2025 Schedule

Monday, April 7

 

Ebert Uninterruptus

Description:A beloved tradition of the conference, Ebert Interruptus is a four-part event showing a film along with in-depth analysis. This year’s edition of Interruptus will feature The Wizard of Oz.

Date: Monday, April 7 

Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: UMC East Ballroom

Moderator: Jamie Krutz

Speakers:
Josh Larsen

Opening Keynote | Cynthia Erivo 


 

A Conversation with Cynthia Erivo
The Conference on World Affairs, the Center for Leadership and the Office of Strategic Relations and Communications are thrilled to welcome Tony®, Grammy® and Emmy® Award-winning actress, singer and producer—and 3x Oscar® nominee—Cynthia Erivo. Note: this event will not be recorded or live-streamed. More info here
 

Tuesday, April 8

Cracking the Code: Addiction, Brain Science and the Genetics of Dependence

Location: UMC 235

Description: Addiction and how our understanding of neuroscience and genetics help us find the most effective mitigation and treatment.

Moderator: Ryan Bachtell

Speakers:
Cinnamon L. Bidwell
Danielle Dick
Judy Grisel
Ty Tashiro

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/W5vyCYkcQ8Q?si=0mYiWXpxyErPDtVz 


When Oligarchs Rule, Who Pays the Price?

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: What is an oligarchy, how do they form and what impact do they have on society and democracy?

Moderator: Erin Hutchinson

Speakers:
Natasha Lindstaedt
John Skajem
Hadar Harris
Ben Teitelbaum

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/A5-5gX6VgBA?si=aCE8zHaBqkG_V0l9 


Education and Opportunity: Designing Sustainable and Inclusive Futures

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Moderator: Ashley Grice

Speakers:
Deborah Fraizer
Shaniya Jarrett
Luke Springer
Eric Zimmerman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/DBeWtanogMs?si=x3M2Apy-Q_PfUFKl  

Shadow Forces: The Impact of Terror, Violence and Non-State Actors in the Global System

Location: UMC East Ballroom

Moderator: Eric Rubin

Speakers:
Michael English
Laura Harder
Srdja Popovic
Marcela Prieto
Daniel Watson

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/GGcJ_XdAHQI?si=QHZQErCfiOJtC12Z 


Who takes the Blame? Accountability and Corporate Responsibility

Location: UMC West Ballroom

Description: Exploring the ethics—and lack thereof—in modern business decisions, and the frameworks to course-correct.

Moderator: Jon Leslie

Speakers:
Rebekah Bill
Paul Misener
Carl Quintanilla
Luvuyo Rani

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable.
 


The Freedom to Read: Navigating Book Bans, Libraries and Censorship

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Erin Frazier

Speakers:
Nicole Ellison
David Farnand
Karin Grönvall
Danielle SeeWalker

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/sUxvaGbA6Zw?si=fe57vsQV56A7_yAc 

"When It Rains" Revisited: A Dramatic Reading and Talkback

Location: UMC 235 

Description: A reprisal of the play first presented in 1999 by Playwright Levi Frazier, with student, community and faculty readers followed by a talkback

Moderator: Alphonse Keasley

Speakers:
Eli Hans
Levi Frazier
 

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/FQany2ytZqQ?si=tygTkR9Gm0y1DNJR 
 

 

Directions for Democracy: A Liberal Perspective 

Description: A forward-looking discussion with an opportunity to articulate a vision for the future and what we need to be doing to get there.

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Ben Teitelbaum

Speakers:
Ian Marcus Corbin
Lisa Graves
Devon Gray
Heather Hurlburt
Manny Rutinel

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/A-MyJ11sM_4?si=0xTcIPrkENG4APIP 


Office Hours with Science & Tech Experts

Location: UMC 415

Description: CU Boulder Students Only. CWA panelists and students are invited for an information conversation on topics in the fields of Science and Tech.

Office Hours with Human Condition Experts

Location: UMC 382

Description: CU Boulder Students Only. CWA panelists and students are invited for an information conversation on topics about the human condition.

