New York Times White House Correspondent Peter Baker and staff writer at the New Yorker Susan Glasser - with moderator Steve Scanlan - at the 2022 Public Policy Forum.
2026 Videos
June 24, 2026 - Professor Leila Sadat
International Law in a World on Fire
Leila Sadat is the James Carr Professor of International Criminal Law at Washington University School of Law and served as Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to two International Criminal Court Prosecutors from 2013–2023. A key architect of the ICC and director of the Crimes Against Humanity Initiative, she is one of the world's leading authorities on international criminal law and human rights.
In this talk, Professor Sadat explores what international law can — and cannot — do amid today's escalating conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan. She examines the frameworks for prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity, the limits of enforcement when courts have no army or police, and what role international law still plays in a world where major-power impunity and disregard for global norms are on the rise.
Video: Laccolith Media | laccolithmedia.com
June 30, 2026 - Lawrence Lessig
The Layers of Corruption
Lawrence Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School and one of the nation's foremost thinkers on institutional corruption and democratic reform. A former director of Harvard's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, he built his career studying how institutions can be corrupted even when the people inside them are not. He's the author of Republic, Lost, America, Compromised, and The Loop: How AI Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back, and in 2015 he briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination on a single-issue campaign to end money's influence in politics.
In this talk, Professor Lessig lays out what he sees as five interlocking layers of corruption eroding American political and cultural life today. He traces the corrupting role of money in politics, the way engagement-driven cable news and social media profit from division and misinformation, and the deeper structural failures — including gerrymandering and partisan entrenchment — that insulate politicians from public accountability. He connects these dynamics directly to the current political moment and administration, then turns to the newest and, in his view, most consequential layer: artificial intelligence. Lessig examines how AI threatens to accelerate all the others — supercharging disinformation, concentrating power, and further weakening the checks that are supposed to hold democracy accountable — and asks what it will take to reverse course.
Video: Laccolith Media | laccolithmedia.com
July 7, 2026 - Sarah Labowitz
When Disaster Strikes: The Future of FEMA and Federal Response
Sarah Labowitz is a leading expert on disaster policy, and global supply chains. She is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where her work focuses on emergency management, disaster response, and climate resilience. Previously, she served in the U.S. Department of State and co-founded NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. She also served as the Policy Director for the ACLU Texas. She has advised governments, international organizations, and the private sector on responding to disasters and strengthening resilience in an increasingly complex world.
In this talk, Labowitz explores how the U.S. government prepares for and responds to large-scale disasters in an era of more frequent and more destructive wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other climate-driven emergencies. Drawing on her experience at the intersection of public policy and disaster response, she examines how federal, state, and local agencies coordinate during crises, the critical role of logistics and supply chains in delivering aid, and what recent disasters have revealed about both the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. emergency response system. She also discusses how communities can become more resilient before disasters strike and what policy changes are needed to better prepare for the challenges of a changing climate.
July 14, 2026 - Michael Weiss
The Marketization of Russian Intelligence
Michael Weiss is an investigative journalist, author, and one of the world's foremost experts on Russian intelligence, disinformation, and authoritarianism. As Editor-at-Large at The Insider, his reporting has helped expose some of the Kremlin's most significant covert operations, from espionage networks and influence campaigns to assassinations and sabotage. He is also the co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror and has written extensively for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and many other leading publications.
In this talk, Weiss examines what he calls "The Marketization of Russian Intelligence"—the transformation of Russia's intelligence apparatus from a system dominated by state agencies into a sprawling ecosystem that increasingly relies on private actors, criminal organizations, oligarchs, hackers, mercenary groups, and commercial intermediaries. Drawing on years of investigative reporting, he explains how these overlapping networks enable the Kremlin to conduct espionage, sabotage, influence operations, and political interference while maintaining plausible deniability.
Through compelling real-world examples, Weiss explores how Russian intelligence has adapted to the modern era, blurring the lines between government, organized crime, and the private sector. He also discusses the implications of this evolving model for Western democracies, national security, and the future of intelligence operations.
