Diverse & Distinctive
voices a selection of popular speakers & programs
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APB CONGRATULATES ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF
Congratulations to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, an APB exclusive, on being awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Whether focusing on providing for the basic needs of her people, striving to end corruption, or advocating for women from all walks of life, Johnson Sirleaf lives a life of courage and vision. Learn more about her incredible accomplishments on page 8.
VIEW OUR ENTIRE CATALOG LIBRARY Diverse & Distinctive Voices is a selection of some of our most talked-about speakers and frequently requested programs. APB publishes many topic-driven catalogs to assist you in choosing the right speaker for your event; these can be viewed at apbspeakers. com/our-catalogs. To view our complete roster, visit apbspeakers.com.
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Daniel Altman
Richard Belzer & Ice-T
An authority on the global economy, Altman identifies lasting solutions to the problems the world is facing today. Known for his ability to present theory and research in an uncomplicated way, he authored Outrageous Fortunes: The Twelve Surprising Trends That Will Reshape the Global Economy.
Ice-T and Belzer, stars of the NBC hit crime procedural Law & Order: SVU, interrogate each other in an intimate, two-act evening punctuated by rare video clips. They end the presentation with an open Q&A session, allowing audiences to turn the tables and “interrogate” the two TV detectives.
Oscar Arias
Julian Bond
The former President of Costa Rica and a 1987 Nobel Peace laureate, Arias holds international stature as a spokesperson for the developing world. Championing democracy and demilitarization, he applies the lessons garnered from the Central American Peace Process to topics of current global debate.
Beginning with his pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, Bond has always been on the cutting edge of social change and leadership. Legendary as the first black US vice presidential nominee as well as a former chairman of the NAACP, he continues to deliver a powerful message of equality and justice.
Robert Ballard
Herman Boone
Ballard is a pioneer in deep-sea exploration whose expeditions have ranged from the discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic to the examination of the luxury liner Lusitania. A believer in “education through exploration,” he developed The JASON Project, an award-winning nationwide education program.
Portrayed by Denzel Washington in the hit film Remember the Titans, Boone was the football coach at T.C. Williams High School in 1971 where he was faced with uniting a racially divided team. Imparting the importance of respect and teamwork, he shares how he led the Titans to a championship title.
Rye Barcott
Donna Brazile
A former Marine, Barcott penned the gripping memoir It Happened on the Way to War: A Marine’s Path to Peace. Recounting his experiences building and learning from leaders in unlikely places, he shows the impact that small, diverse groups of committed people can have in the world.
The first African American woman to manage a presidential campaign (Al Gore’s 2000 bid), Brazile authored the best-selling Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics. An onair contributor to CNN and NBC, she is also the Managing Director of Brazile & Associates, a consulting and grassroots advocacy firm in Washington, DC.
Visionary Economist & Author
Nobel Laureate
Discovered the Titanic
Global Activist
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Law & Order: SVU
Former Chairman of the Board, NAACP
Inspiration for Remember the Titans
CNN Political Strategist
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Geraldine Brooks
Geoffrey Canada
As author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel March, a retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic Little Women from the point of view of “Mr. March,” Brooks effortlessly brings her characters to vivid life. Known for her meticulously researched fiction and nonfiction, her latest novel is Caleb’s Crossing.
Recently featured in the documentary Waiting for Superman, Canada helps transform the lives of underprivileged children as president and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone. In 2010 President Obama launched an initiative modeled on Canada’s work to create “Promise Neighborhoods” to combat poverty.
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Troy Carter
The former Prime Minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Brundtland has tackled such issues as sustainable development, environmental awareness, and good health as a basic human right for over four decades. She is sought after for her forward thinking, integrity, and leadership.
As founder and CEO of Coalition Media Group, Carter is credited as the “force behind Lady Gaga Inc.” and is responsible for her brand’s digital strategy. The two are part of a team spearheading Backplane, a new platform aiming to combine various social media presences into one concentrated base.
Kandi Burruss
Juju Chang
A singer, award-winning songwriter, and savvy businesswoman, Burruss showcases her life on the popular Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Atlanta. With wit and charm, she imparts a message on confidence, stressing the importance of leading a life that is not dependent on the actions of others.
