Past Speakers

Dr. Antony Fauci is one of the nation’s leading experts on science and immunology and has advised seven U.S. Presidents on global health issues, notably leading the White House’s response to COVID-19 in 2020. He now serves as the Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden.

Actor Dylan O’Brien has worked on a wide range of TV shows and movies such as "The Maze Runner" trilogy, "Teen Wolf," "Deepwater Horizon,” and "The Internship.” He came to the Forum to chat about how he built his career in entertainment, the advice he would give to others pursuing similar fields, and the importance of youth civic engagement.

Syrian American poet Amal Kassir has performed and taught in 13 countries around the world, in venues ranging from orphanages to refugee camps to youth prisons to churches. She is also a youth mentor, working to dismantle the stigma around mental health and addiction through her work with the Mental Wellness Program for Muslim Youth in Colorado.

Before he was the star of Netflix's Selling Sunset and landing record-breaking sales, Brett Oppenheim was a Berkeley student, corporate litigation attorney, and made a variety of transitions in his life. In this fireside chat, we explored the trials and tribulations of building a business and a brand, moving into the public spotlight, and taking risks beyond the norm.

Sean Miyashiro has made a career out of spearheading innovative brands, particularly in entertainment. He previously worked in music before founding 88rising, and is responsible for bringing Keshi, Rich Brian, Mxmtoon, and many more Asian artists to the U.S. market.

Sal Khan is an entrepreneur and founder of Khan Academy, one of the largest and most well-known online education providers worldwide. He has worked to expand course offerings and create interactive learning tools to expand free education to those who may not otherwise have access.

Nastia Liukin is a former elite gymnast, five-time Olympic medalist, influencer, entrepreneur, and NBC Olympic commentator. She was the Olympic All-Around champion in women’s gymnastics at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In this chat, she spoke on what it takes to be an Olympic athlete, life after elite gymnastics, and her experiences building start-ups as an entrepreneur.

Julián Castro served as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary from 2014-2017. Under Castro's leadership, the Federal Housing Administration lowered mortgage rates to make homeownership more affordable. In 2016, during his term, Castro came to the Berkeley Forum to discuss urban development, affordable housing and homelessness, and his personal journey in the Cabinet.

Before he was a star player with NBA’s Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown was a Golden Bear, leading the Cal Men’s Basketball Team during the 2015-16 season. In 2021, Brown came to the Forum to talk on panopticism and the dangers of dynamic normalization, his experience with media as a Black athlete, and his hopes for a legacy beyond basketball.

Computer scientist, Turing Award winner, and MIT Institute Professor Barbara Liskov started right here at Berkeley, and later became one of the first women to obtain a doctoral degree in computer science in the United States. A pioneer woman in STEM, Liskov has been recognized by Discover magazine as one of 50 most important women in science.

As technology advances, the global business market increases its demand for sustainable, affordable development. Lila Tretikov, CEO of the Terrawatt Initiative, spoke at the Forum in 2018 about the increasing importance of human-focused design in technology and approaches for solar energy and sustainable development that specifically address key 21st century issues.

Television director, producer, writer, and theater presence Don Roy King has earned 9 Emmy awards and given the title of most live network television hours directed by one person in history. He is especially well known for directing Saturday Night Live for twelve seasons from 2016-2021. He came to the Forum in 2018 to discuss his career journey.