FEBRUARY 15, 2025
Coach K
PLAYING TO WIN
TONIGHT’S LEAD PATRON
Altria’s companies have a strong American heritage stretching back 200 years. Our companies include some of the most enduring names in American business: Philip Morris USA, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, the maker of Copenhagen and Skoal moist smokeless tobacco, as well as John Middleton, manufacturer of Black & Mild cigars.
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Pictured: Tuckahoe YMCA
Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski
PLAYING TO WIN
FEBRUARY 15, 2025
OPENING MUSIC No BS! Brass Band
OPENING REMARKS
Heather Mullins Crislip
Executive Director
The Richmond Forum
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Teresa Downs
Vice President & Associate General Counsel
Altria
PRESENTATION
Coach K
INTERMISSION No BS! Brass Band
Submit your questions via Slido
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
Coach K with Michael Phillips
Founding Editor
The Richmonder
The Richmond Forum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Tonight’s presentation may not be recorded or photographed by attendees by any means for any purpose.
COACH K
TONIGHT’S SPEAKER
I GET A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED TO COMMIT TO EXCELLENCE AND TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE. THAT’S WHERE IT STARTS. DIFFERENT TALENTS, SAME COMMITMENT.
PASSIONATE, DYNAMIC, AND INSPIRING, Mike Krzyzewski (better known as Coach K) served Duke University’s men’s basketball team for more than 40 years and led Team USA to three Olympic gold medals. He is a master motivator of teams, individuals, and organizations, spurring them to succeed beyond their expectations.
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Coach K is perhaps the most accomplished basketball coach in history. His unparalleled journey has inspired others to compile winning numbers in their own professional and personal lives.
A 12-time National Coach of the Year, Coach K was named Sports Illustrated’s 2011 “Sportsman of the Year” and has been honored seven times with the USA Basketball National Coach of the Year Award. He is the only men’s coach to win gold medals at the Olympics and FIBA Basketball World Cup while also possessing at least one NCAA Championship (he has five).
He has authored two New York Times bestsellers, including “Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success.” His most recent book is “The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team.”
In 2004, he co-founded the Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics at Duke University, which has influenced the leadership development of more than 6,500 MBA students and executives. He now serves as a professor of the practice of leadership at the university’s Fuqua School of Business.
Coach K founded the Emily Krzyzewski Center in Durham which has served more than 7,500 students. He has served on the board of directors at the V Foundation for Cancer Research since its inception in 1993. He and his wife Mickie also host the V Foundation Wine Celebration in Napa Valley, an annual event that has raised tens of millions of dollars in the fight against cancer.
Tonight, Coach K will reflect on all he has learned about leadership and how to unlock the game plan to drive any team to success, whether on or off the court.
MICHAEL PHILLIPS TONIGHT’S MODERATOR
MICHAEL PHILLIPS IS THE FOUNDING EDITOR of The Richmonder, a local news site launched in September 2024 that spotlights the best of the community while keeping a watchful eye on those in power. The Richmonder is a nonprofit that believes accurate, unbiased information creates connections and community.
Before The Richmonder, Phillips spent 16 years at the Richmond Times-Dispatch serving as a sports reporter, sports editor, senior editor, and interim managing editor. The Associated Press Sports Editors have awarded him several times and he was named the Virginia Sportswriter of the Year in 2022.
Phillips also hosts a local sports talk radio program on 910 The Fan. He lives in Forest Hill with his wife and two daughters, where he loves hiking, eating, travel, and trivia. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas and is originally from Wichita, Kansas.
? HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH K?
Head to slido.com to submit a question for the Q&A. You can also endorse questions submitted by fellow audience members, both in the theater and online, to increase the chance of them being asked. Your question is more likely to be selected when you include your name!
NO BS! BRASS BAND
TONIGHT’S MUSICIANS
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA'S NO BS! BRASS BAND has quickly earned a reputation as one of the region’s premier bands for heart-pounding energy and uncontrollable dancing. They take their modern, fiercely original East Coast funk into uncharted territory, embracing the spirit of New Orleans while fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin.
Reggie Pace and Lance Koehler founded and lead this 11-member band, nearly all of whom have conservatory training and several music degrees. Together, they compose and arrange music that strips away the “BS” to give the audience something real, organic, solid, unique, and powerful. With a New Orleans-inspired look and a raw style all their own, their music is the true definition of “Richmond sound.”