Directions for Democracy: A Conservative Perspective

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: A forward-looking discussion with an opportunity to articulate a vision for the future and what we need to be doing to get there.

Moderator: Benjamin R. Teitelbaum

Speakers: 
Patrick Deneen
Hadley Manning
Cinamon Watson

Video Link: 
https://youtu.be/NmrsA6b4mgk?si=oWhxpr1MrC8T4tC_ 

Storytelling Performance

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Moderator:  Katrina Miller

Speakers: 
Kevin Kling
Laura Deal 


Improving the World through Innovation, Investment and Entrepreneurship

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: How entrepreneurship, innovation and investment drive sustainable growth, create opportunities and reduce inequality in developing countries.

Moderator: Erick Mueller

Speakers:
John Heffernan
Luvuyo Rani
Amir Shevat
John Skajem

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/LkXlQJUjV4o?si=RLxji3n_vO3qWbdX 


Journalists and AI: Friends or Foes?

Location: UMC 235 

Description: Journalists are using AI in the newsroom, but are also feeling threatened by it.

Moderator: Candace Smith

Speakers:
David W. Brown
Jessica Herzberg
Jose Marichal
Carl Quintanilla

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/e0tEE92AMug?si=xyDJ1dXOXUizcbBn 

Cyber Battlegrounds

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: Cyber espionage, cyber security and their impact on economies, governments and international affairs.

Moderator: Tyler Scripps

Speakers:
Laura Harder
Paul Misener
Daniel Watson
Ellen Weintraub

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/rfN69RXhm48?si=DXEK_ilHw2LQNToi 


Attention and Shine: A Fashion Showcase and Panel Discussion

Location: UMC 235 

Description: A grassroots fashion show and discussion with a global context, featuring designers from Capetown, SA, to Boulder.

Moderator: Esther Omegba

Speakers:
Tyler Aguilar
Walid Walé Benyoucef
Katrina Miller
Tahir Springs

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable.


Transforming a Planet in Peril: Does Biodiversity Really Matter?

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: What are the trade-offs between the needs of humans and other species in the race to save the planet?

Moderator: Sharon Collinge

Speakers:
F. Stuart (Terry) Chapin III
Nancy Knowlton
Ted Schmitt

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/fTGYBQTtH5Y?si=b6Iu1FV-KG_HhhOo  


America First or America Alone? A Look at Isolationism

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: A discussion on what an isolationist approach to foreign policy means for geopolitics, international relations and global security.

Moderator: Vara Reom

Speakers:
Matija Goljar
Heather Hurlburt
Eric Rubin

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/0Lm8ffnD9SQ?si=LsDO8m34vXZX7F_S 

Ebert interruptus

Description: A beloved tradition of the conference, Ebert Interruptus is a four-part event showing a film along with in-depth analysis. This year’s edition of Interruptus will feature The Wizard of Oz. 

Location: Bruce Curtis Building (MCOL) W100

Moderator: Jamie Krutz

Speakers:
Josh Larsen

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable.

Wednesday, April 9

Social Movements and Changing the World

Location: UMC 235

Description: A discussion on how activism, social movements and organizing can be used to create change in the world.

Moderator: Michael English

Speakers:
Wisdom Cole 
John Heffernan
Jose Marichal

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/KfNxedvoadI?si=mS47sJg-X8P2JFMg 


Life after college? Internships, jobs and entering the workforce

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: As the competition for internships and post-grad jobs heats up, industry experts give tips on how to get ahead.

Moderator: David Bachrach

Speakers: 
Matija Goljar
Ciara Lucas
Carl Quintanilla 
John Skajem

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/GDKqF6qRnJI?si=D-a3OHKAC8DhHQNB 


Beyond Earth: The Future of Humanity in Space

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Chip Bollendonk

Description: The philosophical, cultural, ethical and societal dimensions of humanity's journey into outer space.

