Florida Forum: 2008 - 2009

The Women's Boardof Wolfson Children's Hospital brings some of the world's most widely known public figures to Jacksonville for the Florida Forum lecture series. In its 17th year, the series' lineup for 2008-2009 features seven world-renowned figures: award-winning, best-selling author Michael Beschloss; comedian and best-selling author Dennis Miller; Oscar-winning filmmaker actor and producer Ron Howard; Emmy Award-winning journalist Charlie Rose; commentator and advisor to Presidents, David Gergen; acclaimed author, journalist and anchor Jim Lehrer; and broadcaster, former presidential senior advisor and best-selling author George Stephanopoulos.

Ticket Information

The presentations will begin at 7 p.m. at the Florida Theatre. Audience members may participate in a question-and-answer session held at the conclusion of each lecture. All proceeds from the series will benefit Wolfson Children's Hospital. To order tickets or for further information, call 904.202.2886 or visit the Florida Forum.

Michael Beschloss

Award-winning, best-seling author and presidential historian
Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Beschloss was educated at Andover, Williams College and Harvard University. He is the author of nine books, including most recently, Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989. A compelling critic and keen political observer, he appears regularly on "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" and was appointed NBC News' presidential historian -- the first time any major network has created such a position.

Dennis Miller Live!

Comedian, commentator, best-selling author and five-time Emmy Award winner
Thursday, November 6, 2008

Considered by his peers and audiences to be one of the most astute, cerebral and clever stand-up comedians behind a microphone, he rose to fame as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and subsequently hosted a string of his own talk shows, including the critically acclaimed "Dennis Miller Live." He currently hosts a daily, three-hour, self-titled radio program. He is a regular commentator on "The O'Reilly Factor" and currently is host of the show, "Amnesia" on NBC.

A Conversation with Ron Howard and Charlie Rose

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ron Howard
Oscar-winning filmmaker, actor and producer
Ron Howard is one of the most highly regarded directors in the industry and one of the generation's most popular. His films include Splash, Cocoon and Apollo 13, to name a few. In 2002, he won an Oscar for Best director for A Beautiful Mind (Best Picture). In 1985, he and Brian Grazer formed Imagine Entertainment. He is probably most famous for his roles as Opie in "The Andy Griffith Show" and Richie Cunningham in "Happy Days."

Charlie Rose
Legendary interviewer, Emmy Award-winning journalist
Rose is one of the few talk show hosts able to elicit intelligent conversation from a wide spectrum of guests. Syndicated since 1993, the "Charlie Rose Show" has become a late-night alternative to the more typical talk shows. Rose's guests come from all areas of his interests. He is a graduate of Duke University and the Duke University School of Law.

An Evening Roundtable

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

David Gergen
Commentator, editor, teacher, public servant, best-selling author and advisor to presidents
Gergen has served in the White House as an advisor to four presidents: Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. He serves as editor-at-large for U.S.News & World Report and is a senior political analyst for CNN. Gergen is a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Gergen is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.

Jim Lehrer
Acclaimed author, journalist and anchor
Lehrer came to Washington with PBS in 1972, teaming with Robert MacNeil to cover the Senate Watergate hearings. They began what became the award-winning "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour," the first 60-minute evening program on television. Upon MacNeil's retirement, the program was renamed "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer." In the last five presidential elections, Lehrer has served as moderator for 10 of the nationally televised debates among the candidates.

George Stephanopoulos
Broadcaster, best-selling author, former presidential senior advisor for policy and strategy
Stephanopoulos is the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and achor of ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." He is author of All Too Human, a New York Times best-seller. Stephanopoulos is a graduate of Columbia University and received a master's degree from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.