The Strategerist

Dr. Jenner joined the Bush Institute’s Robin Berkley, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education, and Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss Indiana’s innovative leadership in education reform. The state’s record gains in reading and college credit achievement showcase how community collaboration and bold policies are driving significant improvements in student outcomes.

From state dinners with the Queen of England or the Pope, to regular meetings with our nation’s leaders, to special events inviting hundreds of guests like the Easter Egg Roll, and to memorable moments for presidential pets like Barney Bush, the White House is always abuzz with activity. This week, The Strategerist meets with a couple of people who quietly kept the People’s House working: Dori Thornton Waller, former Deputy Social Secretary, and Susan Whitson, former Press Secretary to Mrs. Bush, for a behind-the-scenes look inside the East Wing during the Bush Administration.

Founder of Spirit of America, Jim Hake, joined Strategerist host Andrew Kauffman and the Bush Institute’s Director of Veterans and Military Families, Jason Galui, to discuss the spirit of the American people that comprises the heart of Spirit of America.

As we gather, travel home, or pause for a quiet moment, Thanksgiving reminds us to slow down and focus on what matters most. In today’s Strategerist After Hours episode, we’re embracing the spirit of gratitude — not just during the holidays, but as an everyday practice of noticing the good, acknowledging the people who lift us up, and finding meaning even in challenging times.

Fox News senior medical analyst and NYU clinical professor of medicine, Dr. Marc Siegel, joins The Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann to share the inspiration behind his latest book, The Miracles Among Us. Dr. Siegel explores the intersection of faith and medicine, reflecting on how true healing engages both body and soul. He introduces the idea of “soft miracles” — the small, interconnected moments of grace, coincidence, and human connection that together create extraordinary outcomes — and shares moving stories from his book that bring this concept to life.

Every year, President Bush invites some of the men and women of our armed forces to his ranch in Crawford, Texas to spend Veterans Day in nature and on mountain bikes. The weekend of camaraderie is a celebration of the brave folks who raised their hand to defend our nation.

Minutes after they got off their bikes, we sat down with three of those veterans -- Leslie Zimmerman, Brian Flom, and Josh Stanwitz -- to hear about their experience on the trail and as they transitioned from military to civilian life.

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On this episode of The Strategerist, Lisa and Francis Molinari joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Jason Galui, director of veterans and military families at the Bush Institute, to discuss how their family’s own journey sparked the idea of Orion Military Scholars. Together, they talk about seeing the difference stability made in their own family, and wanting to make that a possibility for other families.

In this episode of The Strategerist, Katrin Katz, Adjunct Fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies Korea Chair, joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Joseph Kim, the Bush Institute’s program manager of global policy, to unpack the research behind her COVID-19 report on North Korea. Joseph, himself a refugee from North Korea, offers personal insight into life under the regime and the ongoing oppression faced by its people.

In this episode, old friends Patrick Wilson, President and CEO of Little League International, and Jim Wilkinson, former White House Deputy Director of Communications and senior advisor at the NSC, State Department, and Treasury sit down with Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann. Together, they talk tee ball on the White House lawn and why Little League matters — not just for kids, but for their parents, too.

From walk-off home runs to game-winning touchdowns, Joe Buck has narrated many of the defining moments in sports — and is a fixture in America’s living rooms. But broadcasting is a family business. Joe Buck is the also the son of the late Jack Buck, another iconic broadcaster. And following in his father’s footsteps wasn’t a coincidence: Joe Buck was raised in broadcast booths and locker rooms. In this episode, Buck joins Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Bush Center President and CEO Shilo Brooks to explore what makes “greatness”, how competition brings people together, and how sports can teach us lif...

Bob Costas is more than a sports broadcaster—he’s a storyteller and trailblazer who shaped how Americans experience sports. Having been voice of the Olympics, the World Series, and countless other events, he defined how we remember these moments --blending history, storytelling, and context, making sports feel bigger than the score. In this episode, Costas joins Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, senior advisor at the Bush Center, to discuss what went on behind the scenes of those broadcast moments. He reflects on the art of the introduction and explains why sports continue to bring us together.

Vice President Mike Pence surprised guests at the Bush Center and sat down for a special taping of The Strategerist podcast before a live audience. He discussed his views on divisiveness in country, leadership, America’s role as a global leader, and his own new role as a professor.

