A Pulitzer-Prize winning biographer, presidential historian, former sports journalist and political commentator.

Award-winning New Yorker staff writer and bestselling author of five books including Killers of the Flower Moon, The Wager and The Lost City of Z.

Bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and memoirs, including The Joy Luck Club.

Acclaimed journalist and bestselling author of seven books including Ghost Soldiers and On Desperate Ground.

The Peach Seed was named a top ten finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Fiction in 2021, solidifying her status as a rising star in the literary world.

Beloved Irish bestselling and award-winning author of 11 novels, including Brooklyn, The Magician and The Master.

Retired four-star U.S. Navy Admiral and the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, Admiral James G. Stavridis is renowned for his strategic military expertise and global diplomacy. His new book, 2084, envisions a near-future global conflict ignited by climate collapse.

The author of eight books, former Marine Corps and CIA special ops team member, and co-author of the bestselling thriller 2034: A Novel of the Next World War and its sequel 2054.

National Geographic Explorer in Residence, Ethnographer, Writer, Photographer and Filmmaker

Acclaimed journalist and bestselling author of biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackie Robinson and Mohammed Ali. Recent recipient of The New-York Historical Society’s Book prize awarded annually for the best work of American history and biography.

Prominent figure on the Latino, New York, and national political scene, thought leader, author, and father of Hamilton playwright.

Renowned Professor of Law at Yale University and Yale Law School. One of this era’s most accomplished legal scholars and author of five books focused on the American Constitution.

Popular “mathemagician” and acclaimed Harvey Mudd college professor Arthur Benjamin, Ph.D., is the bestselling author of two books on the secret of mental math. His three TED talks have been viewed more than 50 million times.

Jeffrey Rosen is the President and CEO of the non-partisan National Constitution Center in Philadelphia where he hosts “We the People,” a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. Author of five books, Rosen graduated from Harvard College, Oxford University,  and Yale Law School.

Award-winning litigator and renowned historian Talmage Boston is the author of a highly anticipated new book, How The Best Did It, on the leadership lessons that can be gained from an analysis of our greatest presidents.

“Get Me Carlucci!!” Once called “Washington’s ultimate survivor” by The Washington Post, Frank Carlucci served six presidents and rose to prominence as Deputy Director of the CIA and as Secretary of Defense for President Reagan. Frank Carlucci had a wide-ranging career of one of the twentieth century’s most important behind-the-scenes actors.

A former Secretary of the Navy and distinguished Naval Academy graduate, shares his inspiring journey in “At the Helm: My Journey with Family, Faith, and Friends to Calm the Storms of Life.” His memoir highlights principled leadership, ethical challenges faced, and pivotal contributions to naval history.

Alex Filippenko is an award-winning UC Berkeley astrophysicist and electrifying speaker, known for groundbreaking research on supernovae and dark energy, whose infectious enthusiasm and humor turn cosmic mysteries into mind-opening, unforgettable experiences for audiences of all backgrounds.

Internationally renowned illustrator, designer and visual storyteller. Author/designer of children’s books and 7 US Postage stamps including the 2006 Love stamp.

Having spent two decades living in China, most recently as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and a Mandarin speaker, Gibbs understands the most recent changes and implications for American companies, the Taiwan issue and the future of the US-China relationship.

Jeanne Walker Harvey is an award-winning children’s book author of picture book biographies. Her newest is The Glass Pyramid: The Louvre Museum and Architect I.M Pei. Harvey has also written the iconic San Francisco Bay-inspired picture book Boats on the Bay. She is the featured author of SVAF’s Young Readers Program.

Quinton Martins, Ph.D., leads True Wild and the Living with Lions project, conserving San Francisco’s mountain lions. With 30 years’ field experience and a Ph.D. from the University of Bristol, he’s an esteemed authority on large wild cats, formerly founding the successful Cape Leopard Trust in South Africa.

Writer, entrepreneur, inventor, explorer and tech visionary Aza Raskin heads up an international nonprofit using AI to decode animal languages. Raskin also co-leads the Center for Humane Technology, dedicated to actualizing a comprehensive shift toward technology that strengthens our well-being, global democratic functioning, and shared information environment.

What are the national security challenges and threats to Liberal Democracies in 2024? Kori Schake is a Senior Fellow and the Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. She is a former presidential policy advisor and leading foreign and defense expert.

Julia Flynn Siler is a bestselling author and acclaimed journalist known for her impactful works such as “The White Devil’s Daughters” and “Lost Kingdom: Hawaii’s Last Queen.”

Healthcare visionary, renowned researcher and President of the Gladstone Institutes with 500 researchers and scientists. The transformation in healthcare is here.

PBS NewsHour senior correspondent Jeffrey Brown will return to the SVAF stage in 2026 as a lead moderator. During his long and illustrious career, Brown has reported on a wide range of national and international issues. His book of prose and poetry, The News, explores the intersections between politics and poetry.

Accomplished singer, historian, and public speaker, recognized for his rich contributions to cultural commentary and music. Griffin is also known for his efforts in preserving African American history and culture through storytelling and performance.

Strock writes the ‘Next Nationalism’ on Substack and hosts the ‘Serve to Lead’ podcast.

Laura Zimmerman is a nonprofit leader and Board Director for the Sonoma Fund, with a background in communications and Bay Area TV journalism. She has also served as Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation and worked with Paul Newman’s ‘The Painted Turtle’ camp.