No BS! Brass has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Festival of New Trumpet Music, Lockn’ Festival, and on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.
For your passionate leadership on and off the court, thank you, Coach K. By demonstrating that our weaknesses can become our greatest strengths, we are motivated to face our biggest challenges with dignity.
Leading the transformation
Deloitte is proud to support The Richmond Forum, a beaco n for those who lead with vision and courage. Together, we 're craft ing a brighter tomorrow. Let’s ignite the potential within our community to driv e transfo rmative change, passing the ball of leadership to each new generation.
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THE WINNINGEST COACH
MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM 42 YEARS AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
COACH K STARTED HIS COACHING CAREER as an assistant on Bob Knight’s staff with the Indiana Hoosiers during their historic 1974 - 75 season. At the age of 28 and after only one year with Indiana, he returned to his alma mater, the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, as the head men’s basketball coach. In his five seasons, he led the Army Cadets to a 73 - 59 record and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berth in 1978.
On March 18, 1980, Duke University named Coach K their head coach of basketball. He spent the next four decades building a legacy for the Blue Devils and collegiate basketball.
NOVEMBER 30, 1980
Coach K’s first game at Duke
In his first game with the Blue Devils, Coach K took a 67 - 49 win over Stetson, signaling the beginning of a new era for the Duke basketball program.
MARCH 1, 1981
Coach K’s first signature win
a 12 - 2 run. Undeterred, David Henderson hit four late free throws to keep Duke in the lead and secure a 77 - 75 win.
MARCH 15, 1985
First win in the NCAA Tournament
No. 10 Duke faced Pepperdine in the first round of the NCAA tournament and clinched a 75 - 62 win, giving Coach K his first NCAA Tournament win.
Gene Banks helped lead the Blue Devils to their first big win in the Coach K era. Banks made his mark on the historic Duke-UNC rivalry by giving the unranked Blue Devils a 66 - 65 win over the then-No. 11 Tar Heels, with a putback in the final 19 seconds of the game.
MARCH 10, 1984
Duke beats North Carolina in ACC Tournament
A Tar Heel team led by Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins was an obvious national championship favorite with a 14 - 0 ACC record to prove it, but Duke was confident they would win this match-up. Johnny Dawkins and Tommy Amaker led the Blue Devils to a 40 - 32 advantage at halftime, but Carolina came back and opened the second half with
MARCH 9, 1986
Duke earns its first ACC title in 20 years
No. 1 Duke took on No. 6 Georgia Tech in the Greensboro Coliseum for the 1986 ACC Championship. The Blue Devils took a 68 - 67 win over the Yellow Jackets, earning Duke basketball’s first ACC title win in two decades and the first under Coach K.
MARCH 29, 1986
First Final Four under Coach K
A 71 - 69 win over Kansas marked Duke’s first Final Four appearance under Coach K, giving
them a spot in the title game against Louisville. This was the beginning of Duke’s appearance in six of the next seven Final Fours.
APRIL
1, 1991
First national championship win
After playing their way to a fourth-straight Final Four appearance (and fifth overall since Coach K’s hiring), the Blue Devils took revenge on UNLV for the 1990 title loss with a stunning last-second victory over the undefeated Runnin’ Rebels.
This led the Blue Devils to their third game on the big stage. A 72 - 65 victory over Kansas gave Coach K and the Duke basketball program their first national championship. Three players on that team — Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, and Grant Hill — have since had their jerseys retired. Duke defended its national title in 1992 with a 71 - 51 win over Michigan.
MARCH
28, 1992 “The
Shot”
In the East Regional Final, Duke faced Rick Pitino and the Kentucky Wildcats. After the game went into overtime, Kentucky gained a 98 - 96 lead. Laettner took over for the Blue Devils to score another six points.
With 2.1 seconds on the clock, Sean Woods hit a running one-hander
in the lane to give Kentucky a 103 - 102 lead. Duke called a timeout to set up their final play. Grant Hill, left unguarded, threw a 79-foot inbounds pass to Laettner, who took one dribble to his right, turned left, and sank “the shot” as time expired to give Duke a 104 - 103 victory.
NOVEMBER
15, 2011
Winningest coach of all time
On this day, Coach K surpassed his former coach Bobby Knight to become Division I’s winningest coach with his 903rd victory, a win over Michigan State.