Chang is an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for 20/20 and Nightline whose investigative reports have covered everything from natural disasters to gender equality. She is also the host of Moms Get Real, a digital show for ABC News NOW aimed at cracking the façade of perfect mommyhood.
George P. Bush
Elizabeth Cohen
The son of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Bush is a Naval Reserves Intelligence Officer and lawyer who started his own private equity fund. He is the co-founder of Hispanic Republicans of Texas, which works to recruit, elect, support, and defend Hispanic Republican officeholders and political candidates.
A senior medical correspondent for CNN’s health, medical, and wellness unit, Cohen reports on breaking medical news and the latest in consumer health issues. She is the trusted voice behind the digital column The Empowered Patient, keeping readers informed on the best in medical care.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
Mother of Sustainability
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Lawyer & Political Activist
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Iconic Education Reformer
Lady Gaga’s Manager
Nightline Correspondent
Senior Medical Correspondent, CNN
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Jared Cohen
Michael Eric Dyson
Google Ideas Director Cohen is a specialist on the relationship between foreign policy and technology. As a former member of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, he was responsible for urging Twitter to delay its scheduled maintenance shutdown during the Iranian election protests of 2009.
Called “a street fighter in suit and tie,” Dr. Dyson is one of America’s foremost public intellectuals, adept at addressing the most controversial issues of the day. Also an ordained minister and media commentator, he offers up sharp wit and profound thought in his latest book, Can You Hear Me Now?
Kevin Colleran
Shirin Ebadi
As Facebook’s pioneering sales executive and one of its first ten employees, Colleran helped guide such companies as Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola through the process of becoming present and engaged in the online space. In 2010, he was named one of New York’s 100 Coolest Tech People by Business Insider.
Iranian lawyer and activist Ebadi made history as the first Muslim to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous defense of human rights in Iran. A passionate and respected voice, she speaks to the world about democracy and the fundamental rights of all individuals.
Director, Google Ideas
Monetized Facebook
Alexandra Cousteau Environmental Advocate
With a famous last name passed down by her grandfather Jacques-Yves, Cousteau is a globally recognized advocate on water quality and policy. Emphasizing conservation and the sustainable management of resources, she has a unique ability to present weighty issues in a straightforward way.
Heidi Durrow Biracial Author
Durrow is the best-selling author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, a coming-ofage story exploring biracial identity that has captivated readers across the country. She co-hosts the award-winning podcast “Mixed Chicks Chat” and is co-founder of the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival.
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Leading Public Intellectual
Exiled Nobel Laureate
Michael “MIKE-E” Ellison Hip-Hop Musician & Activist
A repeat performer on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, Ellison is known for producing music that highlights hip-hop’s indigenous roots and progressive messages. Born in Ethiopia, where he supports several orphan and healthcare initiatives, he helped create and headlined the American Cancer Society’s AfroFlow Tour.
America Ferrera Actress & Activist
Known for her Emmy Award-winning role on the ABC hit Ugly Betty, Ferrera is also a humanitarian who dedicates her time to causes impacting children and education. She is an artist ambassador for Save the Children and, in 2010, was awarded the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Inspira Award.
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Howard Gardner
Sanjay Gupta
A distinguished public intellectual, Gardner is known for his theory of multiple intelligences, which challenges the notion that human intelligence only has one definition. The author of over two dozen books, he focuses his research on determining how to increase the incidence of good works in society.
An Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, Dr. Gupta has reported from combat zones and areas of natural disaster. Also a practicing neurosurgeon and anchor of the weekend medical affairs program Sanjay Gupta, MD, he speaks on global healthcare and illness.
Rob Gifford
Hill Harper
As NPR’s London bureau chief and former China correspondent, Gifford has covered everything from elections in Taiwan to Internet startups in Hong Kong. The author of China Road, he explores the growing economy and diverse perspectives of a country going through drastic change and development.
A best-selling author and one of the stars of CSI: NY, Harper is a volunteer and spokesman for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Dedicated to inspiring and leading today’s youth, he created the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides support for young men and women.
Anand Giridharadas
Glenda Hatchett
A columnist for The New York Times and its global edition, the International Herald Tribune, Giridharadas is among the newspaper’s youngest writers to date. Having reported on India’s transformation, Bollywood, terrorism, poverty, and democracy, he offers a unique global perspective.
