Professor

To discuss the rhetoric and messaging of the 2014 State of the Union, we FEATURE Donna R. Hoffman, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Northern Iowa. Professor Hoffman focuses on both electoral politics and presidential rhetoric. She is the co-author of Addressing the State of the Union: The Evolution and Impact of the President’s Big Speech. Professor Hoffman’s research on presidential rhetoric examines the way that presidents communicate their policy agendas with both Congress and the public, especially through State of the Union addresses.

Public Policy Mediator

As talks continue at the Geneva II conference on Syria, we FEATURE Susan L. Podziba, a public policy mediator for more than twenty-five years. She has designed and mediated scores of processes across the policy spectrum including international relations and governance. As a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Ms. Podziba consulted to local, regional and national government officials on consensus processes for sustainable development and to the Dutch Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Terrorism and Radicalization.

Member of Congress

With the immigration reform debate heating up again, we FEATURE Pramila Jayapal a leading national advocate for immigrant, civil and human rights. She has been a leading voice nationally for comprehensive immigration reform, serving on the executive committee of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, a national coalition of the largest state-based immigrant rights organizations that developed coordinated field and advocacy strategies to move federal immigration policy reform forward.

On-Air Sports Contributor (CNN, NBC News, HLN, Entertainment Tonight's The Insider on CBS); Creator, Executive Producer, Former Talk Show Host for Huffington Post

Only a few days until the Broncos and Seahawks face each other in Super Bowl XLVIII! We FEATURE Alexis McCombs, the creater, producer and host of the talk show “Instant She-Play” on AOL Sports/Huffington Post where three women interviewed top NFL athletes about politics, religion and other hot topics. McCombs has served as a judge for the Sports Emmys Awards and is a board member for the Association of Women in Sports Media (AWSM).