Asheville Ideas Fest Logo

A World Class Intellectual Experience in one of America’s Great Cities

June 13-17, 2023 | Asheville, NC

2023 Speakers

Alex Abdo

Alex Abdo

Alex Abdo

Litigation Director, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University

 

Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander

New York Times Bestselling Author and Newbery Medal Winner

 

Shaun Assael - Photo by Ellen Assael

Shaun Assael

Shaun Assael

Award-winning journalist, author, & correspondent

 

Sean Bellefeuille

Sean Bellefeuille

Sean Bellefeuille

CEO of Med Dimensions and Veterinary student at Cornell University

 

Seth D. Berlin

Seth D. Berlin

Seth D. Berlin

Senior Counsel, Ballard Spahr LLP

 

Joseph Blocher

Joseph Blocher

Joseph Blocher

Director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law

 

Wiley Cash

Wiley Cash

Wiley Cash

New York Times bestselling author and UNC Asheville Alumni Author in Residence

 

Bryan Terrell Clark

Bryan Terrell Clark

Bryan Terrell Clark

Storyteller

Jason Cook, M.D.

Jason Cook, M.D.

Jason Cook, M.D.

Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Olfax

David Crabtree

David Crabtree

David Crabtree

CEO of PBS North Carolina

James Dodson

James Dodson

James Dodson

Founding Editor of O.Henry Arts and Culture Magazine

Laura Edelson

Laura Edelson

Laura Edelson

Postdoctoral Researcher, New York University

Thomas L. Friedman

Thomas L. Friedman

Thomas L. Friedman

Foreign Affairs Columnist, The New York Times

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Neurosurgeon and multiple Emmy® Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN

 

Mónica Guzmán

Mónica Guzmán

Mónica Guzmán

Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels

 

Nate Hagens

Nate Hagens

Nate Hagens

Director of The Institute for the Study of Energy & Our Future (ISEOF)

 

Patrice Harris, MD

Patrice Harris, MD

Patrice Harris, MD

CEO and Co-Founder of eMed

 

Ashley Hlebinsky

Ashley Hlebinsky

Ashley Hlebinsky

Sr Fellow, University of Wyoming Firearms Research Center

 

John E. Jones III

John E. Jones III

John E. Jones III

President, Dickinson College

 

David Joy - Photo by Ashley T. Evans

David Joy

David Joy

American novelist and short story writer

 

Paula Kerger

Paula Kerger

Paula Kerger

President & CEO, PBS

 

Kevin Maurer

Kevin Maurer

Kevin Maurer

New York Times Bestselling author of No Easy Day & American Radical

 

Pete McDaniel

Pete McDaniel

Pete McDaniel

Bestselling author and Tiger Woods's biographer

 

Amna Nawaz

Amna Nawaz

Amna Nawaz

Co-anchor, PBS NewsHour

 

Melba Newsome

Melba Newsome

Melba Newsome

Award-winning journalist, editor, and writer

 

Christopher Oakley

Christopher Oakley

Christopher Oakley

Associate Professor of New Media, UNC Asheville

 

Joey Owle

Joseph Owle

Joseph Owle

Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

 

Kelly Sampson

Kelly Sampson

Kelly Sampson

Senior Counsel and Director of Racial Justice, Brady Institute

 

Daniel Schmachtenberger

Daniel Schmachtenberger

Daniel Schmachtenberger

Co-Founder of Civilization Research Initiative

 

Graham Sharp - Photo by Sandlin Gaither

Graham Sharp

Graham Sharp

Grammy winning guitarist and vocalist of the Steep Canyon Rangers

 

Chris Singleton

Chris Singleton

Chris Singleton

Inspirational Speaker and Children’s Book Author

 

Zak Stein

Zak Stein

Zak Stein

Chief Education Officer, Civilizational Research Institute

 

Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

Founder and editor-at-large of The Bulwark; NBC/MSNBC contributor

 

William Paul Thomas

William Paul Thomas

William Paul Thomas

Asheville Ideas Fest Visiting Artist

 

Josh Turknett, MD

Josh Turknett, MD

Josh Turknett, MD

Founder, The Brainjo Academy

 

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