Florida Forum: 2009 - 2010

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 18th year, the series' lineup for 2009-2010 features:

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.

T. Boone Pickens

"Energy and its concerns: The road to a sustainable energy policy"
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Presented by Wachovia

Pickens is the founder and chairman of BP Capital Management and is principally responsible for the formulation of the energy futures investment strategy of the BP Capital Commodity and Equity Funds. With more than $4 billion under its management, BP Capital manages one of the nation's most successful energy-oriented investment funds. In July 2008, Pickens launched the Pickens Plan, which includes an ambitious, self-funded grassroots campaign aimed at reducing the United States' crippling dependence on imported oil. His new book, The First Billion is the Hardest, details what the U.S. must do to win back its energy independence. CNBC has coined him the "Oracle of Oil."

Peggy Noonan

Presidential speechwriter, political historian, and columnist
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Presented by Comcast

Noonan is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal and best-selling author of seven books on American politics, history and culture. Her essays have appeared in Forbes, Time, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The New York Times and other publications. She was special assistant to President Ronald Reagan from 1984 to 1986 and chief speechwriter for George Bush in 1998 when he ran for the presidency. Before entering the Reagan White House, Noonan was a producer at CBS News, where she wrote and produced Dan Rather's daily radio commentary and CBS news specials. A frequent political talk show guest, Noonan has been an Emmy award nominee for her work on the television drama "The West Wing" and her writing of a post 9-11 television special.

Jeffrey Toobin

Award-winning, best-selling author and political analyst
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida

A high-profile senior analyst for CNN and staff writer for The New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin is one of the country's most esteemed experts on politics, media and the law. With unparalleled journalistic skill, Toobin has provided analysis on some of the most provocative and important events of our time, including the O.J. Simpson trial, Kenneth Starr investigation, impeachment of President Bill Clinton and the disputed Florida recount of the 2000 presidential election. One of the closest watchers of the 2006 Martha Stewart trial, his accounts of the case for CNN and The New Yorker were among the most well-balanced and thorough. Toobin provides a unique look into the inner workings of the Supreme Court and its influence with his best-selling book The Nine, as well as how the recent presidential election may shape the court and in turn, the nation.

Ben Stein

economist, award-winning actor and author
Tuesday, April 6, 201
Presented by Landstar

Stein, the son of noted economist and writer Herbert Stein, has had what may well be the most diverse career of anyone now on the national scene. He has been an award-winning actor, economist, writer, journalist and teacher, and is equally well known in America's boardrooms, dormitories and fraternity houses. He received a B.A. with honors in Economics from Columbia, where he was active in the civil rights movement to secure voting and other legal rights for African Americans. He is currently a columnist for The New York Times, a regular commentator on CBS Sunday Morning, a commentator for Yahoo!Finance and Fox News, and a frequent contributor to CNBC.