July 21, 2026 - Stephen Morrison
America’s Health Security in Trump 2.0
J. Stephen Morrison is one of the nation's leading experts on global health security, pandemic preparedness, and U.S. health policy. As Senior Vice President at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and director of its Global Health Policy Center, he has spent decades advising Congress, presidential administrations, and international leaders on issues ranging from infectious disease outbreaks and global health diplomacy to biosecurity and health system resilience. He is also the co-host of the CommonHealth Live! podcast and has played a leading role in shaping conversations around global health security before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this talk, "America's Health Security in Trump 2.0," Morrison examines the future of U.S. health security during President Trump's second administration. He explores how changing political priorities could shape America's preparedness for future pandemics, the country's global health leadership, international partnerships, vaccine policy, and the institutions responsible for responding to emerging biological threats. Drawing on decades of experience at the intersection of health and national security, Morrison offers a timely assessment of the opportunities and risks facing the United States as it confronts an increasingly complex global health landscape.
July 28, 2026 - Stephen Richer
Midterm Elections: What Should We Anticipate?
Stephen Richer is one of the nation's leading voices on election administration, democratic institutions, and election integrity. As the former Maricopa County Recorder in Arizona, he oversaw voter registration and early voting in one of the country's largest and most closely watched election jurisdictions during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. Throughout his tenure, Richer became a prominent national figure for his defense of the integrity of American elections, speaking frequently about election administration, misinformation, public trust, and the challenges facing election officials in an increasingly polarized political environment.
In this talk, The 2026 Midterm Elections: What Should We Anticipate, Richer explores the political, legal, and logistical issues likely to shape the upcoming midterm elections. Drawing on his firsthand experience administering elections under intense public scrutiny, he examines the current state of election integrity, the evolving challenges posed by misinformation and public distrust, recent changes in election laws and procedures, and what voters, candidates, and election officials can expect as the nation heads toward another consequential election season. Richer also reflects on the broader importance of maintaining confidence in democratic institutions while protecting both election security and access to the ballot.
August 4, 2026 - Patrick Jenevein
China’s Interest in Iran
Patrick Jenevein is an entrepreneur, author, and longtime observer of China with decades of firsthand experience doing business in the country. As the former CEO of Tang Energy Group, Jenevein spent years developing and investing in energy projects in China, giving him an unusually close view of the country's political system, business environment, and relationship with the United States. His experiences navigating partnerships, disputes, and negotiations in China have shaped his perspective on the opportunities and risks facing American companies operating there and on the broader challenges posed by China's growing global influence.
In this talk, China’s Interest in Iran, Jenevein examines the increasingly complex relationships China has with other countries. Drawing on his extensive experience working inside China, he explores the country's economic and political ambitions, the challenges American businesses face when operating there, and the tensions shaping U.S.–China relations. He considers how the United States can engage with China while protecting its economic and national security interests, and what China's evolving role on the world stage could mean for American policymakers, businesses, and citizens. Jenevein also discusses Iran and the broader geopolitical landscape, including how relationships among China, Iran, the United States, and other global powers are reshaping international affairs.
Aug 11, 2026 - Paul Spinks
The Wake-Up Call: Mental Health, Mindset and Responsibility
Paul Spinks is a mental health advocate, educator, and crisis prevention expert whose work has taken him across Australia and around the world. Drawing on decades of frontline experience, Spinks has worked with individuals and communities facing mental health crises, trauma, suicide, and some of life’s most difficult moments.
In this talk, “The Wake-Up Call: Mental Health, Mindset and Responsiblity” Spinks explores how we can better recognize when someone is struggling, what we can do before a crisis occurs, and how individuals and communities can respond when someone is in distress.
This was a particularly hard-hitting and candid presentation. Drawing on real-world examples and his own experiences, Spinks speaks openly about the realities of mental health crises and suicide, bringing an honesty and authenticity to the subject that makes this talk both powerful and practical. Rather than speaking in abstractions, he challenges us to think about what these crises look like in real life—and what each of us can actually do to help prevent them and respond when they occur.
The conversation is particularly relevant here in the Gunnison Valley, where mental health challenges and suicide have touched far too many families and members of our community.
This lecture was presented on August 11, 2026, as the final talk of the 2026 Crested Butte Public Policy Forum season at the Center for the Arts Crested Butte. The program was co-sponsored by CB State of Mind, a local nonprofit working to improve access to mental health resources and support throughout the Gunnison Valley.
If you would like to contact him directly, feel free to email him at paul@thewakeupcall.me.
