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Since she was first elected to the State Legislature in 1992, Debra Bowen has been a pioneer in government reform, consumer protection and privacy rights, environmental conservation, and open government. She also is a leading women's advocate, fighting for equality in the workplace and in government, child care, health care and civil rights.

Author, magazine journalist, and historian Garrett Graff is the director of the Aspen Institute’s cybersecurity and technology program. He has written multiple books on politics, technology, and national security and contributed to Esquire and the New York Times. Graff has served as editor for Washingtonian and POLITICO Magazine. His most recent book was published in May 2017 and presents the story of the government's Cold War Doomsday plans.

president, MFS Institutional Advisors

Natalie Jacobson was an anchor and reporter for WCVB-TV's award-winning *NewsCenter 5* from 1972 until July 18, 2007. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire. Jacobson joined WCVB in 1972 as a reporter and became the anchor for its Midday newscast that same year. She became the first woman to anchor an evening newscast in Boston. Jacobson has been honored over the years by dozens of Boston-area charitable institutions for her untiring efforts on behalf of those less fortunate. In addition, she is involved in numerous community organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Genesis Fund and on the Board of the Scleroderma Research Fund. She is actively involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Salvation Army. In 1992, she was honored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews as the recipient of the Institute of Human Relations Community Service Award. In 2007, Jacobson was honored with the Centennial Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in journalism by Suffolk University. She is only the second journalist to receive the honor. The New England Regional Chapter of the Radio and Television News Directors Association recognized Jacobson with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

Kenji Yoshino is the Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law. Prior to moving to NYU, he was the inaugural Guido Calabresi Professor of Law and Deputy Dean of Intellectual Life at Yale Law School, where he taught from 1998 to 2008. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, took a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, and earned his law degree at Yale Law School. A specialist in constitutional law, anti-discrimination law, and law and literature, Yoshino has published in major academic journals, such as *the Columbia Law Review*, *the Stanford Law Review*, and *the Yale Law Journal*. He has also written extensively in other popular venues, such as *The Boston Globe*, *The Los Angeles Times*, *The New York Times*, and *The Washington Post*. He has appeared on *The Charlie Rose Show*, *The O'Reilly Factor*," *Washington Journal*, and *The Tavis Smiley Show.* He is currently working on a book on Shakespeare and the Law.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee was first elected to represent California's 9th Congressional District in 1998 in a special election to fill the seat of retiring Congressman Ron Dellums. A member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Lee serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, the State and Foreign Operations and the Financial Services Subcommittees. Additionally, she serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee on the subcommittees on Western Hemisphere and Africa and Global Health. Congresswoman Lee was sworn in as the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on January 6, 2009. The 42-member CBC is one of the longest standing caucuses in Congress and is often referred to as the conscience of the Congress for their willingness to tackle the most serious social and economic issues facing minorities in the United States. Born in El Paso Texas, Congresswoman Lee graduated from Mills College in Oakland and received her MSW from the University of California in Berkeley. She began her political career as an intern in the office of her predecessor, then Congressman Ron Dellums, current Mayor of Oakland, where she eventually became his chief of staff. Before being elected to Congress, she served in the California State Assembly from 1990-1996 and in the California State Senate from 1996-1998.

U.S. politician, former governor of Texas, Ann Richards was born Dorothy Ann Willis on September 1, 1933, in Lakeview, Texas. Known for her sharp wit, strong personality, and liberal political views, Richards fought for womens and minority rights and worked to bring more women and minorities into power. She showed political promise in high school, excelling in debates. Her strong debating skills earned her a college scholarship, graduating from Baylor University in 1950. She went on to get a teaching certificate at the University of Texas in Austin in 1955.

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Fate, as well as the bestsellers The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires and The Zero Game. He is also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby - and is the number one selling author of the critically acclaimed comic books, Identity Crisis and Justice League of America, for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. His newest thriller, The Book of Lies, was just released. Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all six of his novels.

Yawei Liu was appointed director of the Carter Center's China program in 2005, having served as associate director since 1998. He has been a member of numerous Carter Center election observation missions to China and Latin America. He also is an associate professor of American history at Georgia Perimeter College.