Boston Speakers Series announces lineup for 2020-2021 Season

Symphony Hall is gearing up to welcome another illustrious lineup of speakers to mark the 10th season of Lesley University’s Boston Speakers Series, including Ambassador John Bolton, former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Bill Nye The Science Guy, author Walter Isaacson and activist Tarana Burke. Presented by Lesley University and featuring some of the world’s most celebrated, influential and sometimes controversial personalities of our time, the 2020-2021 Series will offer two series of seven memorable evenings of thought-provoking discussion and powerful perspectives that are guaranteed to entertain, charm and challenge the minds of audience members.

“This season of Lesley University’s Boston Speakers Series is dynamic and diverse, both philosophically and experientially. These major newsmakers, as well as national and global leaders, are poised to deliver inspiring and enriching evenings for everyone in attendance,” said Janet L. Steinmayer, president of Lesley University.

The complete list of speakers, in order of appearance, follows.

Oct. 5 & Oct. 7, 2020: John Bolton – The 2020-2021 series will start out with what’s sure to be an enlightening presentation by Bolton, who served as the National Security Advisor to President Trump from 2018 to 2019. Known for favoring a strong U.S. foreign and defense policy, he was appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006 by President George W. Bush.

Oct. 19 & Oct. 21, 2020: Platon – Platon’s portraits of world leaders have been featured on more than 25 Time magazine covers. A genius behind the camera, he is also a master storyteller who shares behind-the-camera tales from his experiences with some of the world’s most iconic personalities, such as Vladimir Putin, Aung San Suu Kyi, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Muammar Gaddafi.

Nov. 16 & Nov. 18, 2020: Walter Isaacson – Isaacson’s biographical works will be at the forefront of his presentation and have focused heavily on genius, including Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs. A Professor of History at Tulane University, he is the former CEO of the Aspen Institute and has been chairman of CNN and editor of Time magazine.

Jan. 25 & Jan. 27, 2021: Tarana Burke – The Speakers Series will continue in January 2021 with an insightful presentation by Burke, a civil rights activist from the Bronx. Long before the hashtag #MeToo went viral with the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Burke was the one who coined the phrase “Me Too” to raise awareness of sexual abuse and assault. She was honored as one of The Silence Breakers collectively named Time’s 2017 Person of the Year.

Feb. 22 & Feb. 24, 2021: Jamie Metzl – Metzl’s latest book, Hacking Darwin, explores the future of our species as scientists turn science fiction into reality with the genetic engineering revolution. A technology and healthcare futurist, Metzl was appointed to the World Health Organization’s advisory committee on global standards for the governance and oversight of human genome editing.

March 22 & March 24, 2021: Theresa May – Attendees will have the rare opportunity to hear directly from May, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. As only the second woman in British history to hold that position, May became Prime Minster after the historic Brexit referendum and shares unique insight about how politics, technology and business intersect at a time of profound global change.

April 23 & April 28, 2021: Bill Nye – The 2020-2021 series will conclude with an evening that will challenge minds and spark laughter as Bill Nye The Science Guy takes the stage. Nye is a television personality, best-selling author, and CEO of The Planetary Society. True to his personal mission, he helps foster a scientifically literate society, using his infectious blend of curiosity and humor to help people understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work.

“Lesley University is proud to once again offer this outstanding opportunity for our community—and Greater Boston—to hear the perspectives of national and world leaders, authors, activists, historians, scientists and other influential individuals,” said Steinmayer. “As we deepen our century-long tradition of service to others, we seek to build knowledge and engage people in meaningful discussion, and this series is an extension of our work to shape the lives of individuals, families and entire communities.”

Tickets for the 2020-2021 Boston Speakers Series are available now by visiting www.BostonSpeakers.org. As in years past, the series is sold by subscription only, offered on two series at Symphony Hall, a Monday Series and a Wednesday Series. Subscriptions for the entire series range from $335 - $565. Each presentation includes a spirited Q&A period during which the speaker addresses questions from the audience.

Presented by Lesley University, the Boston Speakers Series is sponsored by WGBH (89.7 FM) Boston Public Radio, the Boston Globe and DCU. For more information about the 2020-2021 Boston Speakers Series, visit www.BostonSpeakers.org.

About Lesley University

Lesley University uniquely focuses on the human arts, with programs that live at the intersection of education, counseling, and the visual arts. As the largest educator of teachers and counselors in New England, Lesley prepares students to impact lives, strengthen communities, and act as catalysts for a more just world. Lesley has 6,000 students studying across four colleges—a professionally-focused liberal arts college, an independent college of art and design, a graduate school of education, and a graduate school of social sciences—as well as in the Threshold Program, a residential program for students with a variety of learning differences. Spanning 60 buildings and nearly 1 million square feet from Porter Square to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lesley is located in one of the most dynamic learning environments in the country. Lesley’s 90,000 alumni work around the world in a wide variety of roles including mental health counselors, educators, expressive arts therapists, business leaders, social workers, designers, and visual artists. Learn more about Lesley University at lesley.edu.