Best known for her wildly successful court television series, Judge Hatchett, Hatchett dedicates her life to helping troubled youth and their families. Nationally recognized as an expert on juvenile and social issues, she is the author of Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Chris Herren
The former President of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pivotal role in ending the Cold War. He continues to influence global policy as founding president and board member of Green Cross International, an environmental protection organization.
Herren, the author of Basketball Junkie, was a high school basketball legend who realized his lifelong dream of playing for the Boston Celtics, only to lose it to alcohol and drug addiction. Now in his third year of sobriety, he shares his harrowing story of abuse and recovery.
Distinguished Social Scientist
China Editor, The Economist
New York Times Columnist
Former President, Soviet Union
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Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN
Actor, Mentor & Activist
TV Judge & Author
Recovering Addict & Basketball Star
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Marc Lamont Hill
Ice-T
One of America’s leading hip-hop generation intellectuals, Hill covers such topics as pop culture, politics, sexuality, education, and religion. He hosts the nationally syndicated television show Our World with Black Enterprise, which airs on TV One and broadcast markets around the country.
A hip-hop pioneer currently starring in Law and Order: SVU, Ice-T emerged from a childhood marked by poverty and violence to become a successful entertainer and entrepreneur. With a powerful message about overcoming adversity, he now serves as an inspirational role model for youth.
Maria Hinojosa
Laura Ingraham
The managing editor of NPR’s “Latino USA” and host of the PBS series Oneon-One, Hinojosa has interviewed some of America’s foremost Latino leaders. A prominent voice in the Hispanic community, she brings wit, warmth, and wisdom to the dialogue about celebrating diversity in all aspects of life.
As host of the #1 mid-morning syndicated radio show in the US, Ingraham is a nationally acclaimed political and cultural commentator who is known for her strong conservative voice. A former Reagan Administration speechwriter, she is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Power to the People and her latest, Of Thee I Zing.
Chris Hughes
Jesse Jackson
A co-founder of Facebook and the mastermind behind My.BarackObama. com, Hughes develops technologies to make communicating and organizing more efficient. He recently founded Jumo, a nonprofit site that connects passionate people with the charitable organizations that share their goals.
Called “the great unifier,” Reverend Jackson has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. Continually challenging America to establish just and humane priorities, he works to level the political and economic playing field for all.
Charlayne Hunter-Gault
A.J. Jacobs
Hunter-Gault made civil rights history as the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Georgia. Based in South Africa, she is one of media’s premier global journalists and foreign correspondents, continually challenging convention with her profound insights into the issues.
Known as “the human guinea pig,” Jacobs has read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a quest to become the smartest person in the world, and lived modern life as the ultimate biblical man. He chronicles his experiences in his bestsellers The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically. His latest book is My Life as an Experiment.
Educator & TV Analyst
Emmy Award-Winning Journalist
Co-Founder, Facebook
NPR & CNN African Bureau Chief
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Ice Loves Coco
Conservative Political Commentator
Civil Rights Activist & Politician
Experiential Journalist & Author
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Daymond John
Clinton Kelly
Founder of the iconic fashion brand FUBU, John is one of the “sharks” on the ABC hit business show Shark Tank. He is the author of Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle and The Brand Within: How We Brand Ourselves, from Birth to the Boardroom.
Best known for his sharp wit and stylistic flair as co-host of the hit makeover show What Not to Wear, Kelly is an accomplished fashion consultant and former contributing editor at Marie Claire. Currently the host of The Chew, he authored Freakin’ Fabulous, a helpful guide to enhancing any style personality.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Joseph P. Kennedy
A Harvard-educated former World Bank economist, President of Liberia Johnson Sirleaf is known as Africa’s “Iron Lady.” As a leading promoter of peace, justice, and democratic rule, she was recently awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work in securing women’s rights.
The founder of Citizens Energy Corporation, a nonprofit that offers lowcost heating oil to the poor and elderly, Kennedy is responsible for one of the largest energy conservation firms in the US. As a former Congressman, he worked to expand credit to working Americans and create affordable housing.
