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Symone Sanders Townsend & Will Hurd

Together, seasoned political strategist and former White House senior advisor Symone Sanders Townsend and former Representative and cybersecurity expert Will Hurd are uniquely positioned to offer insider insights about how to get things done in Washington, D.C., as well as nuanced analysis of crisis management in today’s most pressing issues.

Seasoned political strategist and commentator Symone Sanders Townsend offers an in-depth analysis of today’s most important issues with authenticity, humor, and unparalleled insight. Drawing on her White House experience as a Senior Advisor, Sanders Townsend shares her expertise in communication and political strategy, in-depth analysis of key political issues, and the challenges and possibilities for radical change, offering vitalizing takeaways that engage as well as inform.

Known for putting good policy over party, Will Hurd draws on his tenure in Congress to share what is coming next in D.C. and his thoughts on how to move the country forward as a united nation. He is currently a managing director at currently Managing Director at Allen & Company, a private investment bank, and author of American Reboot: An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done, a vision for leadership that is values-based and inspiring for audiences of all kinds.

Sanders Townsend and Hurd offer powerful commentary about the future of policy and the complex political landscape, and how to strategize for progress despite the rise of partisanship, teaming up for an impactful program that resonates.

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Symone Sanders Townsend headshot

Symone Sanders Townsend

EXCLUSIVE
  • Political Strategist and Former CNN Political Commentator
  • Host & Anchor, MSNBC's 'The Weekend'
  • Former Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris
  • Author of 'No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America'

Symone Sanders Townsend: Strategic Communicator | Leadership Catalyst | Advocate for Change

Symone Sanders Townsend is a powerhouse communicator and thought leader whose TED Talk Stop asking permission! challenges audiences to lead with courage, authenticity, and conviction. A dynamic voice on leadership, resilience, and social change, Sanders Townsend has built a career at the intersection of strategy, communication, and equity—advising leaders and organizations on how to navigate high-stakes challenges with clarity and purpose.

Sanders Townsend made history as the youngest national press secretary for a U.S. presidential campaign, working with Senator Bernie Sanders. She later served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration. She went on to become a prominent political commentator for CNN and currently serves as host of SYMONE on MSNBC, in addition to anchoring and hosting for MSNBC’s streaming platform, The Choice.

The author of No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, Sanders Townsend shares her take-no-prisoners approach to leadership and career success, inspiring a new generation to embrace authenticity and drive meaningful change. She has delivered energizing keynotes at SXSW, Politico’s Women Rule Summit, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, and beyond. As principal of the 360 Group, she has also advised corporations, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations on messaging, strategy, and social impact initiatives.

With humor, insight, and unshakable authenticity, Sanders Townsend delivers transformative talks on leadership, communication, diversity, and navigating change—empowering audiences across industries to stop asking for permission and start making their mark.

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Will Hurd headshot

Will Hurd

EXCLUSIVE
  • Board Member: Icon Technologies, Personal.AI, the Center for European Policy Analysis, & the Council on Foreign Relations
  • U.S. Representative (R-TX) (2015 - 2021)
  • Former CIA Officer
  • Author of 'American Reboot: An Idealist's Guide to Getting Big Things Done'

The Honorable Will Hurd, a former CIA officer and congressman, has had a dynamic career spanning intelligence, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence policy, and public service. Currently serving as Chief Strategy Officer at the defense technology start-up CHAOS Industries and author of American Reboot: An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done, Hurd brings a wealth of experience in technology, national security, and governance to his roles on various boards and his ongoing efforts to shape innovative policies for America's future.

Hurd is a leading voice for bipartisanship, inclusivity, and finding unity in the face of divisive issues. He helped build FusionX to combat cyber adversaries. While serving in Congress, Politico named Hurd “the Future of the GOP.” He was renowned for his ability to put policy ahead of politics – getting more substantive legislation signed into law in three terms than most lawmakers achieve in decades. Always forward-thinking, Hurd wrote the first national strategy on AI, held the first Congress hearing on AI, and published the first Presidential Plan for AI. As a presidential candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, he introduced innovative AI and border policies. 

As renowned cybersecurity expert, Managing Director at Allen & Company, a board member of OpenAI, and a trustee of the German Marshall Fund, Hurd was at the center of technology, national security, and public policy. Offering insights informed by his time in the CIA and politics, Hurd helps organizations and individuals put threats into context and directs focus toward unifying strategies for policy, economic empowerment, and America’s technological future.

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Biography

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Symone Sanders Townsend's Biography

Symone Sanders Townsend is an author and seasoned political strategist.

Sanders Townsend rose to prominence in 2016 as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’s then-presidential campaign.  At 25, she became the youngest presidential press secretary on record and was named to Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of 16 young Americans shaping  the 2016 election.  At 29, she published her first book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America and served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.  At 31, Sanders Townsend was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris.

A communicator with a passion for problem solving and social justice, Sanders Townsend served as the national chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee and a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice before joining Senator Sanders’s campaign. There, she worked to raise the profile of young voices in the fight for juvenile justice reform and brought millennial perspectives to policy conversations. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, Sanders Townsend was principal of the 360 Group where she helped clients find sound solutions to tough political and social problems. 

Sanders Townsend is a former political commentator for CNN and resident fellow of both Harvard's Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the University of Southern California's Center for the Political Future.  

She is a native of North Omaha, Nebraska and currently resides in Washington D.C. with her husband, Shawn.

Will Hurd's Biography

The Honorable Will Hurd has had a dynamic career as an intelligence officer, cybersecurity professional, congressman, artificial intelligence policy pioneer, investment banker, presidential candidate, and C-suite executive. He currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer at defense technology firm CHAOS Industries and is the author of American Reboot: An Idealist Guide to Getting Big Things Done. Congressman Hurd is a member of the board at Icon Technologies, Personal.AI, the Center for European Policy Analysis, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

In his 20s, serving overseas in the CIA, Will prevented enemies from stealing our secrets, committing attacks on America, and smuggling dirty bombs into our country. In his 30s, at the strategic consulting firm Crumpton Group and cybersecurity firm FusionX, he helped defend critical infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats. As a congressman, he worked to improve the quality of life for all Americans and safeguard our democratic institutions. In his 40s, through roles at Allen & Company (a New York investment bank), OpenAI (the makers of ChatGPT), and In-Q-Tel (the intelligence community’s venture capital firm), Will played a
leading role in shaping the intersection of technology, national security, and public policy. As a
presidential candidate, he introduced innovative artificial intelligence policies, border security
solutions, and strategies to compete with China. 

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