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Guest Speakers at Medill

Medill offers you access to an unmatched array of guest speakers who work in a wide variety of media. These speakers come to our campuses and classes to share their expertise and network with students. Some present in classes and some serve as speakers or panelists at Medill events.

They provide great learning opportunities for students and help connect them with what is going on in the industry today.

Below are some of the speakers who have visited Medill recently, some of whom are Medill alumni and former or current colleagues of Medill faculty members.

  • Laurie Abraham, Elle magazine features director, award-winning author.
  • Shane Bauer, winner of Medill’s John Bartlow Martin Award for Public Interest Magazine Journalism author of “American Prison,” one of the NYT’s 10 best books; currently writing a book about Americans in the Syrian war.
  • David Barstow (BSJ86), Pulitzer Prize-winning senior writer, New York Times.
  • James Bennet, Lexington columnist at The Economist.
  • Ari Berman (BSJ04), author of “Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America,” contributing writer at Mother Jones magazine.
  • Christine Brennan (BSJ80, MSJ81), sports columnist, USA Today.
  • Elisabeth Bumiller (BSJ77), Washington bureau chief, New York Times.
  • Edwin Cameron, former justice of the South Africa Constitutional Court.
  • Cari Champion, host of The Cari Champion Show and contributing writer at CNN.
  • Joe Fryer (BSJ00), NBC News correspondent and NBC News Now anchor.
  • Kathy Gannon, Joan Shorenstein fellow at Shorenstein Center at Harvard Kennedy School, winner of the James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism.
  • Lisa Gartner (BSJ10), Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, investigative editor at the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Mike Greenberg (BSJ89), co-host, ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike”.
  • Gabe Gutierrez (BSJ05), NBC News correspondent.
  • Cassidy Hubbarth, ESPN "Sports Center" anchor.
  • Clara Jeffery (MSJ93), editor-in-chief, Mother Jones magazine.
  • Kimberly Johnson, professional products editor, The Wall Street Journal
  • Sheinelle Jones (BSJ00)Host of third hour of TODAY.

  • Sally Kestin (BSJ87), Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.
  • George R.R. Martin (BSJ70, MSJ71), author of the bestselling book series "A Song of Ice and Fire," on which the hit HBO show "Game of Thrones" is based.
  • Dean Murphy (BSJ80), associate managing editor, New York Times.
  • Pam Oliver, Fox Sports broadcaster.
  • Susan Page (BSJ73), Washington bureau chief, USA Today.
  • Bryan Pollard, project manager, The Associated Press.
  • James Risen (MSJ78), Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, senior national security correspondent, The Intercept.
  • Tina Rosenberg (MSJ82), Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, co-writer of the New York Times Fixes column, co-founder of the Solutions Journalism Network.
  • Kai Ryssdal, host and senior editor at Marketplace, the largest business broadcast program in the U.S.
  • Paul Salopek, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, National Geographic Fellow.
  • Dan Snierson (BSJ93, MSJ94), senior editor, Entertainment Weekly.
  • Julie Snyder, senior producer of “This American Life,” co-creator of "Serial".
  • Derek Thompson (BSJ08), author of a critically-acclaimed book, “Hit Makers: the Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction,” senior writer at The Atlantic magazine.
  • Nancy Utley (BSJ77, MSJ78), president, Lake Ellyn entertainment.
  • Michael Wilbon (BSJ80), ESPN analyst and columnist.