FUBU Founder
First Female President of Liberia
> 2011 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER
The Chew & What Not to Wear
Founder, Citizens Energy Corporation
Van Jones
Parag Khanna
As co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, and Green for All, Jones has successfully led three nonprofit organizations as a civil rights activist, attorney, and environmental advocate. He was recently appointed to the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
A foreign policy advisor to President Obama during his historic campaign, Khanna is increasingly becoming a key player in shaping the global community. The author of the widely popular The Second World and his latest, How To Run The World, he was recently named one of Esquire’s 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century.
Michio Kaku
John King
One of the most widely recognized figures in the world of science, Dr. Kaku hosts Sci Fi Science, where he shows science-fiction fans that the fantastic technologies they imagine may one day become real. An ABC News science contributor, he is known for his ability to explain the complexities of science in easily understood terms.
As anchor of CNN’s John King USA, King is known for delivering the news in fresh and unexpected ways. He has spanned the globe covering everything from US presidential elections to the first Persian Gulf War to the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa.
Green Economy Pioneer
ABC News Science Contributor
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Leading Geo-Strategist
CNN Journalist & News Anchor
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Larry King
Talib Kweli
As the man responsible for one of CNN’s longest running programs, Larry King Live, King interviewed some of the world’s most compelling figures. Having spoken with everyone from Malcolm X to Lady Gaga over his incredible 50-year career, he offers an insider’s perspective in his new book, Truth Be Told.
A rap visionary, Kweli has helped bring a sense of spirituality, social conscience, and moral balance back to hip-hop. He made a name for himself when he joined with Mos Def to form Black Star, and then gained popularity through his involvement with television shows Wild ‘N Out and Chappelle’s Show.
Naomi Klein
Sarah Lacy
In her international bestseller The Shock Doctrine, Klein explores the flaws of neoliberal economics and globalization. Her well-researched insight provides a backdrop to her claim that governments have manipulated natural disasters, global crises, and wars to their advantage.
With a knack for discovering up-andcoming entrepreneurs, Lacy has covered business in Silicon Valley for over a decade. Turning her focus outside the US, she embarked on a nearly three-year hunt for the best talent in the developing world and shares her findings in her latest book, Brilliant, Crazy, Cocky.
Preeminent Interviewer
Progressive Social Critic
Bernard Kouchner
Co-Founder, Doctors Without Borders
Emcee & Activist
Senior Editor, TechCrunch
Jon Landau
The co-founder of the Nobel Prize-winning organization Doctors Without Borders, Kouchner is a dynamic politician and former French Foreign Minister. He offers a skilled perspective on the importance of reorganizing and redirecting organizations, and extols the value of uniting people behind a common purpose.
Producer, Titanic & Avatar
Nicholas Kristof
Spike Lee
A columnist and blogger for The New York Times, Kristof is an extraordinary human rights advocate who has traveled the globe reporting on the real people and issues behind the headlines. He is co-author, with wife Sheryl WuDunn,* of the bestsellers China Wakes and Half the Sky.
Lee is the filmmaker behind such acclaimed work as Inside Man, Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise, and Miracle at St. Anna, an adaptation of the James McBride* book. His popular films are known for being technically original, politically inspired, and often controversial.
*Sheryl WuDunn is also available through APB. See page 15.
*James McBride is also available through APB. See page 10.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist
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One of the film industry’s savviest producers, the Academy Award-winning Landau was a major force in the production of both Titanic and Avatar, the two most commercially successful movies of all time. He shares a rare look at the most complex, state-of-the-art technologies and their roles in the future of filmmaking.
Filmmaker
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Julianne Malveaux
James McBride
The president of Bennett College for Women, Malveaux is a strong force in education as well as an economist and cutting-edge intellectual who is recognized for her unique, insightful observations. Her nationally syndicated column addresses national affairs, the American workplace, and the economy.
McBride authored the New York Times bestseller The Color of Water, a moving narrative about race, identity, and a family’s love. Also an award-winning jazz musician and a NYU Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, his book, Miracle at St. Anna, was made into a feature film directed by Spike Lee.*
Economist & Commentator
Best-Selling Author
*Spike Lee is also available through APB. See page 9.
“Boston Rob” Mariano
Terry McMillan
After appearing on CBS’s Survivor Marquesas in 2002, Mariano went on to compete in two more seasons of the hit reality show and as a contestant on The Amazing Race. He will next appear on Around the World in 80 Ways, a show chronicling his race around the globe against monster truck driver Dennis Anderson.