Speakers:
David W. Brown
F. Stuart (Terry) Chapin III
Shaniya Jarrett
Ted Schmitt

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/ltMeD9li2qk?si=zNlCz9dfhCv7YnqQ 


Office Hours with Arts Experts

Location: UMC Aspen Rooms

Description: CU Boulder Students Only. CWA panelists and students are invited for an information conversation on topics in the arts.

Moderator:  

Speakers: 
Rania Elmalky
Levi Frazier Jr.
Eli Hans
Anita Hlazo
Kevin Kling
Josh Larsen
Danielle SeeWalker
Seth Shafer
Eric Zimmerman

Embracing Joy: Harnessing Technology and Positivity in Daily Life

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: Leveraging digital tools to foster a sense of well-being and discover strategies for maintaining a positive outlook amidst life's challenges.

Moderator: Lee Newman

Speakers:
Wakanyi Hoffman
Seanna Leath
Laura Marciano
Luke Springer

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/OLMyYqRb-i0?si=cpj6MBDvE69lLYIJ 


The Pendulum of Global Power Dynamics

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: What determines a state's strength, how do world leaders negotiate power and has the era of U.S. hegemony come to an end?

Moderator: Vara Reom

Speakers:
Joe Cirincione
Hadar Harris
Natasha Lindstaet
Jim Mittelman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/3vqQD-A6ZV8?si=MOHn7D4PPPKS3cny 


The Future of Civil Rights in Modern Society

Location: UMC 235

Description: This conversation will explore how advocacy and activism will evolve in the coming years.

Moderator: Portia Prescott

Speakers:
David Farnand
Satang Nabaneh
Louis L. Reed
Kate Schatz

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/R-o34JRklCM?si=coaVLQr1e5Dg_NSY 


The CWA Celebration of Short Films! 

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description:  A film talkback featuring three speakers and Josh Larsen, showcasing a selection of compelling, entertaining, and powerful short films.

Moderator: 

Speakers:
Josh Larsen 

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable.

What to Watch for from SCOTUS

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: A rundown of what we see on the docket, and implications of recent or pending decisions.

Moderator: Eric M. Johnson

Speaker:
Lisa Graves
William Trachman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/oYbYdnrCxQQ?si=KQ8yXEVnAHMZ1I5t 


Office Hours with International Affairs Experts

Location: UMC 382

Description: CU Boulder Students Only. CWA panelists and students are invited for an information conversation on topics in the fields of International Affairs.

Speakers: 
Joe Cirincione
John Heffernan
Natasha Lindstaedt
Srdja Popovic
Hadar Harris

Center for Leadership: In Conversation with David Adelman

Location: UMC 235

Moderator: Stefanie Johnson

Speaker:
David Adelman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/7BTzqqbbG7o?si=XULuSxE9JtzXgiQO 


Office Hours with Politics & Media Experts 

Location: UMC 384

Description: CU Boulder Students Only. CWA panelists and students are invited for an information conversation on topics in the fields of Politics and Media.

Speakers: 
Devon Gray
Steven F. Hayward
Jose Marichal
Daniel Watson
Ellen Weintraub
 

Is Laughter Really the Best Medicine?

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: A roundtable discussion on using humor and stories to build connections, reduce pain and cope with grief.

Moderator: Annie Collier

Speakers: 
Joseph Bennett
Matija Goljar
Kevin Kling
Eric Zimmerman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/zFXWeKkdaI8?si=XbBnV1l5wFZN9PQY 


Star Wars or Star Peace?

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: Will the geopolitics of outer space create collaboration or competition in the cosmic frontier?

Moderator: Jeffrey Donenfeld

Speakers:
David W. Brown
Joe Cirincione
Laura Harder
Daniel Porras

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/9rO2uM-sOaU?si=l_Xq6tt0O0QerfdD 


Empowering Voices: A New Era for Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Moderator: Eliza Woloson

Speakers:
Rania Elmalky
Seanna Leath
Satang Nabaneh
Kate Schatz

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/i5dc4Z24Q5E?si=Yj921RO1HTJq0VYa 


The Tiff About Tariffs: How Trade Tensions Affect You

Location: UMC 235

Description: Learn how tariffs, trade tensions and supply chain restructuring could affect everything from smartphone prices to grocery bills.

