Mindy Finn. McMullin previously served as a senior adviser for the House Committee on Foreign... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:30pm - 5:00pm CDT
The Paramount Theatre, Mezzanine
  Partner Programming

4:30pm CDT

Is Justice Done?
Why federal law enforcement is under fire like never before.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.
Moderators
avatar for Lawrence O’Donnell

Lawrence O’Donnell

Author and Host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell”
O’Donnell is an American television pundit, actor and host of “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.” Previously, he worked on staff for the U.S. Senate and as an executive producer and writer for the TV series “The West Wing,” for which he won an Emmy Award. O’Donnell... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Neal Katyal

Neal Katyal

Former Acting U.S. Solicitor General
Katyal served as acting solicitor general of the United States from 2010 to 2011. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Hogan Lovells and law professor at Georgetown University. In 2017, Katyal led the state of Hawaii’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive... Read More →
avatar for Joyce White Vance

Joyce White Vance

Former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama
Vance served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama during the Obama administration. She currently serves as a distinguished professor from practice at the University of Alabama School of Law and is a contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. Vance previously served as assistant... Read More →
avatar for Sally Yates

Sally Yates

Former Acting U.S. Attorney General
Yates is the former acting U.S. attorney general and deputy attorney general from 2015 to 2017. She worked at the Department of Justice for 27 years, beginning as an assistant U.S. attorney and later becoming the first woman U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.  Yates... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:30pm - 5:30pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  The Trump Administration: Year Two

4:45pm CDT

Meet-and-Greet with 'Family Values' Panelists
Join us for refreshments & conversation with the panelists of Family Values in the Central Presbyterian Church sanctuary lobby immediately following their panel.

Presented by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
Speakers
avatar for Julián Aguilar

Julián Aguilar

Immigration and Border Security Reporter for The Texas Tribune
Aguilar reports on politics, immigration and border security issues for The Texas Tribune from the Texas-Mexico border. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Previously, Aguilar was... Read More →
avatar for Daniel Garza

Daniel Garza

President of The LIBRE Initiative
Garza is the founder of the Libre Initiative and Libre Institute, two nonprofits that work to inform and empower the U.S. Hispanic community. He currently serves as executive director of the Libre Initiative and chairman of the Libre Institute. Previously, Garza served as associate... Read More →
avatar for Ali Noorani

Ali Noorani

Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum
Noorani has led the National Immigration Forum since 2008. Previously, he served as executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. Noorani was named a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and, most recently, is the author of “There... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Supporting Sponsor
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas operates Naskila Gaming, an entertainment center offering electronic bingo on its tribal lands. Naskila Gaming is an alcohol-free gaming venue just an hour north of Houston that has proven to be a boon to the regional economy. The Alabama-Coushatta... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 4:45pm - 5:15pm CDT
Central Presbyterian Church, Lobby 200 E. 8th St., Austin, TX 78701
  Partner Programming

5:00pm CDT

How Did You Get That? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at What Freedom of Information Act Requests are and How Journalists Wrest Information from Governments
Join GateHouse Media to learn how journalists get public records, what a Freedom of Information Act request is and how to get government officials to talk — especially when they don't want to.
Panelists include: David McSwane, investigative reporter for The Dallas Morning News; Sean Walsh, investigative reporter for the Austin American-Statesman; and Elizabeth Findell, city hall reporter for the Austin American-Statesman.


This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by GateHouse Media
Speakers
avatar for David McSwane

David McSwane

Reporter for The Dallas Morning News
McSwane has worked as an investigative reporter for The Dallas Morning News since 2015. He was previously a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he covered the environment and city hall. McSwane was the author of the award-winning investigative... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for Gatehouse Media

Gatehouse Media

Media Partner
GateHouse Media delivers journalism with impact, nationally-recognized products and trusted services that enrich our communities. With a weekly reach of more than 21 million, GateHouse is one of the largest publishers of locally-based media in the U.S. — and still growing. We’re... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 5:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

5:30pm CDT

Book Signing of Lawrence O’Donnell’s “Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics”
Join NBC News & MSNBC for a signing of Lawrence O'Donnell's book, "Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics." Limited copies of the book will be given away onsite at the NBC News & MSNBC South Tent.

This event is part of Open Congress, a free, open-to-the-public street festival held on Austin's historic Congress Ave. on Saturday, Sept. 29. RSVP to attend Open Congress here.