The best-selling author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Waiting to Exhale, and its recent sequel, Getting to Happy, McMillan has captivated critics and readers alike with her irreverent, oftenhilarious take on the issues faced by contemporary African American women.
Harry Markopolos
Robin Meade
Markopolos was thrust into the spotlight after blowing the whistle on Bernie Madoff and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme. An inside account of his actions and a vivid examination of our nation’s current financial system are featured in both his memoir, No One Would Listen, and in the documentary Chasing Madoff.
Currently the host of HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade, Meade has anchored CNN’s coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Her first book, Morning Sunshine, became an instant New York Times bestseller.
Chris Mburu
Wes Moore
Though he grew up in a poor Kenyan village, Mburu went on to graduate from Harvard Law School thanks to one woman’s $15-a-month donation. Inspired by how such a “small act” changed his life, he started a scholarship fund in the name of his benefactor. His story was chronicled in the HBO documentary A Small Act.
In his acclaimed memoir, The Other Wes Moore, Moore shares the true stories of two men with the same name and similar upbringings but starkly different fates. Featured on Oprah, he probes the consequences of choices in life, exploring why one man became a Rhodes Scholar while the other landed a lifetime prison sentence.
Reality TV Superstar
Bernie Madoff Whistleblower
Human Rights Attorney, United Nations
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Best-Selling Author
HLN News Anchor
First-Year Read Phenomenon
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Ralph Nader
Lucille O’Neal
A former Green Party candidate for president and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Americans of the 20th Century, Nader continues to be the voice fighting for the people on the issues that matter most: healthcare, safety, the environment, ethics, education, and economic and social equality.
Much more than just “Shaquille O’Neal’s mom,” O’Neal is a woman who has turned adversity into opportunity. Having suffered through poverty, abuse, and addiction, she shares her life story candidly—and often humorously—in her new book, Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go.
Diane Nash
Raj Patel
One of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, Nash helped form the Nashville Student Movement, which aimed to desegregate the city’s lunch counters, and coordinated the Freedom Ride from Birmingham, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi. She was recently featured in the PBS film Freedom Riders.
Known for continuously challenging presumption with his work as both an analyst and activist, Patel sheds shocking light on the worldwide food crisis in his book Stuffed and Starved. He tackles the idea of achieving a fair society and sustainable economy in his latest, The Value of Nothing.
Sonia Nazario
Kevin Powell
Nazario is the author of Enrique’s Journey, a book that began as a newspaper series and has since become an all-campus read at over 45 colleges. A story about a Honduran boy’s trek to find his mother in the US, Enrique’s Journey offers a gripping perspective on the controversial issue of immigration.
The first member of the hip-hop generation to run for Congress, Powell is a versatile young leader, poet, journalist, essayist, hip-hop historian, political activist, and social commentator. An enlightening cultural observer, he is widely considered one of America’s most important voices of the early 21st century.
Charles J. Ogletree
John Prendergast
A well-known attorney and Harvard Law School professor, Ogletree authored the critically acclaimed All Deliberate Speed: Reflections on the First Half-Century of Brown v. Board of Education. His latest book is The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Race, Class & Crime in America.
A former US policy advisor and co-chair of The Enough Project, Prendergast fights to stop genocide by “promoting peace, providing protection, and punishing the perpetrators.” The co-author with Don Cheadle of Not on Our Watch, his most recent book is Unlikely Brothers, an inspirational memoir.
Iconic Consumer Advocate
Civil Rights & Peace Activist
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist
Obama Mentor & Legal Authority
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Shaq’s Inspiration
Author & Sustainability Expert
Political Activist & Writer
Human Rights Activist
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices John Quiñones
Paul Rusesabagina
As host of the ABC hidden camera series What Would You Do? and the author of Heroes Among Us, Quiñones explores what everyday people do when placed in uncomfortable ethical situations. Also a co-anchor on Primetime, he has been with the ABC News team for over 20 years.
Considered the “Rwandan Schindler,” Rusesabagina saved over 1,200 lives during the Rwandan genocide. His story is chronicled in both the Academy Awardnominated film Hotel Rwanda, a riveting account of a man saving others during his country’s darkest moment, and in his book, An Ordinary Man.
