Leon Panetta Lecture Series
Each spring, Secretary Panetta moderates the Panetta Institute’s highly acclaimed Lecture Series that brings national leaders, policy experts and journalists to the Monterey Peninsula.Panetta Institute Announces the 2026 Leon Panetta Lecture Series
The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution
What Will Be Its Legacy in the 21st Century?
This year’s theme will ask the question The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution – What will be its Legacy in the 21st Century? Secretary Panetta will moderate each of the sessions. Joining him in these important discussions is an impressive list of speakers to discuss our nation’s history and what it means for our future.
“This year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formal start of the American Revolution,” said Panetta Institute Chairman Leon E. Panetta. “As we approach this milestone we do so at a time when the unifying spirit behind that brave fight for Democracy is largely fragmented. Today we are a nation deeply divided over economic issues, foreign policy, and our basic democratic values and systems. Can the lessons of the American experiment guide us through these new challenges? Can our economy sustain itself against threats to trade and unpredictable markets? Will the Trump administration’s efforts to create a new world order bring peace or more war? And finally as we approach the mid-term elections how can we protect the most essential democratic right, the ability to vote. I’ll pose these questions to an impressive list of speakers. A dialogue of ideas is more important than ever. ”
The events for the 2026 season are as follows:*
Monday, March 2, 7:00 – 8:30 p. m. The Lessons of History – Do Americans Still Believe in the Constitution and the Values of Our Democracy? with Douglas Brinkley, author and Professor of History, Rice University; Lindsay Chervinsky, presidential historian, author and executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library; Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for The New York Times and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and Chris Whipple, Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and author.
Monday, April 20, 7:00 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. The Legacy of the American Economy – Strong Market, Growth and Stability or Another ’29 Crash? with Jared Bernstein, Chief of the Council of Economic Advisers (2023-2025); Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana (2005-2013) and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (2001-2003); Anja Manuel, former special assistant to the Under Secretary, U. S. Department of State; and Nina Schick, world-leading authority on AI and its geopolitical impact.
Monday, May 11, 7:00 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. The Legacy of American Foreign Policy – World Leadership, Alliances and Democracy or Power, Tariffs and Territory? with Mark Esper; Secretary of Defense (2019-2020); Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017); and Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State (2021-2023).
Monday, June 1, 7:00 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. The Legacy of Free and Fair Elections – Strong Check and Balance or Constitutional Right in Trouble? with Rahm Emanuel, U. S. Ambassador to Japan (2022-2025), Mayor of Chicago (2011-2019) and White House Chief of Staff (2009-2010); Hugh Hewitt, political commentator, journalist for The Washington Post and the Deputy Director of the Office of Personnel Management (1989-1990); Karl Rove, political consultant and White House Deputy Chief of Staff (2005-2007); and Tim Ryan U. S. Representative, Ohio (2003-2023).
Leon Panetta Lecture Series subscriptions include tickets to all four live events and are available for $400. Individual tickets sell for $100. To order a subscription or individual ticket, call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200 to pay with a credit card.
For additional information on tickets, subscriptions or broadcast details, please call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.
* All dates and speakers subject to change.
2026 Leon Panetta Lecture Series Sponsors and Co-Sponsors
Thank you for your generous support and leadership in sponsoring this lecture series for our communities. Your gift is an extraordinary public service.
Sponsors:
Beacon Global Strategies
Laurie and David Benjamin
California American Water
The California State University
Cannery Row Company
City of Monterey
Debra and George W. Couch III
Dorian Daley and Michael Krautkramer
Sherry E. DeBoer
Bill and Nancy Doolittle
Eagan Family Foundation
Ronda and Gordon Eubanks
Gail Griggs
Steve Hallgrimson Family Foundation
Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Associates, Inc.
