Trust on Trial: How Communicators Succeed in a World No Longer Trusted
Free Virtual Event: On-Demand Video
About
Establishing and maintaining trust. This is the core of the communications professionals' work - and something we all do. Yet, on an almost daily basis, we see the eroding trust in nearly all of our institutions (governmental, religious, educational, and more). Who do we believe, who do we trust? How do we maintain security while building trust? How do we have confidence in the character, strength, or truth of someone or something? These questions are vital to us and something to consider as we move forward.
Join us for a lively panel discussion among experts in communication, news, political science, and security. The event is co-sponsored by the Schar School of Policy and Government, CommPRO, and the Museum of Public Relations.
Click here to register for this event.
Introduction
Mark J. Rozell, Dean Schar School of Policy and Government
Mark J. Rozell is the author of nine books and editor of twenty books on various topics in U.S. government and politics including the presidency, religion and politics, media and politics, and interest groups in elections.
Panelists
Andrew McCabeFormer Acting Deputy Director, FBISchar School Distinguished Visiting Professor
Former deputy director of the FBI Andrew McCabe will join the faculty of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University beginning August 24.
McCabe, who serves as an intelligence analyst for CNN, will hold the title of Distinguished Visiting Professor. He will teach courses in national security and related topics beginning with the spring semester. Until then he will be a special guest lecturer in the Schar School.
"I am honored to join the Schar School team of scholars and professionals who are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of government and policy professionals,” McCabe said in a statement. “It is a wonderful opportunity to share my experience and perspectives on law enforcement and national security with students interested in serving their country and their communities."
Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School, said McCabe’s addition to the faculty strengthens a Master’s in International Security program that already boasts such leading experienced professionals such as former CIA and National Security Agency director Michael V. Hayden, former CIA acting director Michael Morell, former White House Situation Room senior director Larry Pfeiffer, and former vice chair of the National Intelligence Council Ellen Laipson.
“We are thrilled to have Andrew McCabe join the Schar School to help educate our students who will become the next generation of leaders in the fields of intelligence, security, and public policy,” Rozell said.
McCabe appeared in an October panel discussion, “Intelligence and the U.S. Presidential Election,” hosted by the Schar School’s Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, featuring former CIA director John O. Brennan, former acting director of the CIA John E. McLaughlin, the Schar School’s Morell, and moderated by CBS News’ Margaret Brennan.
Alice StewartCNN Political Commentator, Resident Fellow at Harvard University, Kennedy Institute of Politics
Alice Stewart is a CNN Political Commentator, Communications Consultant, veteran Senior Communications Advisor on numerous presidential campaigns and an Emmy Award winning journalist.Stewart is a contributor on National Public Radio and serves on the faculty at the Leadership Institute where she conducts media training for political leaders in the United States and abroad.Stewart worked as Communications Director for the presidential campaigns of Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Rick Santorum and Congressman Michele Bachmann. She also served as a surrogate for the Republican National Committee.Stewart has worked on communications strategy for Concerned Women for America, Republican National Senatorial Committee, Republican National Congressional Committee and Rick Scott for Florida Governor. Stewart also served as Deputy Secretary of State for the State of Arkansas.In her previous news life, Stewart worked as an Anchor/Reporter in Little Rock, Arkansas and Savannah, Georgia, and an associate producer in Atlanta, Georgia. Stewart also hosted a political talk radio show, “The Alice Stewart Show,” which featured national and local political leaders. The goal of the show was to engage in a civil discussion on political issues and agree to disagree in a respectful manner.Stewart’s Fall 2019 study group topic was entitled: From the Reagan Rule to Trump Tweets: Was 2016 Incivility an Aberration or Precedent-setting? It included a look back at the election process, press and data, with a glimpse to the future of Populism, Socialism, and Trumpism.
Michael ZeldinCNN Legal Contributor
Michael Zeldin has served as a TV legal analyst since 1996, covering the OJ Simpson murder trial, Whitewater/Lewinsky investigation, Clinton impeachment proceedings, Gore v. Bush court challenges, and the Mueller Special Counsel investigation.During his tenure in the U.S. Department of Justice, he held various senior positions, including: Deputy Chief, Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section; Chief, Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Offices; and Special Counsel for Money Laundering Matters to Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General Robert Mueller.Mr. Zeldin served as the Deputy Independent/Independent Counsel, investigating allegations of tampering with candidate Bill Clinton’s passport files during the 1992 presidential campaign.Mr. Zeldin also served as the Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives, Foreign Affairs Committee, October Surprise Task Force, where he investigated the events surrounding the holding of the American hostages in Iran during the Carter presidency.He has published Op-ed pieces for CNN.com, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Hill, The Washington Times, and The Washington Post.He is an internationally recognized expert on money laundering, terrorist financing and economic sanctions.