NOVEMBER 11, 2017
His 1,000th win
Coach K reached two milestones with a 9969 victory over Utah Valley: his 1,000th win for Duke and his 1,073rd victory overall — the most in Division I men’s college basketball history.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
What leadership traits enabled Coach K to connect with and motivate players across several generations?
How do defining moments (such as championship victories or last-second plays) shape a person’s legacy, both in sports and other careers?
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. & Mrs. Baxter W. Perkinson, Jr.,
students and faculty from Trinity Episcopal School have the opportunity to attend The Richmond Forum in a special program designed to connect the classroom, the community and current events. Trinity and The Forum are grateful to the Perkinsons for their continued support.
COMMITMENT
Kaufman & Canoles is committed to strengthening our community. As part of that commitment, we are proud to support The Richmond Forum and the diverse guests they invite to inspire and inform our community. We CAN. And we will.
GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME
WITH A PLAYLIST OF COACH K’S FAVORITE SONGS
Now and Forever
Carole King
“This song reminds me of my former players and the 1992 - 1993 team, in particular. I truly feel like those players are a part of Duke Basketball, now and forever.”
Barcelona
Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé
“This song makes me think about my experience as an assistant with the 1992 Olympic 'Dream Team' in Barcelona. It is amazing to me how a particular piece of music can completely capture the feeling of a moment.”
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
The Temptations
“I can remember listening to this song while shooting baskets in a schoolyard growing up in inner-city Chicago. This is the song that first inspired my love of Motown music.”
That’s What Friends Are For
Dionne Warwick & Friends
“Each year, we put together a video of highlights of the season and of the graduating seniors. My wife and daughters try to choose a song that really captures who that team and those individuals were. This one, which we used for the senior class of 1994, is one of my favorites. True friendship is an amazing thing.”
Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees
“This song will always bring back memories of our 2001 National Championship team. When our bus driver, Jimmy, would play the Bee Gees over the bus speakers, the players would always try to get me to dance. I told them that I would only dance if we won the whole thing. We did, and I did!”
Emily
Michael W. Smith
“My mom’s name was Emily. This song reminds me of her. In fact, it has become the theme song for the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center, a community center that our family has helped build in downtown Durham, NC.”
Ooh Baby Baby
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
“This is probably what I would call my 'favorite song.' And certainly Smokey is my favorite artist. Listening to Motown music with my fellow cadets is one of the primary things that got me through the tough times attending West Point.”
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When we come together to build stronger communities, we give our time, energy, and ideas to help influence positive change. And as we watch progress take root, we grow as well.
The Richmond Forum, it’s an honor to recognize your commitment and service to the community.
COACH K BY THE NUMBERS
69
ACC Tournament wins
Most in league history
101
NCAA Tournament wins
Most in NCAA history
127
Weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll
Most by a coach in poll history
535
ACC wins
Most in league history
575
Weeks ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll
Most by a coach in poll history
668
Weeks ranked in the AP poll
Most by a coach in poll history
1,129
Victories at Duke
Most in NCAA history at one school
1,202
Career wins
Most in NCAA history
Always working in your best interest.
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CW Advisors is a proud sponsor of The Richmond Forum. We are grateful for the outstanding speakers and conversations it brings to our community.
SPEECH & DEBATE
HOW TO RUN A TOURNAMENT
IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS of the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative’s (RFSDI) existence, dozens of new teams and hundreds of new students entered the local tournament circuit. To allow more schools and students to participate, RFSDI began taking the lead to build new tournaments, train and place tournament staff, and execute weekday scrimmages and Saturday tournaments at schools throughout the region. Your support made this possible.
Local schools need to be ready when the National Speech & Debate Tournament comes to Richmond in 2026. To prepare, we onboarded two new tournament hosts this school year: Glen Allen High School and Manchester High School. At Manchester, two dedicated coaches have successfully hosted two of RFSDI’s highest-attended tournaments to date. We asked them about their experience.
Linda Moccio Webb HEAD DEBATE COACH
Linda Moccio Webb has been the head debate coach at Manchester High School for six years. The special education English teacher credited debate for breathing a breath of fresh air into her purpose as an educator.