Co-Anchor, Primetime
Dan Rather
Legendary Broadcast Journalist The voice, heart, and soul of American journalism, Rather has covered many of the defining moments in recent history. Now the host of the Emmy-winning Dan Rather Reports on HDNet, he continues to attract audiences with his breadth of knowledge and characteristic folksy wit.
Inspiration for Hotel Rwanda
Jane Seymour
Actress, Activist & Designer Award-winning actress Seymour, known for her leading role in the ’90s series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, has since appeared in everything from Wedding Crashers to Dancing with the Stars. She is also a devout activist who, for over 20 years, has worked to improve the lives of children around the world.
Jason Recher & Doug McMarlin
Anthony Shadid
Recher and McMarlin have created major media and strategy campaigns for the likes of George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Senator John McCain, and Sarah Palin. A witty, intelligent duo, they share a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a presidential campaign, offering insights into what’s to come in 2012.
In March 2011, New York Times Beirut bureau chief Shadid was one of four Times journalists who were held captive in Libya and released five days later. Fluent in Arabic and known for his unique understanding of Arab culture, he offers a rare look into the lives of the people whose story he tells.
Mary Robinson
Vandana Shiva
The first female President of Ireland, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a member of The Elders, President Robinson is skilled at addressing challenging issues while stressing the importance of ethics in leadership. She is president of the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice.
Author and eco-feminist Shiva is the Director of the Research Foundation on Science, Technology, and Ecology. Recognized as an “environmental hero” by Time for her innovative thinking, she founded Navdanya, which means “nine seeds,” a movement promoting diversity and use of native seeds.
Palin’s Political Strategists
World Leader & Human Rights Advocate
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Pulitzer Prize-Winning Correspondent
Global Environmental Activist
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons
Stephen A. Smith
A musician and star of MTV’s hit reality show Run’s House, Simmons was once known as “Run” from the pioneering hip-hop group Run DMC. After pursuing a deeper calling, he reemerged to the world as “Reverend Run” and touches people worldwide with his ministry and valuable life lessons.
A seasoned sports journalist and ESPN veteran, Smith is an emerging media go-to who applies his insights into the world of sports to society at large, drawing parallels to such issues as politics and race relations in America. He hosts a weeknight radio show for ESPN, airing in New York City and Los Angeles.
Rachel Simmons
Jerry Springer
As Founder and Director of The Girls’ Leadership Institute, Simmons led the way in exploring the phenomenon of female aggression. Her acclaimed book Odd Girl Out was the first to shed light on bullying between girls—just as harmful as bullying between boys, but harder to recognize.
Known for his hit show, Jerry Springer, the often controversial Springer believes that television talk shows can serve as important forums for the discussion of prevalent issues in our society. He has worn many hats, from political pundit and lawyer to award-winning newscaster, actor, and ballroom dancer.
Bob Simon
Jeff Taylor
Over the last quarter-century, Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent Simon has covered every major armed conflict suffered by the world. He shares firsthand accounts of Lebanon, Serbia, Namibia, and the terrifying 40 days he was held hostage in Iraq during the Gulf War.
As the founder of Monster.com and Eons. com, Taylor is widely recognized as an entrepreneurial visionary. An expert in technology, Web 2.0, advertising, and human capital, he is a born leader with the ability to mobilize others to action, no matter their professional path.
Anne-Marie Slaughter
Susan L. Taylor
The former Director of Policy Planning for the US Department of State and a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, Slaughter was recognized by Foreign Policy as a Top 100 Global Thinker. She authored The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World.
The soul of Essence for over 30 years, Taylor was the driving force behind one of the nation’s most celebrated African American businesses. Now, as founder of the National CARES Mentoring Movement, she shares her passion for empowering others in a call to action to recruit mentors for at-risk youth.
Hip-Hop Legend
Girls Bullying Expert
Correspondent, 60 Minutes
Former State Department Official
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Sports & Social Commentator
Cultural Icon
Founder, Monster.com & Eons.com
Editor Emerita, Essence Magazine
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Peter Thum
Tyrese
Driven by a seemingly impossible vision to provide clean drinking water to developing nations, Thum founded Ethos Water. Now a popular bottled water nestled in the coolers of more than 8,000 Starbucks stores, the brand has since donated millions to nonprofits that fund safe water initiatives worldwide.
