Keynote Speakers
Stephen L. Carter
Stephen L. Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale, where he has taught since 1982. He was also formerly a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
A prolific writer who has published widely, he has helped shape the national debate on issues ranging from the role of religion in our politics and culture to the role of integrity and civility in our daily lives. Much of his work focuses on the creation of conditions for rational dialogue while preserving a rich diversity of points of view, whether at home or in international affairs.
He has published dozens of articles in law reviews and many op-ed columns in the nation’s leading newspapers. He appears frequently on radio and television and is also a best-selling novelist. His many books include Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy; Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby; The Culture of Disbelief;Integrity; God’s Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics; and most recently The Violence of Peace: America’s Wars in the Age of Obama. He is currently writing a treatise on the ethics of war and a monograph on what democracy requires.
Professor Carter is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School, and has received eight honorary degrees.
Sam Reed
Sam Reed is Washington’s 14th Secretary of State. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Washington State University. He was elected to the office of Secretary of State in 2000 and re-elected in 2004 and 2008.
Secretary Reed is widely recognized for sweeping improvements to the voting process following Washington’s contested 2004 gubernatorial race, the closest in U.S. history. Honored for his fair handling of the election and resulting court cases, Reed immediately championed major election reform, including a new statewide voter registration system that prevents opportunity for fraud. He is also an outspoken champion for a return to more civility in politics.
His achievements as Secretary of State also include launching the nation’s first state government digital archives and far-reaching voter registration and electoral reforms.