Presented by NBC News & MSNBC
Speakers
avatar for Lawrence O’Donnell

Lawrence O’Donnell

Author and Host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell”
O’Donnell is an American television pundit, actor and host of “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.” Previously, he worked on staff for the U.S. Senate and as an executive producer and writer for the TV series “The West Wing,” for which he won an Emmy Award. O’Donnell... Read More →

Sponsors
avatar for NBC News and MSNBC

NBC News and MSNBC

Media Partner
More Americans watch NBC News and MSNBC than any news organization in the world. NBC News is a global leader in news across all broadcast and digital platforms. Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," "TODAY," "Meet the... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 5:30pm - 6:00pm CDT
NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
  Partner Programming

6:00pm CDT

Live Recording of Slate's "Trumpcast"
Trumpcast will be Live in Austin as part of Slate Day, a full-day affair put on in conjunction with the Texas Tribune Festival to showcase Slate's lineup of bold, curious, politically minded podcasts. Trumpcast is your guide to the latest political chaos, hosted by Slate chief political correspondent Jamelle Bouie, author Virginia Heffernan, and chairman of The Slate Group Jacob Weisberg. They'll be joined by special guests Ashley Parker, White House reporter for The Washington Post, and Ana Marie Cox, host of the "With Friends Like These" podcast.

Tickets to Trumpcast Live are not included with a Festival pass and are sold separately here. Festival passholders will be admitted to this event for free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Speakers
avatar for Jamelle Bouie

Jamelle Bouie

Chief Political Correspondent for Slate and Co-Host of Slate's "Trumpcast"
Bouie is chief political correspondent for Slate Magazine and a political analyst for CBS News, where he covers elections, campaigns and national affairs. His work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Nation and other national publications. Prior to joining... Read More →
avatar for Ana Marie Cox

Ana Marie Cox

Host of the "With Friends Like These" Podcast
Cox is a political columnist and culture critic. She previously conducted the “Talk” interviews featured in The New York Times Magazine. Since starting the political blog Wonkette in 2004, she has contributed to a variety of outlets, including Time magazine, GQ and The Guardian... Read More →
avatar for Virginia Heffernan

Virginia Heffernan

Cultural Critic and Co-Host of Slate’s Trumpcast
Heffernan is a journalist, critic and author. In addition to co-hosting Slate's Trumpcast, she serves as a contributing editor at Politico and a columnist at FastCompany. Heffernan wrote "The Medium," a weekly column about internet culture for The New York Times, from 2008 to 2012... Read More →
avatar for Ashley Parker

Ashley Parker

White House Reporter for The Washington Post
Parker has been a White House reporter for The Washington Post since 2017. Prior to joining the Post, she worked as a reporter for The New York Times, covering the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. Parker has written for The New York Times Magazine, Huffington Post and The New... Read More →
avatar for Jacob Weisberg

Jacob Weisberg

Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of The Slate Group and Co-Host of Slate's “Trumpcast”
Weisberg is chairman and editor-in-chief of The Slate Group, which includes Slate magazine and Panoply. He is also the creator and co-host of Slate’s “Trumpcast.” He joined Slate as chief political correspondent in 1996. Weisberg is the author of several books, including the... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 6:00pm - 7:30pm CDT
Capital Factory, Voltron Space
  Podcast

7:00pm CDT

Closing Keynote: One on One with Beto O’Rourke
The three-term El Paso congressman on his headline-making race against Ted Cruz for the U.S. Senate: the issues, the politics, the long odds and his vision for a better Texas.
Moderators
avatar for Evan Smith

Evan Smith

CEO and Co-Founder of The Texas Tribune
Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously Smith spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. He also hosts Overheard with Evan Smith, airing on PBS stations nationally.

Speakers
avatar for Beto O'Rourke

Beto O'Rourke

U.S. Representative, D-El Paso, and Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate
O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has represented Texas Congressional District 16 since 2013. He is the vice ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee and is a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. O’Rourke is the Texas Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, challenging... Read More →

Saturday September 29, 2018 7:00pm - 8:15pm CDT
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
  Special Events
 
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    • ACL Live at The Moody Theater
    Brazos Hall
    Capital Factory, Voltron Space
    Central Presbyterian Church
    Central Presbyterian Church, Lobby
    Festival Hub at 800 Congress
    Franklin Barbecue
    H+K Strategies North Tent, Open Congress
    NBC News & MSNBC South Tent, Open Congress
    Open Congress Street Festival
    Scholz Garten
    St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall
    St. David's Episcopal Church, Bethel Hall Lounge (Third Floor)
    St. David's Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
    St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall Lounge (Second Floor)
    Stateside at The Paramount
    Studio 919 at The Texas Tribune
    Texas Public Policy Foundation, 6th Floor
    Texas Public Policy Foundation, Auditorium
    Texas Public Policy Foundation, First Floor Lobby
    Texas Public Policy Foundation, McCombs Events Center
    Texas State Capitol Lawn
    The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
    The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
    The Driskill Hotel, Maximillian Room
    The Driskill Hotel, Mezzanine
    The Long Center for the Performing Arts
    The Paramount Theatre
    The Paramount Theatre, Mezzanine
    Walmart Partner Tent, Open Congress
    Walmart Technology – ATX