Kaiser Permanente
Stan McKee
Sharon and Stan Meresman
Montage Health
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey County Office of Education
Leon and Sylvia Panetta
Pebble Beach Company
Susan Prest
Toeniskoetter Family Foundation
Kathy and Tom Wiggans
Rhonda Williams and Myles Williams
Stanley Zax
Zenith Insurance Company
Co-Sponsors:
AT&T California
Bank of America
Louis and Jane Castruccio
College of Health Sciences and Human Services at Cal State Monterey Bay
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation
The Panetta Institute for Public Policy Announces the 2025 Leon Panetta Lecture Series – What Will Be the Legacy of the Trump Era? Live, In-Person Events Featuring John Kerry, Bob Rubin, Susan Schwab, Jeff Sessions, Janet Napolitano, Alejandro Mayorkas, Nick Burns, Chris Christie, John Kirby, James Carville and Mary Matalin Among Others
The Panetta Institute announces its live, in-person events for the 2025 Leon Panetta Lecture Series. Subscriptions are available for the forums, which will take place at the Monterey Conference Center on Monday evenings this spring.
This year’s theme will ask the question What Will Be the Legacy of the Trump Era? Secretary Panetta will moderate each of the sessions. Joining him in these important discussions is an impressive list of speakers discussing the new administration’s impact on the economy, the rule of law, foreign policy, and governance of our democracy.
The events for the 2025 season are as follows:*
Monday, March 17 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tariffs, Tax Cuts, Debt, Inflation – What Will Be the Economic Legacy of the Trump Era? with Christina Romer, former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; Bob Rubin, former U.S. Secretary of Treasury; Susan Schwab, former U.S. Trade Representative; and Kevin Warsh, former member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Monday, April 14 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Constitution, Immigration, Law and Order, Pardons – What Will Be the Law Enforcement Legacy of the Trump Era? with Alejandro Mayorkas, former Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Janet Napolitano, former Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona; Chuck Rosenberg, former U.S. Attorney; and Jeff Sessions, former U.S. Attorney General.
Monday, May 19 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Russia, China, the Middle East, the Panama Canal – What Will Be the Foreign Policy of the Trump Era? with Nick Burns, former U.S. Ambassador to China; John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State; John Kirby,former National Security Communications Advisor; HR McMaster, former National Security Advisor; and Rex Tillerson (invited), former U.S. Secretary of State.
Monday, June 9 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bipartisanship, Gridlock, Checks and Balances, Stability or Chaos – What Will Be the Governing Legacy of the Trump Era? with James Carville, former advisor Clinton campaign; Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey; and Mary Matalin, former White House advisor to President George W. Bush.
“President Trump has now entered his second term as president promising a “Golden Age” for America. He has promised change and issued a record number of executive orders. His first term saw a great deal of chaos and unpredictability,” said Panetta Institute Chairman Leon E. Panetta. “Will that happen again or will he provide the leadership to turn crisis into opportunity? What will be the legacy of the Trump Era? We will discuss these and other questions related to our economy, law enforcement, foreign policy, and governance of our democracy with our distinguished panel of speakers.”
Leon Panetta Lecture Series subscriptions include tickets to all four live events and are available for $400. Individual tickets sell for $100. To order a subscription or individual ticket, call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200 to pay with a credit card.
For additional information on tickets, subscriptions or broadcast details, please call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200.
* All dates and speakers subject to change.
The theme for the annual Leon Panetta Lecture Series for 2023 was The Presidency and a Divided Congress: Can They Govern?
Live In-Person Events Featured John Boehner, Douglas Brinkley, Liz Cheney Steny Hoyer, David Petraeus, Bob Gates, Annette Gordon-Reed and Bob Woodward, Among Others
The Panetta Institute announced a return to live in-person events for the 2023 Leon Panetta Lecture Series.