“Organizing our first debate tournament was initially a daunting task, but with the support of a dedicated team of local coaches and the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative, the event ran smoothly. That day, I logged eight miles walking around Manchester High School, ensuring everything was in place — it was exhausting but incredibly rewarding!”
Keep up with RFSDI on social media — @richmondforum on all platforms.
Thank you to our speech and debate sponsors.
Valerie Bell ASSISTANT DEBATE COACH, FORMER VOLUNTEER JUDGE
Valerie Bell started teaching business at Manchester High School in 2022. With a background in teaching collegiate-level public speaking, she began serving as a volunteer judge for RFSDI and last year became the assistant debate coach. She also coaches debate at Virginia State University.
“I was privileged to co-host the Christy Ellis Legacy Tournament with Mrs. Moccio Webb. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, hurt feet and all! There are several things I would have done differently and [in hindsight] wish I had been more proactive in knowing the full process in all areas. Overall, it was so much fun, and I look forward to doing it again and even better!”
A Typical Tournament Day
7:00 a.m. Tournament Staff Arrives
Tournaments are held at middle and high schools across the region. Each tournament is run by a director who oversees and recruits judges, coordinates with building hosts to ensure facilities are ready to go, manages wayfinding volunteers to assist visitors, supervises Tabroom staff behind the scenes to assign rounds and track scoring, and tackles obstacles so everything runs smoothly. It is quite the undertaking!
8:00 a.m. Team and Judge Registration
8:30 a.m. Judges Meeting
Judges gather for a brief training session where they learn how to use Tabroom software to score and give feedback to competitors.
9:00 a.m. Round 1
Example: Debate Round
Public Forum, Lincoln-Douglas, and Policy debate rounds begin.
10:30 a.m. Round 2
Example: Speech Round
The Richmond Region circuit offers 12 limited preparation, platform speaking, and interpretive events including Extemporaneous, Impromptu, Original Oratory, Poetry, and Dramatic Interpretation.
11:45 a.m. Lunch
RFSDI provides lunch to all competitors, staff, and judges thanks to the generous donations of our supporters, ensuring speech and debate is accessible to all who wish to participate. We have ordered more than 500 pizzas this season!
12:30 p.m. Round 3
Example: Student Congress Session
Competitors submit bills and resolutions up for debate and act as representatives in a simulation of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives chambers. Each chamber has a student-voted presiding officer, an adult parliamentarian, and up to 25 student representatives.
2:00 p.m. Round 4
Example: Extemporaneous Speaking Draw
In this limited-preparation event, students have 30 minutes before the start of the speech round to prepare a seven-minute speech based on a topic drawn during prep time.
4:00 p.m. Awards Assembly
Tabroom staff have worked hard to tabulate scores and declare our competition winners. The awards assembly offers a supportive environment where all gather to acknowledge the accomplishments of the day and cheer each other on. Winners typically receive trophies or medals to celebrate their effort and excellence.
The Herndon Foundation
Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Foundation
A University of Richmond education prepares students for lives of purpose, thoughtful inquiry, and responsible leadership in a diverse world.
We thank The Richmond Forum for connecting and enriching our vibrant intellectual community.
Thank you for bringing exceptional programs that enrich and educate our community.
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2024-2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE
Teresa Downs, Chair Altria*
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Celia Rafalko
*PatronofTheRichmondForum
PRODUCTION TEAM & STAFF
THERICHMONDFORUMSTAFF
Heather Mullins Crislip ExecutiveDirector,heather@richmondforum.org
Dee A. Raubenstine DirectorofDevelopment&SponsorEvents,dee@richmondforum.org
Michael Brown DirectorofSubscriberServices&Operations,michael@richmondforum.org
Sandra Wheeler DirectorofStudentPrograms,sandra@richmondforum.org
Lucretia M. Anderson Speech&DebateInitiativeManager,lucretia@richmondforum.org
Maggie McVicar DirectorofCommunications,maggie@richmondforum.org
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Growing Stronger Communities.
We’re putting down deep roots and giving back to the communities we serve.
We think it’s only natural to cultivate meaningful relationships in the communities where we live and work. And at Dominion Energy, that means we do more than write checks. So while we’re very proud of contributing $46.7 million in 2023 to community causes throughout our footprint and beyond, we’re even prouder of Dominion Energy’s
employees for volunteering more than 110,000 hours of their time. From refurbishing homeless shelters to replenishing local food banks to cleaning up parks to helping soldiers and their families, we’re donating the most precious resource of all: our energy. Learn more by visiting DominionEnergy.com/Foundation
NEW PERSPECTIVES
At Genworth, we empower families to navigate the aging journey with confidence, and we care about the wellbeing of each human being.
