Pittsburgh Speakers Series Announces Lineup for 2019-2020 Season

As the Pittsburgh Speakers Series sets the stage for its next sell-out season, it is preparing to welcome to Heinz Hall another dazzling lineup of speakers, including John Kerry, Jason Alexander (Seinfeld’s George Costanza), Susan Rice and Bob Woodward. Presented by Robert Morris University and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and featuring some of the world’s most celebrated and influential personalities of our time, the 2019-2020 Series will provide attendees the unique opportunity to listen to brilliance and simultaneously be entertained during seven memorable evenings filled with powerful perspectives and enlightening discussion. The complete list of presenters, in order of appearance, follows.

Oct. 2, 2019: John Kerry – The 2019-2020 series will get underway with what’s sure to be a fascinating presentation by Kerry, who served as Secretary of State during President Barack Obama’s second term. Following a nearly 30-year tenure as a senator from Massachusetts, he became the Democratic Party’s nominee for president of the United States in 2004. Kerry will give audience members a glimpse into his storied life.

Oct. 30, 2019: Zanny Minton Beddoes – Named one of the “Most Powerful Women in the World” by Forbes, Beddoes will share insights from her experience as the first female editor-in-chief of The Economist, a post she has held since 2015. Prior to her 25-year tenure with The Economist, she was an economist at the International Monetary Fund.

Nov. 13, 2019: Bob Woodward - Attendees will have a unique opportunity to spend an evening with journalistic icon and associate editor of The Washington Post, Bob Woodward. He, along with Carl Bernstein, uncovered the Watergate scandal detailed in their Pulitzer Prizewinning book, All the President’s Men. Woodward has written 19 bestselling books on American politics, most recently, Fear: Trump in the White House.

Jan. 15, 2020: Douglas Brinkley – An award-winning historian, Brinkley has written more than 20 books on a wide range of topics that will be at the forefront of his presentation, including D-Day, Hurricane Katrina and the lives of Ronald Reagan, Bob Dylan and Walter Cronkite. Brinkley serves as CNN Presidential Historian, and as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, American Heritage and Audubon.

Feb. 19, 2020: Peter Diamandis – Named one of the “World’s Greatest Leaders” by Fortune Magazine, Diamandis will grace the stage to share how a space entrepreneur turned innovation pioneer founded the XPRIZE Foundation to fund big money competitions to inspire groundbreaking developments in science and technology, and to solve some of the planet’s most pressing challenges.

March 25, 2020: Susan Rice – Rice is sure to captivate audience members with an insightful presentation regarding her impressive career, including her tenure as National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2017 and her role as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. Deepening her experience, Rice worked for the National Security Council and was Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the Clinton administration.

April 29, 2020: Jason Alexander – The 2019-2020 series will conclude with an evening of laughter as actor, singer, comedian and director Jason Alexander takes to the stage. While he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the hit television series Seinfeld, his other well-known movie credits include Pretty Woman, Duckman and Shallow Hal. He also has had an active career on stage, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for his role in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.

“Robert Morris University serves as a gateway to great careers and great lives, and we believe exposing our students and our community to diverse experiences and viewpoints plays a vital role in that,” said Dr. Chris Howard, president of Robert Morris University. “It is our great pleasure to be presenting one of the most dynamic lineups in the history of the Pittsburgh Speakers Series this upcoming season, and we invite the community to enjoy seven thought-provoking evenings filled with rich commentary, lively engagement and a healthy dose of humor.” Robert Morris University launched the Pittsburgh Speakers Series in 2002, and it has featured over 120 world-renowned speakers since its inception.

Tickets for the 2019-2020 Pittsburgh Speakers Series, which is expected to sell out quickly, are available now by visiting www.PittsburghSpeakers.org or by calling 412-392-4900. As in years past, the series is sold by subscription, with subscribers guaranteed admission to hear all seven dynamic speakers. Subscriptions for the entire series range from $335 - $475. All presentations will begin at 8 p.m. and each includes a spirited Q&A period during which the speaker addresses questions from the audience.

Presented by Robert Morris University and UPMC, the Pittsburgh Speakers Series is sponsored by KDKA Newsradio 1020 and UBS Financial Services Inc. For more information about the 2019-2020 Pittsburgh Speakers Series, visit www.PittsburghSpeakers.org.

About Robert Morris University

Robert Morris University enrolls approximately 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. A nationally ranked doctoral research university, RMU offers fully online courses as well as a traditional residential college experience at its campus on 230 scenic acres 17 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Colonials compete in 16 NCAA Division I sports, including ice hockey, basketball, football, volleyball and lacrosse. See more at www.rmu.edu.