This year’s theme focused on The Presidency and a Divided Congress: Can They Govern? Joining Secretary Panetta in these important discussions was an impressive list of speakers covering economic issues, foreign policy and defense, partisan politics and history. “After two years of Democratic control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, the 118thCongress returns the nation to the realities of a divided government,” said Institute chairman Leon E. Panetta. “A single party has controlled the White House and the Congress only three times in the last three decades. But, at a time when so much is at stake can the nation afford the risks associated with a do-nothing Congress? Will the Congress act to raise the debt limit and avoid damaging our economy? Can we avoid an economic recession? Will the new Congress remain unified in support of the war in Ukraine? Will the Congress work together and avoid gridlock? Finally, are there lessons we can learn from history that can guide us forward in this divisive time. I’ll pose these questions to our impressive list of speakers.”
The events for the 2023 season were as follows:*Monday, March 27, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The Economy and Inflation – Can We Avoid a Recession?
with Michael Boskin, professor of Economics and senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George H.W. Bush; John Harwood, journalist and former White House Correspondent; Maya MacGuineas, president, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; and Christina Romer, Garff B. Wilson Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama.
A recording of the lecture can be viewed below.
Monday, April 17, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Democracy vs. Autocracy – Can the U.S. Unify Allies in a DangerousWorld? with Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense (2006-2011); General David Petraeus, U.S. Army (Ret.), Director of the CIA (2011- 2012); and Admiral James Stavridis, U.S. Navy (Ret.), NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2009-2013).
Monday, May 29, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Message from the Midterms – Will Republicans and Democrats Listen? with John Boehner, U.S. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2011-2015); Liz Cheney, U.S. Representative (R), Wyoming (2017-2021) (invited); Heidi Heitkamp, U.S. Senator (D), North Dakota (2013-2019); and Steny Hoyer, U.S. Representative (D), Maryland.
Monday, June 12, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. History and a Divided Nation – Can We Survive? with Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and CNN commentator; Annette Gordon-Reed, American historian and Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University and winner of the Pulitzer Prizein History in 2009 and the National Book Award in 2008, for The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family; and Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.
The theme for the 2022 series was The 2022 Midterm Elections and the Future of our Democracy and focused on the midterm elections, foreign policy, the economy and voting.
All Four Events in the 2022 Leon Panetta Lecture Series Now Available for Viewing
Click on the event title to watch a recording of the webinar presentation.
Monday, February 28, 6:00 p.m.: Who Will Win – Democrats, Republicans, Truth or Fear? featuring JAMES CARVILLE—Democratic Strategist and Political Contributor for CNN and KARL ROVE—Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy (2005-2007) and Political Advisor to President George W. Bush.
SPEAKER JAMES CARVILLE
James Carville is one of America’s best-known political consultants. His long list of electoral successes evidences a knack for steering overlooked campaigns to unexpected landslide victories and for re-making political underdogs into upset winners. In 1991, he drew national attention when he led Senator Harris Wofford from forty points behind in the polls to an upset landslide victory over former Pennsylvania Governor and U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh. His most prominent victory was in 1992, when he helped William Jefferson Clinton win the Presidency. In recent years, Mr. Carville has focused on campaigns in more than twenty-three countries around the globe stretching from the continents of South America to Europe to Africa and most recently Asia. He is a best-selling author, actor, producer, talk-show host, speaker and restaurateur. Along with pollster Stanley Greenberg, Mr. Carville founded Democracy Corps, an independent, non-profit polling organization dedicated to making government more responsive to the American people. Mr. Carville also serves as a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans.
SPEAKER KARL ROVE
Karl Rove, an iconic political strategist and one of the most sought-after pundits of our time, is best known for his provocative and robust knowledge of the major political issues of the day. He served as senior advisor to President George W. Bush from 2000-2007. At the White House he oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs and was deputy chief of staff for policy, coordinating the White House policy-making process. He was described by author and columnist Michael Barone in U.S. News & World Reportas “…unique…no Presidential appointee has ever had such a strong influence on politics and policy and none is likely to do so again anytime soon.” Mr. Rove writes a weekly op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, appears frequently on the Fox News Channel, and is the author of the New York Timesbest seller, Courage and Consequence. His latest book is The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Matters.