Moderator: Franke Wilmer

Speakers:
Rebekah Bill
Heather Hurlburt
John Skajem

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/6T0WqX_0Cl0?si=Z8JS6q2BLIem3_12 

CU Art Museum Tour

Location: CU Boulder Art Museum

Description: Guided Tours of CUAM Exhibit Space. This is first come, first served. Limited to 20 people per tour. 

Crime and Punishment: A Modern Perspective on Justice

Location: UMC 235

Moderator: Rachel Fike

Speakers:
Devon Gray
Hadar Harris
Erica Lee
Louis L. Reed
Erin Siffing

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/euVldouVmGU?si=cSbZRyAGsoFNthfc 


Finding Our Place in the World 

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: Creative ways to find purpose and belonging in a world of complexity, inequality and difference.

Moderator: Bettina Swigger

Speakers:
Wakanyi Hoffman
Shaniya Jarrett
Danielle SeeWalker
Seth Shafer

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/IVF9DOgaQbs?si=YVtSk_pZpMPu0DKS 


Who is Really in Charge? A Conversation on Checks and Balances of Power

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Paul Diduch

Speakers:
Lisa Graves
Steven Hayward
Heather Hurlburt
Ellen Weintraub

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/bmvgXy5J5j4?si=8Iv_xn5IUgSChsFP 


Too much Temptation

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: How do we set limits with easy access to social media, recreational drugs and online gambling?

Moderator: Tamar Kodish

Speakers:
Danielle Dick
Judy Grisel
Trina Faatz
Laura Marciano

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/58SAP804nik?si=khlIlKypiD4sVZge 

Ebert Interruptus

Description: A beloved tradition of the conference, Ebert Interruptus is a four-part event showing a film along with in-depth analysis. This year’s edition of Interruptus will feature The Wizard of Oz. 

Location: Bruce Curtis Building (MCOL) W100

Moderator: Jamie Krutz

Speakers:
Josh Larsen

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable. 

Thursday, April 10

X-pocalypse: The Fragility of Digital Public Spaces

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: What happens when a billionaire buys the digital town square?

Moderator: Matt Duncan

Speakers:
Chris Moody
John Ploumitsakos 
Amir Shevat

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/0SNrTHQAc5Y?si=JA1tEY_2_MtNisWW 


Life is a Game: Game Design as a Tool to Solve World Issues

Location: UMC 235

Description: Thinking strategically about world problems as if designing a board game.

Moderator: Alexis Halkovic

Speakers:
Joe Cirincione
Daniel Watson
Eric Zimmerman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/vFMnoDHXcTQ?si=PwY3AlKACRl3VUIj 


Facts vs. Beliefs

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Kika Tuff

Description: Reconciling science and ideological perspectives.

Speakers:
F. Stuart (Terry) Chapin III
Karin Gronvall
Nancy Knowlton
Ty Tashiro

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/BTqVA_gMAlY?si=18ztPHeUzdoH0XgA 

Can We Bring Back the Truth in the (Dis)Information Age?

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: Role of social media platforms, press, government and public to fend off misinformation and disinformation.

Moderator: Vicky Sama

Speakers:
Rania Elmalky
Karin Grönvall
Jose Marichal
Louis L. Reed

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/glzf3hMeBgk?si=qsl-8wMFtxOvTpql 


AI Boyfriends and Girlfriends: Love and Connection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Albert Hand

Speakers:
Nicole Ellison
Wakanyi Hoffman
Laura Marciano
Ty Tashiro

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/CsJN2gVDd14?si=rLMSjyk0F4MkYnGH 


The Tipping Point: How Much is Too Much?

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: Examining the rise in tipping culture, its economic implications and how it shapes consumer behavior and service industry dynamics.

