What matters to you.
0:00
0:00
NEXT UP:
 
Top

Forum Network

Free online lectures: Explore a world of ideas

Funding provided by:

All Speakers

  • professor, economics, Harvard
  • The 2008-09 season marks the second year at MIT for Holly Metcalf. She returned to the collegiate ranks last year after establishing several successful non-profit organizations. Metcalf was a six-time member of the U.S. National Team and won five World Championship and Olympic medals. At the 1984 Olympics she captured the Gold medal in the women's eight. She has coached extensively at the club, college, and national team levels, including stints at Radcliffe College and Mount Holyoke College. Metcalf also coached the Silver-medal winning crew at the 1990 World Championships. More recently, Metcalf used rowing to enrich the lives of hundreds of women and girls through a variety of non-profit programs. In 1994, she founded the Row As One Institute, which provides masters women with top-level coaching. Metcalf was among the first to take older women seriously as rowing athletes and provided the support they needed to reach their athletic potential. She extended this concept to inner-city girls in 1996 with her G-ROW program in Watertown, Massachusetts. Six years later Metcalf established WeCanRow, a wellness and rehabilitation organization for female cancer survivors. Due to its success, it has recently evolved into WeCanRow National, which will assist the development of similar programs throughout the country.
  • Nikki Giovanni is a world renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Over the past 30 years, Giovanni's outspokenness, in her writing and in lectures, has brought much attention. She is committed to the fight for civil rights and equality and has maintained a prominent place as a strong voice of the Black community.
  • Arline Isaacson is co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. She is a political and legislative strategist with high success rate. Lobbyist with extensive marketing, public relations and media expertise. Advocacy and organizing background with emphasis on message development. Isaacson has worked with African leaders and International Ethical Leadership program. Extensive experience with labor, environmental and energy issues. Lead strategist on legislative issues for GLBT community in MA.
  • Aleksandr Ilitchev received an MA in International Relations and Journalism from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations in 1974.He wasa career diplomat, with the United Nations Secretariat since 1992. The areas of responsibility include Northeast Asia, as well as the ASEAN Regional Forum and regional security issues. Aleksandr accompanied the current Secretary-General and his predecessor on many trips to Asia, and was advisor to the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Korean Peninsula (2003-2005). Prior to joining the United Nations, he served continuously in the Russian Foreign Ministry from 1974 with the assignments at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations (Alternate Representative to the Security Council and Senior Counsellor) (1990-1992); Personal Assistant to Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze (1986-90); USA Department of the Foreign Ministry (global and regional security issues) (1985-86); Embassy in Washington, DC (1979-1985) and the US Department of the Foreign Ministry (1978-1979), as well as in Syria (1974-77).