An R&B singer whose debut album, Tyrese, went platinum, Tyrese is also a model and actor who recently starred in the summer action franchise Transformers and had a lead role in 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious. He is the author of the inspirational memoir How to Get Out of Your Own Way.
Touré
Luis Alberto Urrea
As a correspondent for NBC, host of Fuse TV’s The Hip-Hop Show and On the Record, and a contributing editor to Rolling Stone, Touré is one of today’s most important cultural commentators. The author of Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness, he addresses such issues as hip-hop culture, modern racism, and interracial dating.
An award-winning poet and essayist, Urrea authored the epic novel The Hummingbird’s Daughter. His latest book, Into the Beautiful North, which follows a band of Mexican women as they venture to California in search of husbands, showcases Urrea’s characteristic use of detail and powerful narrative.
Tererai Trent
Hines Ward
Though raised in poverty in Zimbabwe and a mother of three by age 18, Trent was able to change her life after an inspiring chain of events led her to obtain her doctorate. Today, thanks to $1.5 million in assistance from Oprah, she hopes to improve educational opportunities for others in her home village.
A two-time Super Bowl Champion, Ward owns every receiving award in franchise history. Equally impressive off the field, he was featured as an ABC Person of the Week and one of GQ’s 2009 Men of the Year. Most recently, he took home the prize in season 12 of Dancing with the Stars.
Desmond Tutu
Colson Whitehead
During apartheid, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Tutu kept hope alive in the hearts and minds of millions of South Africans. The former Chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he continues to be the premier voice for peace, honoring the value of enthusiasm among young people worldwide.
An acclaimed author, Whitehead was the recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for John Henry Days. Known for providing an articulate view of race, culture, and class, he is praised for his inventive plots that weave together American folklore and history.
Founder, Ethos Water
TV Host & Cultural Commentator
Oprah’s “All-Time Favorite Guest”
Nobel Laureate
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Inspirational Singer & Actor
Legendary Hispanic Author
Superstar Wide Receiver
Award-Winning Novelist
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Diverse & Distinctive Voices Juan Williams
Rosalind Wiseman
A Fox News analyst, Williams is also a former columnist for The Washington Post and a former senior correspondent for NPR. His most recent book, Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate, uses his controversial dismissal from NPR as a launching pad in discussing the importance of honest, open dialogue.
An internationally recognized authority on children, teens, bullying, and parenting, Wiseman is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes, the best-selling book that inspired the hit film Mean Girls. She introduces the battleground of the “perfect parent world” in her follow-up, Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads.
Saul Williams
Sheryl WuDunn
Redefining poetry and the spoken word as living art forms, Williams has penned such works as The Dead Emcee Scrolls and Said the Shotgun to the Head. A musician and the lead actor and co-writer of Slam, he has also released a powerful album, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust.
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author, WuDunn recently penned Half the Sky with husband Nicholas Kristof,* which explores the oppression of women in the developing world. A strong voice against human rights violations, she offers inspiration that we can each, in fact, make a difference.
Emmy Award-Winning Journalist
International Spoken Word Artist
Parenting & Bullying Expert
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist
*Nicholas Kristof is also available through APB. See page 9.
Venus Williams
Muhammad Yunus
An icon both on and off the tennis court, Williams holds over 40 WTA Tour titles and is an advocate for equal rights. A recipient of the Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League in 2009, and named a UNESCO Promoter of Gender Equality, she shares life lessons in her bestseller Come to Win.
The Founder and Managing Director of Grameen Bank, Yunus won a Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering work in establishing microcredit initiatives throughout developing nations. Driven by the belief that access to credit is a basic human right, he works tirelessly to eradicate poverty.
Larry Wilmore
John Zogby
As a writer, producer, satirist, and “Senior Black Correspondent” for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,* Wilmore opens the door to an honest conversation about American cultural diversity. He offers a smart, witty look at race in modern America in his book I’d Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts.
Dubbed the “maverick predictor” by The Washington Post, Zogby is by all accounts the hottest and most accurate pollster in the United States today. He offers a look at what’s to come—from politics to social trends—in his new book, The Way We’ll Be.
Tennis Superstar
Correspondent, The Daily Show
Nobel Laureate
Renowned Pollster & Trendspotter
*Jon Stewart is also available through APB.