Michael K. Fauntroy, Ph.D.Howard University
Michael K. Fauntroy is associate professor of political science in the political science department at Howard University, where he teaches courses in African American politics, interest groups, the presidency, and political parties. He joined the faculty at Howard in 2013 after 11 years on the faculty of the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. Prior to joining the faculty at GMU, he was an analyst in American national government at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). At CRS, he provided research and consultations for members and committees of Congress. From 1993 to 1996, he was a civil rights analyst at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where he conducted research on civil rights issues such as voting rights and fair housing.Fauntroy’s second book, Republicans and the Black Vote, analyzes the historical relationship between African Americans and the GOP. It was a 2007 Foreword magazine book of the year finalist. He is also the author of Home Rule or House Rule? Congress and the Erosion of Local Governance in the District of Columbia. A third book, More Than Just Partisanship: Conservatism and Black Voter Suppression is forthcomingFauntroy is a continuing media presence commenting and analyzing national issues. He has been heard or seen on national radio and television networks such as ABC (World News Tonight), CBS (Evening News and The Early Show), CNN (American Morning), MSNBC (Hardball), Fox News (Hannity and Colmes), NBC (Nightly News and Today), PBS (The NewsHour and Tavis Smiley), CBC Radio – Canada, CTV-Toronto, Comcast (Your Morning), National Public Radio (Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, and News and Notes), Public Radio International (The Tavis Smiley Show), Radio One, the British Broadcasting Corporation, Pacifica Radio, and XM Satellite Radio. He has been published in numerous news outlets and quoted in print publications such as The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, Politico, Newsday, Black Enterprise, The Washington Times, the New York Daily News, BET.com, and the Boston Globe. He is currently serves as a political analyst for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio. Professor Fauntroy earned a B.A. degree in political science from Hampton University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in political science from Howard University.
Richard Levick, Esq.Chairman & CEO, LEVICK
(Moderator)
Richard Levick, Esq., is chairman & CEO of LEVICK, representing countries and companies in the highest-stakes global communications matters: the Venezuelan crisis; Qatar; the Chinese trade war; the Gulf oil spill; Guantanamo Bay, the Catholic Church, and many others.Mr. Levick was honored multiple times on the prestigious list of “The 100 Most Influential People in the Boardroom” and has been named to multiple professional Halls of Fame for lifetime achievement.He is the co-author of four books and is a regular commentator on television and in print. Mr. Levick speaks all over the world—at West Point, The Army War College, and teaches at Fordham Law School.
Jennifer VictorAssociate Professor of Political Science at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government
Jennifer Nicoll Victor is Associate Professor of Political Science at George Mason University’s Schar School Policy and Government.
Professor Victor studies the U.S. Congress, legislative organization and behavior, social network methods, political parties, campaign finance, organized interest groups, and lobbying. She is the co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Political Networks (2017). She is the co-author (with Nils Ringe) of Bridging the Information Gap: Legislative Member Organizations in the United States and the European Union (U. Michigan Press 2013). Professor Victor has published research in the American Journal of Political Science, the British Journal of Political Science, American Politics Research, Party Politics, Interest Groups & Advocacy, P.S.: Political Science and Politics, and elsewhere. In 2019 she was awarded George Mason University’s Teaching Excellence Award.
Professor Victor is a co-founding contributor to the political science blog “Mischiefs of Faction,” and is a contributing writer for GEN by Medium. Her public scholarship has also appeared in The New York Times, The Conversation, OUP Blog, and LSE US Politics blog. Professor Victor serves on the Board of Directors of the non-profit, non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, is the past president of the National Capital Area Political Science Association, and past Chair of the APSA organized section on Political Networks. In 2005 she served as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND). From 2003-2012 she was an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She joined the faculty at George Mason University in 2012. Professor Victor holds a B.A. in Political Science from University of California, San Diego (Magna Cum Laude, 1997), and an M.A. (1999) and Ph.D. (2003) in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis.
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