Monday, March 14, 6:00 p.m.: Who Will Lead The World in the Fight Between Democracy and Autocracy? featuring HILLARY CLINTON, Secretary of State (2009-2012) and DAVID CAMERON, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010-2016)
SPEAKER HILLARY CLINTON
Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of State and presidential candidate. As First Lady of the United States, she championed health care for all Americans and led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy and create the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In 2000, she began her historical campaign for president, winning eighteen million votes and becoming the first woman to ever win a presidential primary or caucus state. In her four years as America’s chief diplomat and the President’s principal foreign policy adviser, Secretary Clinton led the effort to restore America’s leadership in the world. In 2016, Secretary Clinton made history again by becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party. She is the author of eight best-selling books, including her campaign memoir, What Happened, and The Book of Gutsy Womenwith Chelsea Clinton.
SPEAKER DAVID CAMERON
David Cameron, the United Kingdom’s youngest Prime Minister in two centuries, came to power at a moment of economic crisis. Under his leadership, the United Kingdom’s economy was transformed. The deficit was reduced by over two-thirds; one million businesses were set-up; a record number of jobs were created; and Britain became the fastest-growing major advanced economy in the world. These achievements created the stability that Prime Minister Cameron needed to cut taxes, introduce a National Living Wage, transform education, reform welfare, protect the National Health Service and increase pensions. Internationally, he developed a foreign policy in the post-Iraq era that addressed the new challenges of the Arab Spring, as well as a more aggressive Russia, while ensuring Britain played a full role in the global fight against ISIS. Elected leader of the Conservative Party in 2005 to reform and modernize a party that had lost three elections in a row, Prime Minister Cameron successfully remodeled the Conservative Party with a new and distinct modern, compassionate agenda.
Monday, April 19, 6:00 p.m: Who Will Deal with the Challenges in the Economy – Inflation, Inequality and the Debt? [part 2] featuring JASON FURMAN, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors (2013-2017) and WILLIAM DUDLEY, President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2009-2018).
SPEAKER JASON FURMAN
Jason Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard University. He is also nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Previously he served as a top economic adviser to President Obama, including serving as the twenty-eighth chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from August 2013 to January 2017, acting as both President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the Cabinet. Professor Furman also worked at both the Council of Economic Advisers and National Economic Council during the Clinton administration and at the World Bank. Professor Furman has conducted research in a wide range of areas, such as fiscal policy, tax policy, health economics, Social Security, and domestic and international macroeconomics. He is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journaland a frequent commentator on Bloomberg and CNBC. In addition to articles in scholarly journals and periodicals, Furman is the editor of two books on economic policy. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.
SPEAKER WILLIAM DUDLEY
William Dudley served as the tenth president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and as the vice chairman and a permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the group responsible for determining the nation’s monetary policy, from January 2009 until June 2018. The Markets Group oversees domestic open market and foreign exchange trading operations and the provisions of account services to foreign central banks and serves as the Fed’s primary eyes and ears on financial markets. Prior to joining the Bank in 2007, Dr. Dudley was a partner and managing director at Goldman, Sachs & Company and was the firm’s chief U.S. economist for a decade. Before joining Goldman Sachs in 1986, he was a vice president at the former Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. Dr. Dudley was also an economist at the Federal Reserve Board from 1981 to 1983. He received his doctorate in economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1982.
Monday, May 2, 6:00 p.m.: Who Will Vote and Will Every Vote Count? featuring KELLY AYOTTE, U.S. Senator (R) New Hampshire (2011-2017), BILL BRADLEY, U.S. Senator (D) New Jersey (1979-1997) and DAVID GERGEN, Presidential Advisor and Senior Political Analyst for CNN.