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Index (Topical) Authors
Brooks, Geraldine....................4 McBride, James.......................10 McMillan, Terry.......................10 Whitehead, Colson.................14
Business & Ethics
Taylor, Jeff................................13 Markopolos, Harry................10
Civic Engagement
Barcott, Rye..............................3 Mburu, Chris............................10 Patel, Raj...................................11 Seymour, Jane.........................12 Thum, Peter............................14
Diversity
Bond, Julian...............................3 Boone, Herman.......................3 Durrow, Heidi...........................5 Dyson, Michael Eric................5 Ferrera, America.....................5 Harper, Hill...............................6 Hill, Marc Lamont...................7 Jackson, Jesse.............................7 John, Daymond........................8 Malveaux, Julianne...............10 Moore, Wes..............................10 Nash, Diane..............................11 Nazario, Sonia.........................11 Ogletree, Charles J...................11 O’Neal, Lucille..........................11 Powell, Kevin...........................11 Quiñones, John........................12 Rusesabagina, Paul...............12
Smith, Stephen A...................13 Taylor, Susan L........................13 Touré........................................14 Urrea, Luis Alberto...............14 Williams, Saul..........................15 Wilmore, Larry........................15
Education
Canada, Geoffrey....................4 Gardner, Howard....................6 Hatchett, Glenda....................6 Simmons, Rachel....................13 Wiseman, Rosalind................15
Economy
Altman, Daniel........................3 Malveaux, Julianne...............10 Patel, Raj...................................11
Environment
Brundtland, Gro Harlem......4 Cousteau, Alexandra.............5 Jones, Van...................................8 Shiva, Vandana......................12
Global
Arias, Oscar...............................3 Brundtland, Gro Harlem......4 Cohen, Jared.............................5 Ebadi, Shirin..............................5 Gifford, Rob...............................6 Giridharadas, Anand.............6 Gorbachev, Mikhail................6 Hunter-Gault, Charlayne......7 Johnson Sirleaf, Ellen..............8 Khanna, Parag.........................8
Diverse & Distinctive Voices apbspeakers.com . 800.225.4575
Klein, Naomi.............................9 Kouchner, Bernard.................9 Kristof, Nicholas.......................9 Patel, Raj...................................11 Prendergast, John...................11 Rather, Dan.............................12 Robinson, Mary.......................12 Shadid, Anthony....................12 Shiva, Vandana......................12 Slaughter, Anne-Marie.........13 Trent, Tererai...........................14 Tutu, Desmond.......................14 WuDunn, Sheryl.....................15 Yunus, Muhammad...............15
Health
Cohen, Elizabeth.....................4 Gupta, Sanjay..........................6 Herren, Chris.............................6
Inspiration & Motivation
Herren, Chris.............................6 Moore, Wes..............................10 O’Neal, Lucille..........................11 Williams, Venus.......................15
Media
Chang, Juju...............................4 Gupta, Sanjay..........................6 Hill, Marc Lamont...................7 Hinojosa, Maria........................7 Ingraham, Laura.....................7 King, John...................................8 King, Larry.................................9 Meade, Robin.........................10 Simon, Bob...............................13 Williams, Juan..........................15
Politics
Brazile, Donna..........................3 Bush, George P........................4 Ingraham, Laura.....................7 Kennedy, Joseph.......................8 Meade, Robin.........................10 McMarlin, Doug............................12 Nader, Ralph............................11 Recher, Jason.................................12 Zogby, John..............................15
Pop Culture
Belzer, Richard & Ice-T...........3 Burruss, Kandi..........................4 Carter, Troy...............................4 Ellison, Michael “MIKE-E”.......5 Ice-T............................................7 Jacobs, A.J...................................7 John, Daymond........................8 Kelly, Clinton.............................8 Kweli, Talib................................9 Landau, Jon..............................9 Lee, Spike..................................9 Mariano, “Boston Rob”.........10 Simmons, Joseph “Rev Run”.....13 Springer, Jerry..........................13 Tyrese.......................................14 Ward, Hines.............................14
Science & Technology
Ballard, Robert........................3 Colleran, Kevin.........................5 Hughes, Chris............................7 Kaku, Michio.............................8 Lacy, Sarah...............................9