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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.
Seasoned political strategist, former CNN political commentator, and author Symone Sanders Townsend is a gifted communicator with a passion for problem solving, social justice, and in-depth analysis of today’s most important issues. Sanders Townsend previously served as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, the youngest person to ever hold that title. She served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration, and will now bring her nuanced and critical insight to MSNBC as the host of SYMONE, as well as serving as an anchor and hosting a show on The Choice, MSNBC’s digital streaming arm. In her book No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, Sanders Townsend shares her take-no-prisoners approach to life, politics, and career success, advocating for a new generation to be powerful in their own right. A rousing call to leadership, Congresswoman Maxine Waters raved, “Symone’s honest and profound reflection on standing up and speaking out is sure to inspire young people across the country to become the change agents the world needs.”
Sanders Townsend is a highly sought-after commentator and speaker, from her TED Talk Stop asking permission!, to an invigorating conversation at SXSW, Politico’s 2019 Women Rule Summit, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, and many more. She served as the National Chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee, a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, and in her role as principal of the 360 Group, Sanders Townsend worked on leading-edge solutions to tough political and social problems. 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 with authenticity, humor, and insight.
Cybersecurity & AI expert, former U.S. House Representative, and former CIA officer Will Hurd is a leading voice for bipartisanship, inclusivity, and finding unity in the face of divisive issues. Prior to his work in politics, Hurd served as an undercover officer in the CIA. His service left him with an insider’s understanding of current national security concerns and the future of cybersecurity as the next domain of conflict. 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. In his book, American Reboot: An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done, Hurd provides a vision for leadership that is values-based and inspiring for audiences of all kinds. Hurd is celebrated as a transformative leader, dedicated to securing a better future for everyone.
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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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.
The Honorable Will Hurd is a devoted husband and acclaimed author. He has led a diverse career as an intelligence officer, cybersecurity executive, congressman, artificial intelligence policy pioneer, investment banker, and presidential candidate. A San Antonio native and the youngest of three siblings, Will earned his Computer Science degree from Texas A&M University.
In his 20s, serving overseas in the CIA, Will stopped our enemies from trying to blow us up, steal our secrets and bring dirty bombs into America. In his 30s he helped build a cybersecurity company called FusionX, where he prevented our adversaries from stealing our money, poisoning our water, and disrupting our electrical grid. In Congress, he dealt with forces trying to undermine our democratic institutions. While in his early 40s through his roles as a Managing Director at Allen & Company, on the Board of OpenAI, and as a Trustee of the German Marshall Fund he was in the vanguard of technology, national security, and public policy ensuring America stayed the most powerful country in the world. As a presidential candidate in his late 40s, Will introduced groundbreaking AI policies, innovative solutions to our border crisis, and strategies to win the New Cold War with China.
Will, known for his love of movies, Tex-Mex cuisine, national parks, the San Antonio Spurs, and most importantly his awesome wife, has been lauded as “the most interesting man in Congress,” “the real deal,” and “the kind of public servant we need today.” Will is committed to forging a brighter and more resilient world for future generations.
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