Moderator: Frank Melville

Speakers:
Rebekah Bill
Matija Goljar
Carl Quintanilla 
Peter Waters

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/vzELQtdZtyo?si=8jip9EygzGoMkZwb 


Shaping Minds: Politics and Polarization in Education 

Location: Boulder High School 

Description: This panel will focus on how current politics are influencing and possibly conflicting with the educational system.

Speakers:
Wisdom Cole
Satang Nabaneh
Ben Teitelbaum

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable. 

CU Art Museum Tour

Location: CU Boulder Art Museum  

Description: Guided Tours of CUAM Exhibit Space. This is first come, first served. Limited to 20 people per tour.

Office Hours with Business Experts

Location: UMC 382 

Description: *CU BOULDER STUDENTS ONLY*CWA panelists and students are invited for an informal conversation on topics in the field of business.
 

Speakers: 
Rebekah Bill
Matija Goljar
Carl Quintanilla
Luvuyo Rani
Amir Shevat
John E. Skajem


Applied History and Contemporary Policymaking: How We Can Learn from Our Past to Improve Our Future?

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Moderator: Junie Joseph

Speakers:
Lisa Graves
Devon Gray
Steven Hayward
Kate Schatz

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/Vjcdo8UfhbA?si=-j7zG9WAg8ZvkYUL 

Who Am I Without My Phone? Follow Your Heartor Follow the Trend?

Location: Boulder High School 


Description: This panel will explore the ways social media and our dependency on phones impact the development and perhaps the destruction of our individuality.

Speakers:
Walid Walé Benyoucef
Danielle Dick
Nicole Ellison
Anita Hlazo
Jose Marichal
Luke Springer

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable. 

Psychology of a Dictator

Location: UMC 235

Description: What is a dictator, what motivates them and how do they consolidate power?

Moderator: Erin Hutchinson

Speakers:
Matija Goljar
Natasha Lindstaedt
Ajume Wingo
Vicky Sama

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/z1Q8gjxTNtg?si=60u9llPGMwMYvfQb 

After the War: Post-Conflict Development and Building for the Future

Location: UMC West Ballroom 

Description: What are the steps to end cycles of violence, poverty and war? Why is post-war rebuilding important and how does it affect geopolitics as a whole?

Moderator: Luca Scuriatti

Speakers:
Rania Elmalky
Michael English
John Heffernan
James Mittelman

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/tSKxlIimLmU?si=el4cgx9NKmpOksPW 


Music of the Sun, Moon and Stars

Location: UMC East Ballroom 

Description: Exploring the surprising intersection between astronomy and music.

Moderator: Jan Burton

Speakers:
Eli Hans
Jean Hertzberg
Shaniya Jarrett
Seth Shafer

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/jXvlEnfV2qc?si=GZpgsgo2gRTM5jVX  


How Do We Fix Our Electoral System?

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: What are solutions to create better choices, and how can we reinvent electoral choice to fix the dysfunction in our democratic process?

Moderator: Karrie Pitzer

Speakers:
Paul Diduch
Devon Gray
Ellen Weintraub
Matt Soper

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/H4v1JBtHc_U?si=SyAXf1M4YyeFhDiy 

CWA 2025 Closing Panel: Satire as Resistance

Location: UMC Center Ballroom 

Description: Tribute to Molly Ivins' spirit of "Raise Hell, Fight Hard, Have Fun!" Using humor to raise awareness of complex issues and maintain sanity.

Moderator: Jon Leslie

Speakers:
Lisa Graves
John Heffernan
Kate Schatz

Video Link:
https://youtu.be/bbhIVo7TCnI?si=ANq14Mv_Zrk1weRY 

Ebert Interruptus

Description: A beloved tradition of the conference, Ebert Interruptus is a four-part event showing a film along with in-depth analysis. This year’s edition of Interruptus will feature The Wizard of Oz.

Location: Bruce Curtis Building (MCOL) W100

Moderator: Jamie Krutz

Speakers:
Josh Larsen

We’re sorry—this video is unavailable. 


2025 Speakers