2025 Speaker Audio Recordings
June 24 - Becky Mitchell & Doug Kenney~ Moderated by Julie Nania - “The Upper Colorado River”
July 1 - Leslie T. Chang ~ “Globalization and its Discontents - Stories from the Factory Floors of Egypt and China”
July 8 - Laura Adams ~ “Governing AI in Healthcare: the Hope, the Hype, the Promise and the Peril”
July 15 - Yael Schacher ~ “Immigration Enforcement: The Human Toll of a Second Trump Term - And What to do About it”
July 22 - Paul Kane ~ “Will Today’s Congress Stand Up to the Trump Administration?”
July 29 - Alex Filippenko~ “Exciting Results with NASA’s James Webb Telescope” This was a visually rich lecture and the audio recording is far from the full experience.
August 5 - Nidhi Bouri ~ “Foreign Aid at a Crossroads: Navigating Humanitarian and Global Health Challenges in a New Era”
August 12 - Daniel I. Weiner ~ “American Democracy in Crisis: Big Challenges and the Path Forward”
2024 Speaker Recordings
June 18th - Justin Farrell & Neal Payton, in conversation with Jason Blevins of The Colorado Sun - “Resort Economics: How mountain towns and their communities thrive in the future?”
June 25th - Sandy Magnus - “Satellite Space Jams: Avoiding Collisions in Outer Space”
July 9th - Dr. Lisa Dale - “Adapting to Climate Change”
July 16th - Dr. Paul Spiegel - “ Delivering Humanitarian Assistance in Gaza: Public Health Strategies and Interventions”
July 16th - Sophia Rosenfeld - “What Can We Talk About? The Free Speech Battle in Our Colleges and Universities”
July 30th - Alison Nordt - “From the James Webb Telescope to Habitable Worlds: Technology to Scientific Discovery”
August 6th - Daniel Drezner - “ The Uncertain State of American Grand Strategy”
2023 Speaker Recordings
Sewell Chan, “The Collapse of Local News, the Rise of Disinformation and the Consequences for our Democracy”
June 27, 2023 - This speaker recording is unavailable. We apologize.
Naomi Oreskes, “The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government & Love the Free Market”
July 5, 2023
Ed Goeas ~ “The State of Politics Today” ~Interviewed by Steve Scully
July 11, 2023
Dr. Lesley Brooks ~ “Learning & Unlearning: The Opioid Crisis, the Stories We Tell Ourselves and the Way Forward”
July 18, 2023
Dr. Anthony Tingle ~ “The Ukraine War: Origins to Endgame”
July 25, 2023
Dr. Sam Myers ~ “Planetary Health”
August 1, 2023
Hardin Lang ~ “The Geopolitics of Conflict and Crisis: Humanitarian Action in a Complex World”
August 8, 2023
Maggie L. Fox ~ “Kinship: The Role of Culture in Driving Collective Action”
August 15, 2023
2022 Speaker Recordings
Michael Swaine, What Exactly, Is the Threat From China?”
June 28, 2022
Amy Zegart, “Decoding Cyber Threats”
July 12, 2022
Peter Baker & Susan Glasser - Moderated by Bill Scanlan,
“Biden’s Washington: A Report From the Front Lines”
July 19, 2022
Amber McReynolds, “Voters First Future - The Challenge to Improve Our Civic Health, Protect Voting Rights and Secure Our Elections”
July 26, 2022
Dr. Nicki Gonzales, “Si Se Puedo: How Latinos Shaped Colorado History”
August 2,2022
General James L. Jones, “America In Decline? Not so Fast!”
August 9, 2022
Anne Castle, “The Years of Living Dangerously on the Colorado River”.
August 16, 2022
Listen to Past speakers
2021 Speakers
Joe Cirincione, “Biden’s National Security Priorities: Will His New Strategy Work?”
June 29, 2021
Sharon Hom, “Between a Rock & a Hard Place: China Challenges to Human Rights.”
July 6, 2021 - No recording available at this time.
Joni Reynolds, “Reflections on the Pandemic: A Report from the Front Lines”
July 13, 2021
David McCraw, “Lies and Liberty: The Future of Free Speech in a Divided America”
July 20, 2021
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Is Big Tech Too Powerful? The Case against Facebook and Google”
July 27, 2021
Paul Andersen, “The Legacy of the Red Lady Mine Battle and Lessons for the West”
August 3, 202
Governor Bill Ritter, “America’s Energy Economy: Transition or Revolution?”
August 101, 2021
Naomi Oreskes, “Why do we trust Science when our politicians don’t?”
August 17, 2021