We value creativity and embrace diverse perspectives as we strive to serve with excellence… our customers, colleagues, and community.
We are proud to support The Richmond Forum as it presents powerful voices so the Richmond region can listen, learn, and lead.
1987
January Ted Koppel
RICHMOND FORUM SPEAKERS
February Hodding Carter and Larry Speakes with Paul Duke
March General Brent Scowcroft with Diane Sawyer
April Charles Kuralt
1988
January Oprah Winfrey
February Jeane Kirkpatrick and Vladimir Pozner with Marvin Kalb
March George Will
April Art Buchwald
1989
January Sam Donaldson
February Henry Kissinger with John Chancellor
March William Buckley and Charles Rangel
April Dr. Carl Sagan
1990
January Paul Duke, Howard Fineman and Charles McDowell
February Frank Carlucci, George McGovern, William Proxmire and William Rusher with Bettina Gregory
March Mike Wallace
April Alistair Cooke
1990–1991
October Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
January Admiral William Crowe, General Alexander Haig and Robert McFarlane with Edwin Newman
February H. Ross Perot
March Art Buchwald and Andy Rooney
April Captain James Lovell and Dr. Frank Drake with James Burke
1991–1992
October Barbara Walters
January PM Margaret Thatcher
February General H. Norman Schwarzkopf with Larry King
March Dr. Marc Micozzi and Dr. Victor McKusick with Patricia Cornwell
April Mark Russell
1992–1993
October Terry Anderson
January Hiroki Kato and T. Boone Pickens
February Dr. Joyce Brothers
March Dr. Bill Cosby
April President Mikhail Gorbachev with Cokie Roberts
1993–1994
November Senator Warren Rudman, Lamar Alexander and Dr. Marvin Cetron with Chris Wallace
January Frank Capiello and Michael Holland with Louis Rukeyser
February President George H. W. Bush
March Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
April Bob Newhart
1994–1995
November General Colin Powell
January Walter Cronkite
February Dave Barry
March Tom Clancy
April Jack Kemp and George Mitchell
1995–1996
November PM Brian Mulroney and Ambassador Carla Hills
January Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan and Dick Rutan with David Hartman
February Calvin Trillin
March Charles Kuralt
April David Gergen, Pierre Salinger, Sheila Tate and Bob Woodward with Ed Bradley
1996–1997
November Carl Reiner with Dick Cavett
January Paul Volcker with Ray Brady
February Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
March Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sir David Frost
April Marcia Clark, Philip K. Howard, Dr. Rodney Smolla and Kym Worthy with Prof. Arthur Miller
1997–1998
November Bill Moyers
January Wynton Marsalis
February PM Shimon Peres
March Mary Tyler Moore
April Peter Lynch
1998–1999
November PM John Major
January Robert Bennett and Dr. William Bennett with Tim Russert
February Harry S. Dent, Jr. and Lou Dobbs
March Lily Tomlin
April Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau
1999–2000
November Julie Andrews
January Todd Brewster and Peter Jennings
February John Krubski and Michael Connors with Ray Brady
March Archbishop Desmond Tutu
April James Carville and Newt Gingrich with Tim Russert
2000–2001
November Senator John Glenn
January Tom Brokaw
February PM Benjamin Netanyahu
March Frank McCourt
April Dr. William Kelso
2001–2002
November Hal Holbrook
January Rabbi Marc Gellman and Msgr. Thomas Hartman
February Dick Clark
March Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
April Madeleine Albright and James Baker with Gwen Ifill
2002–2003
November Ken Burns
January Rudolph Giuliani
February PM Benazir Bhutto and Queen Noor with Gwen Ifill
March Louis Freeh
April Senator Fred Thompson
2003–2004
November Cal Ripken, Jr.
January Robert Shiller and Jeremy Siegel
February Candice Bergen
March President Mary Robinson
April Thomas L. Friedman
“Legendary Athletes (2009)”
Pro Football Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long shared stories from their careers and discussed the game and the business of football on March 21, 2009.
