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As Ken Carpenter, Assistant Director for Research Resources in the Harvard University Library and the Harvard College Library, stepped down on December 31, he could count 35 years of service to Harvard's library collections. A distinguished librarian and editor, Ken is a pioneer in the world of archival microfilm and a champion of the need to bring coherence and high standards to Harvard's microfilming efforts.

Dr. Alexander Altschuller practices Cardiovascular Disease Cardiology Internal Medicine in Massachusetts.

Curtis Sittenfeld is the author of the bestselling novels American Wife, Prep, and The Man of My Dreams, which are being translated into twenty-five languages. Prep also was chosen as one of the Ten Best Books of 2005 by The New York Times, nominated for the UK's Orange Prize, and optioned by Paramount Pictures. Curtis won the Seventeen magazine fiction writing contest in 1992, at age sixteen, and since then her writing has appeared in many publications, including The Atlantic Monthly, Salon, Glamour, and on public radio's This American Life. A graduate of Stanford University and the Iowa Writers' Workshop, she was the 2002 - 2003 writer in residence at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C.

Professor Northrup teaches courses on the history of sub-Saharan Africa, Atlantic history, globalization, and world history. His research has dealt with pre-colonial Nigeria, early colonial Congo, the Atlantic slave trade, Asian and African indentured labor migration, and African encounters with Europe in the pre-colonial era. His work has included British, Belgian, and French colonialism in Africa. He served as President of the World History Association during 2004 and 2005.

Ali A. Allawi is the former Minister of Finance, Defense, and Trade of Iraq. Currently, he is a senior visiting fellow at Princeton University. Born in Baghdad in 1947, Allawi graduated from MIT in 1968 with a BSc in Civil Engineering. He went on to do postgraduate studies in regional planning at the London School of Economics, and then obtained an MBA from Harvard University. Allawi was active in the opposition to the Baathist regime from 1968 onwards. He spent a number of years in finance in various positions outside Iraq, including a position at the World Bank. In 1978, he co-founded Arab International Finance, a merchant bank based in London, and in 1992, he founded Fisa Group, which manages two hedge funds. From 1999-2002, he was a Senior Associate Member at St. Anthony's College, Oxford University.

Howard Manly is the executive editor of the *Bay State Banner*. His journalism career started in January 1982 at *The New Bedford* *Standard Times* and includes stints at *The Washington Times*, *The Philadelphia Inquirer*, *New York Newsday*, *Newsweek* and *The Boston Globe*. Prior to joining the Banner in August 2005, Manly wrote a thrice-weekly column on the opinion pages of *The Boston Herald*. Manly is also the co-author of *Lift Every Voice*, a non-fiction account of the Boys Choir of Harlem. Manly's career in television started as an on-air correspondent on *Greater Boston*, a nightly news show airing on WGBH-TV, a PBS affiliate. He also hosted *Basic Black,* a 30-minute, public affairs show on WGBH that focused on African American news. A graduate of the St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., Manly received a B.A. in International Relations from Bucknell University.

Vice Admiral H. Denby Starling II assumed command of Naval Network Warfare Command on June 15, 2007. He is responsible for operating, maintaining and defending Navy networks, and conducting information operations and space operations. Overseeing a global force of more than 14,000, he is also the functional Component Commander to U.S. Strategic Command for space, information operations and network operations. He was designated a Naval Flight Officer in March 1975, and a Naval Aviator in March 1983. At sea, Vice Adm. Starling flew the A-6 Intruder with the Black Falcons of VA-85, the Golden Intruders of VA-128 as an instructor, and the Milestones of VA-196 as a department head. Additionally, he served as the commissioning executive officer of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Ashore, Vice Adm. Starling served on the staff of Medium Attack Tactical Electronic Warfare Wing, Pacific, and as a student at the Naval War College, where he graduated with Highest Distinction. His first flag assignment was to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Northwood, U.K., as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, Intelligence and Exercises, for the Commander-in-Chief East Atlantic/Commander Allied Naval Forces Northern Europe.

Laurie Donnelly serves as Executive Producer for "Go Put Your Strengths to Work". As the Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer in charge of the WGBH Lifestyle Unit, Donnelly also helps guide content and provides invaluable direction for some of public televisions most high-profile series, including *This Old House*, *Ask This Old House*, and *Real Simple*. Additionally, she is currently the Executive Producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series *The Victory Garden* and the public television series *Simply Ming* starring celebrity chef Ming Tsai. Donnelly's past production credits include the recent prime-time PBS reality series *Cooking Under Fire*, the popular and long-running special *Evening at Pops*, and several highly acclaimed how-to programs including fitness specials with wellness guru *Loretta LaRoche*, *The Motley Fools Money-Making*, life-changing special *Hot off the Grill*, and the on-air radio cooking special *From Julias Kitchen with Julia Child*.