Relationship Expert Esther Perel

Esther Perel, a psychotherapist, award-winning podcast host and best-selling author, spoke virtually at CU Boulder on Feb. 18, 2021. 

Perel has had a therapy practice in New York City for more than 35 years. A New York Times best-selling author of The State of Affairs and Mating in Captivity, Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships.

Fluent in nine languages, Perel’s celebrated TED Talks have garnered more than 30 million views and her best-selling books have been translated into nearly 30 languages. Perel is an executive producer and host of the award-winning podcast Where Should We Begin? She serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world.

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Turnbull, the 29th prime minister of Australia, has over a decade of political experience on the national level, serving in various leadership capacities in parliament before serving as prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He spoke virtually on Nov. 9, 2020.

Turnbull has been an outspoken political advocate for a variety of relevant issues throughout his political career. From climate change to immigration to same-sex marriage, Malcol Turnbull has been on the front lines of these important and relevant conversations. His speech focused on his career, climate change mitigation efforts, the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the future of U.S.–Australia relations. 

The Founders of the Black Lives Matter Movement

Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza, co-founders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, gave a virtual talk to the CU Boulder community on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020.

The event centered around the current political climate and the Black Lives Matter movement, from exploring its roots to what it has accomplished today. 

Founder of the Los Angeles-based grassroots organization Dignity and Power Now, Cullors has worked for 20 years on criminal justice reform. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 2020 100 Women of the Year and is the author of The New York Times bestselling book When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. For more than a decade, Tometi has been executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), the first immigrant rights organization for people of African descent in the United States. Winner of the 2019 Coretta Scott King Center Award and Douglass 200 Award, Tometi works globally on social justice issues.An internationally recognized organizer, writer and public speaker, Garza’s work has appeared in Time, Mic, Marie Claire, The Guardian, Elle.com, Essence Magazine and The New York Times. She currently works as the strategy and partnerships director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

Trevor Noah

Comedian and host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, participated in a moderated discussion about his life, his work and the topics of today on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020.

Trevor Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa and is the host of the The Daily Show on Comedy Central. The Daily Show has won a variety of prestigious awards with Noah at the helm. Trevor has also written, produced and starred in many comedy specials and sold out shows across five continents. 

In November 2016, Trevor released his first book Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, which became an instant New York Times bestseller. The book received the Thurber Prize for American Humor and two NAACP Image Awards, one for outstanding literary work by a debut author and another for outstanding literary work in the biography/autobiography category.

In April 2018, Noah launched The Trevor Noah Foundation, a youth development initiative that enhances youth preparedness for higher education or entry into the workforce. Noah’s vision is a South Africa that advances because each generation builds and must grow beyond its predecessor. Through a partnership with Microsoft, the foundation is able to provide under-resourced schools with the opportunity to use technology as a tool to enhance the learning experience, as well as increase digital literacy beyond the classroom.

Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors of the New York Times expose detailing the Harvey Weinstein allegations, spoke at the University of Colorado Boulder on Oct. 21,. 2019.

On Oct. 5, 2017, the New York Times published an article by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, and then the world changed. But nothing could have prepared the two reporters for what followed the publication of their Weinstein story. Within days, a veritable Pandora’s box of sexual harassment and abuse was opened, and women who had suffered in silence for generations began coming forward, trusting that the world would understand their stories. Over the next 12 months, hundreds of men from every walk of life and industry would be outed for mistreating their colleagues. But did too much change, or not enough? Those questions plunged the two journalists into a new phase of reporting and some of their most startling findings yet. With superlative detail, insight and journalistic expertise, Kantor and Twohey take us for the first time into the very heart of this social shift, reliving in real-time what it took to get the story and giving an up-close portrait of the forces that hindered and spurred change. They describe the surprising journeys of those who spoke up–for the sake of other women, for future generations, and for themselves–and so changed us all. “Kantor and Twohey are two highly distinguished investigative journalists, and their award-winning work helped ignite a cultural revolution. #MeToo gave many the power to speak up about their experiences as victims of sexual harassment and abuse,” said CU Boulder student and Distinguished Speakers Board Chair Cameron Trauger. “DSB believes their experience and perspective are integral to understanding, unpacking and examining the behavior of those in positions of power, and to further understand journalistic practices to amplify the voices of those who are not.”

Viola Davis

Viola Davis spoke on Thursday, Apr. 4, 2019, at CU Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. Davis is known for her intriguing and groundbreaking roles. She is the first black actress to win competitive Tony, Oscar and Emmy awards in addition to being the most Academy Award-nominated black actress in history.

Audiences across the United States and internationally have admired her for her work, including her celebrated, Oscar-nominated performances in Fences (2017), The Help (2011), Doubt (2008), as well as her role in ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder. In little more than 15 years as a professional actress, Davis has given her audiences a substantial list of performances, earning a cascade of awards and nominations.

Alongside her acting career, Davis and her husband founded JuVee Productions in 2012, a multi-ethnic production company that helps develop independent film, television, theater, VR and other digital content. Some of their projects include, Custody (2016), Lila and Eve (2015) and Vee-Jay Records.

Captain Scott Kelly

Scott Kelly, former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) and U.S. Navy Captain, spoke at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Macky Auditorium on Oct. 3, 2018.

Kelly began his career as an engineer, fighter and test pilot for the U.S. Navy. As the American record holder for the most consecutive days spent in space, Kelly has flown on four space flights, piloting three International Space Station missions. Kelly has also won numerous awards, including the United States Naval Aviator Badge, the NASA Outstanding leadership Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal. His book, Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery, was recently featured on the New York Times bestseller list. 

Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper, an award-winning journalist and host of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360°, spoke at Macky Auditorium on Mar. 6, 2018. 

“Cooper is a highly distinguished speaker and journalist who has captured international audiences with his astute and nuanced reporting,” said CU Boulder student Jessica Yan, chair of the Distinguished Speakers Board. “His insight in current affairs will challenge us to think critically about the media we choose to believe, especially in a shifting social and political landscape.”

Cooper has worked as a CNN and CBS 60 Minutes correspondent, playing a pivotal role in CNN’s coverage of international and political events. Throughout his career, he has reported in more than 40 countries. In addition to his success within journalism, he has won 16 Emmy awards, alongside the Edward R. Murrow and Peabody awards.

Dr. Brené Brown

Dr. Brené Brown, research professor and Huffington Endowed Chair at the University of Houston, will spoke at CU Boulder’s Macky Auditorium on Nov. 8, 2017. Brené’s speech focused on challenging guests on everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations and culture. 

Dr. Brené Brown gained celebrity following her famous TEDx Houston speech, “The Power of Vulnerability,” where she explored the concepts of vulnerability, courage and shame. Amassing more than 30 million views, Dr. Brown’s speech is one of the top five most-watched TED talks of all time. In addition to her fame on the TEDx stage, Dr. Brown has published multiple New York Times bestselling books: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly and Rising Strong.