The pair, who co-hosted Fox’s “NFL Sunday” for 16 years, spent much of the evening taking goodnatured jabs at each other.
“We couldn’t be any more different,” Long said of the duo. “To say we’re like friends; it’s like family. He’s the older brother I never wanted.”
2004–2005
November General Tommy Franks
January Michael Beschloss and Walter Isaacson
February Tim Russert
March Dr. Fareed Zakaria
April Frank Gehry
2005–2006
November Robert Redford with Pat Mitchell
January Sherry Lansing
February General Colin Powell (Ret.)
March Tom Wolfe
April Rick Wagoner
2006–2007
November Burt Rutan
January Malcolm Gladwell and Alvin Toffler
February B.B. King
March Jim Lehrer
April Dr. Jared Diamond
2007–2008
November President Vicente Fox
January Carly Fiorina
February Michael Douglas
March Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
April David Brooks
2008–2009
November PM Tony Blair
January Reza Aslan and Jon Meacham
February Smokey Robinson with Daphne Maxwell Reid
March Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long
April Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan
2009–2010
November Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
January Greg Mortenson
March Steve Forbes
April Condoleezza Rice
May David Plouffe
2010–2011
November President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
January Laura Bush
February Anderson Cooper
March Dr. George Church
April David Blaine
2011–2012
November Dr. Robert Ballard
January Robert Gates
February Quincy Jones with Tim Reid
March Charles Krauthammer and Robert Reich with John Donvan
April Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith
2012–2013
November Platon
January Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin with Tim Reid
February President Bill Clinton
March Captain Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords
April Dr. Jane Goodall
2013–2014
November Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Maajid Nawaz with John Donvan
January Dan Buettner
February President George W. Bush
March PM Gordon Brown
April Steve Martin and Martin Short
2014–2015
November Diana Nyad
January Garry Trudeau
March Ben Bernanke with Paul Solman
April Dr. Daniel Levitin and Rosanne Cash
May General Keith Alexander and Robert Mueller with John Donvan
2015–2016
November Michael Sandel
January Alan Alda
February James Balog
March PM Julia Gillard
April Russell Wilson and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
PAST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
“The Roots of a Champion (2016)”
In a live Richmond Forum exclusive on April 2, 2016, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. traced the roots of two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, and Richmond native, Russell Wilson
This homecoming celebration mixed sports, genealogy, and American history with a few family surprises.
The full program is publicly available for viewing on our YouTube channel.
2016–2017
November Nate Parker
January Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham with Steve Inskeep
February Krista Tippett
March PM Ehud Barak and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei with Robin Wright
April Ron Howard with Linda Holmes
2017–2018
November President Barack Obama
January Glenn Close
February Peter Diamandis
March Ambassador Samantha Power
April Joe Scarborough and Newt Gingrich with Mara Liasson
2018–2019
November Captain Scott Kelly
January Tina Fey with Linda Holmes
February Dr. Sanjay Gupta
March Ian Bremmer
April Dr. Temple Grandin with John Donvan
2019–2020
November Bob Costas
January Dave Isay, Catherine Burns and Brandon Stanton with John Donvan
February Peggy Noonan
2020–2021
November José Andrés
January Theresa May
February Esther Perel
March Bryan Stevenson
April Vijay Gupta
2022
January Bob Iger with Kara Swisher
February Gloria Steinem with Zainab Salbi
March Erik Weihenmayer
April Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
May Rhiannon Giddens
June Michelle Obama
2022–2023
November Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (USA, Ret.)
January Maria Ressa
February Ella Al-Shamahi
March John Lithgow
April Dr. Cornel West and Thomas Chatterton Williams
2023–2024
November Isabel Wilkerson
January Joel Sartore
February Liz Cheney
March Dr. Anthony Fauci
April Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel
2024–2025
November Baratunde Thurston
January Dr. Amber Straughn
February Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewzski
March Richard Reeves
April Martha Stewart with Soledad O’Brien
Explore our past speaker archive and share your Forum memories at richmondforum.org/speaker.
DR. AMBER STRAUGHN
AT THE RICHMOND FORUM JANUARY 11, 2025
“THIS ISN’T JUST A STORY ABOUT SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, but a story of perseverance, of failure, of doing something that’s never been done before. A story that involves tens of thousands of people and spans decades. A story of daring to do something audacious. A story of the universe. A story of all of us.”
The launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in 2021 was one of the most remarkable engineering feats in human history. Three years in and a million miles away, the telescope is revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, which may leave humankind with more insight into our origins and our place in the universe.
Astrophysicist Dr. Amber Straughn is no stranger to the expanse, having worked on the JWST project science team at Goddard Space Flight Center since long before its launch. Accompanied by stunning JWST-captured images, she took the Richmond Forum audience on a journey back to the cosmic dark ages, revealing the nature of exoplanets and the galaxy formation of the early universe.
Growing up in the 300-person town of Bee Branch, Arkansas, Straughn spent many nights looking up at the night sky, sparking her immense curiosity about the universe. “When I was in the fifth grade, NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope and I was hooked,” she shared. “All of those stars and nebulae
and galaxies solidified in me my desire to become an astronomer.”
Straughn knows she is not alone in that curiosity. “Across time, across culture, across languages,” she said, “the universe invites us to look up and to wonder.”
So why do humans have such a fascination with the expanse? According to Straughn, it’s in our DNA. “The oxygen we breathe — the iron in our
blood — was forged inside a star billions of years ago. We’re connected viscerally to the universe.”
Building a telescope powerful enough to detect those first luminous glows after the Big Bang was no easy feat. Scientists needed to develop ten new technologies just to get started. “This remarkable telescope really has pushed the edge of what’s possible in engineering,” Straughn said.
Straughn shared dozens of awe-inspiring examples from the unprecedented discoveries
made over the past three years, including cartwheeling galactic collisions and new stars “bursting forth out of their stellar cocoons.” The images captured by JWST are more detailed than scientists and engineers could have hoped for, with each picture showing a deep field of cosmic formations to be explored. However, all the visible matter in the cosmos — the galaxies, planets, dust, and gases brought into focus — composes just 5% of the universe. The other 95% is made up of what Straughn refers to as the “scaffolding of the universe” — dark matter and dark energy.
To investigate these confounding astrophysical mysteries, NASA is currently building the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in 2027. Straughn also talked about NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, another telescope in development that will seek to answer the question: Are we alone in the universe?
“These telescopes do more than just answer scientific questions. They cause us to reflect on our connectedness. We’ve got each other. We’re not alone,” Straughn concluded. “This gives us reason to hope. The cosmic hope that if we put our hearts and minds towards doing something good, we can achieve the impossible.”
IREALLYENJOYEDTHECOMBINATIONOFHER STORYTELLINGABOUTTHEJWSTANDTHESTUDY OFTHEUNIVERSEANDTHESTUNNINGPICTURES SHESHOWED.WHATAGREATPRESENTATIONTHAT SHOULDHAVEALLOFUSTHINKINGABOUTTHE MYSTERIESOFTHEUNIVERSE! -ForumSubscriber
1) Dr. Amber Straughn explains our cosmic origins with an image of Cassiopeia A. 2) Straughn describes an image of a protostar. 3) Straughn visits the Student Room to talk with local high school students. 4) Regina Elbert of Dominion Energy, the evening’s Lead Patron, introduces the speakers. 5) Sun V Set provides musical entertainment. 6) Guests of Troutman Pepper Locke, the Host Patron for the evening.
UP NEXT AT THE FORUM
MARCH 22, 2025
RICHARD REEVES ARE BOYS FALLING BEHIND?
Over the past 50 years, we’ve made tremendous social and political strides to level the playing field for women and girls, but data indicates the gender imbalance we fought hard to overcome may now be skewed in a different direction. Author and researcher Richard Reeves has discovered through critical investigation that many boys and men are losing ground in the classroom, the workplace, and the family. With rigorous analysis and profound empathy, Reeves will explore the economic and social factors that are contributing to this systemic struggle, unveil the challenges and paradoxes inherent to navigating masculinity in the modern age, and offer a vision for a future where all can flourish.
(Format: Speech with Q&A)
APRIL 26, 2025
MARTHA STEWART WITH SOLEDAD O’BRIEN The Life Behind Living
Uncommon greatneSs
“I get a group of people who are talented to commit to excellence and to work together as one.”
Just like Coach K., we believe the game plan for success starts with bringing together people with different backgrounds and talents, and coaching them to achieve the same dream.
Greatness. In other words, when it comes to being a world-class inclusive university, we’re in a league of our own. VCU. We are the uncommon.