SPEAKER KELLY AYOTTE
Kelly Ayotte was elected to the United States Senate in 2010, where she was ranked as one of the most bipartisan senators working across party lines. During her tenure in the Senate (2011-2017), Senator Ayotte chaired the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations. She also served on several other committees, among them the Budget, Commerce, Science, and Homeland Security Committees. She is a leading voice on national security and was named by Foreign Policymagazine as one of the top fifty Republicans on national security affairs in the country. Currently, she is a senior advisor to Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions as well as a member of several corporate boards. Prior to serving in the United States Senate, she served as New Hampshire’s first female attorney general from 2004-2009. First appointed to that position by a Republican governor, she was twice reappointed by a Democratic governor. Senator Ayotte earned her J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law.
SPEAKER BILL BRADLEY
Bill Bradley served in the United States Senate from 1979-1997 representing the state of New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Prior to serving in the Senate, he was an Olympic gold medalist in 1964 and a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks from 1967-1977 during which time they won two NBA championships. In 1982, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. He has authored seven books on American politics, culture and economy, including his latest book, We Can All Do Better. Currently, Senator Bradley is a managing director of Allen & Company LLC, and he hosts American Voices, a weekly show on Sirius XM Satellite Radio that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of Americans both famous and unknown. He holds a B.A. degree in American History from Princeton University and an M.A. degree from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
SPEAKER DAVID GERGEN
David Gergen is a professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. Previously, he served as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents of both parties: Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. He wrote about those experiences in his New York Timesbest seller, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton. Starting with The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHourin 1984, he has been a regular commentator on public affairs for thirty years. Currently, he is a senior political analyst for CNN. Twice he has been a member of election coverage teams that won Peabody awards, and he has contributed to two Emmy award-winning political analysis teams. A native of North Carolina, he is a member of the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral commission. He is an honors graduate of Yale and the Harvard Law School.
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How to Participate and Opportunities for Sponsorship:
Season subscriptions to the Leon Panetta Lecture Series are available for $400. Access to individual webinars is available for $100. To order a subscription or individual event access link, call the Panetta Institute at 831-582-4200 to pay with a credit card.
Sponsors: The Leon Panetta Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of our community of sponsors and co-sponsors. All sponsors receive ten links to each program with co-sponsors receiving five. These links are associated with a specific email address and can be used on one device (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) Sponsors and co-sponsors also receive special recognition in the promotional materials for the event. These include the Institute’s website, the online credits for each lecture, event-related press releases and more. Lecture Series sponsors contribute $15,000 and co-sponsors provide $7,5000.
Each of the four live lectures will be available only to sponsors, subscribers and individual ticket purchasers. After the final program on May 2, all recorded lectures will be released for viewing on the Panetta Institute website.
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“I was concerned a ZOOM version of the famous lecture series would not live up to its long history of providing intimate conversation with those directly involved in the political process. I was greatly surprised. I enjoyed it tremendously and at times it seemed like a personal presentation just for me.”
— Lecture Series Subscriber
“In extraordinary times like these with the institutions of our democracy being tested, the ultimate check and balance is ‘We the People’ and our right to vote. Will the Biden Administration be able to restore the trust of the American people in the ability of Democrats to govern? Can Republicans heal their divisions, unite behind a vision of the future or be tied to past claims of ‘stolen elections’ by Donald Trump? Have the fiscal and economic decisions used to combat the pandemic left us with an unpredictable economic future? How can we restore the American people’s faith in our election process? How can America lead the world if it cannot lead itself? More than ever, we must discuss and debate the future of our democracy.”
— Leon E. Panetta, Chairman of the Panetta Institute
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2022 LEON PANETTA LECTURE SERIES SPONSORS
Sponsors:
Tonya Antle
Bank of America
Laurie and David Benjamin
Boeing Company
Cannery Row Company
City of Monterey
Debra and George W. Couch III
Sherry E. DeBoer
The Eubanks Family Foundation
Georgia Power
Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Associates, Inc.
Kaiser Permanente
Stan McKee
Sharon and Stan Meresman
Montage Health
Sylvia and Leon Panetta
Susan Prest and Commander Allen Sherwood, USN, Ret.
Stanley Zax
Zenith Insurance Company
Co-Sponsors:
AT&T California
Ray Franscioni
Kathy and Tom Wiggans
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