Rushan Abbas is a leading Uyghur human rights activist whose exercise of free speech in the United States led to the imprisonment of her older sister in China, now for seven years. In response, she left her career to become a full-time activist and founded Campaign for Uyghurs — an organization nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice. Through her work, Abbas shines a light on the Uyghur genocide and the repression of the Chinese government.

Monica Paul has been a driving force in making sure the world knows Dallas as a premier sports destination. She led the bid strategies and marketing efforts for nearly 600 events in our region. These events generated $4 billion in economic impact. Her leadership was key in securing Dallas as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dallas landed the most games—nine—of any host city. She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, Senior Advisor at the Bush Center and former White House Communications Director. Together, they recorded a special live taping at the Bush Center. They discussed the coun...

Salim Asrawi is President and co-founder of Texas de Brazil and appears on the cover of President George W. Bush’s Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants. Born in Lebanon, Salim immigrated to the United States at the age of 14, fleeing war in his country. He worked his way up at a hotel after getting his master’s degree in restaurant hotel management and later, with his family, invested in opening Texas de Brazil, now the largest steakhouse chain in the world. Salim joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and U.S. Navy Reserve Lieutenant Commander D’Juan Wilcher...

Shawn VanDiver, founder and President of the Afghan Evac coalition, which works to build coordination and collaboration between civil society groups and U.S. government agencies in support of Afghan relocation and resettlement, joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Director of Global Policy, Natalie Gonnella-Platts to discuss the dire situation in country for at-risk Afghans, the expiration of TPS and other immigration challenges, and why all Americans should care about what is happening in Afghanistan today.

Jessica Yellin founded News Not Noise to do what the title implies separate the important news from the noise. Her goal is to “give information. Not a panic attack.” With over 193,000 Substack subscribers and 792,000 followers on Instagram, Jessica has become a trusted voice in a chaotic media environment—breaking down what matters, why it matters, and what you can safely scroll past. She’s part of a new movement of independent journalists that are taking advantage of platforms that allow individuals to build an audience of their own, without having to rely on traditional news networks. At the Bush Institute’s 2025 For...

Michael Giorgione joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Lieutenant Commander, USNR D’Juan Wilcher, Deputy Director of Veterans and Military Families at the Bush Institute, to discuss his time at Camp David and how his 29 years of military service helped him there and continues to inspire his teachings today.

As a young officer in the U.S. special forces, Blayne Smith faced the difficult realities of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. And while not everyone will experience war first-hand, the lessons that Blayne learned apply to all of us. Today, he’s helped build the Bush Institute Veteran Wellness Alliance’s Check-In program that helps veterans get connected to mental health care. He joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Jason Galui, Director of Veterans and military Families at the Bush Institute to discuss the lessons he’s shared in his new book, Perseverance > Resilience, as well as why Check-In is suc...

Jenny Dyer, founder of the 2030 Collaborative and artist and music producer Charlie Peacock were part of a coalition of experts, artists, and policymakers such as Bono, Senator Bill Frist, and many others that were instrumental in building the awareness around the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and the consensus needed to keep the President’s Emergency for AIDS Relief Plan or PEPFAR, which has saved over 26 millions lives from HIV/AIDS since its inception in 2003 moving forward. Dr. Dyer and Charlie joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss PEPFAR’s success and how art can truly help change the world.

Learn about the Bush Center's Forum on Leadership: https://www.bushcenter.org/events-and-exhibits/forum-on-leadership-2025

To learn more about the work the Tocqueville Foundation does, click here. 

Dr. Turner served as SMU’s president for 30 years. During his impressive career, he achieved significant milestones from being a key player in bringing the George W. Bush Presidential Center to SMU’s campus to getting SMU into to the ACC. He has left quite a legacy. Dr. Turner visited the Bush Center for the annual Forum on Leadership and met with Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss his thirty years at SMU along with the story of bringing the Bush Center to SMU’s campus — which had some fierce competition!

To learn more about the Bush Center’s work on Advancing Free Societies, visit bushcenter.org/topics/freedom-and-democracy. And learn more bout the National Endowment for Democracy at https://www.ned.org/

Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Devon Yarbrough, Communications Manager at the George W. Bush Presidential Center sat down with Milauna Jackson who portrays Captain Abby Campbell in the 2024 Netflix film, “The Six Triple Eight” and Retired Army Col. Edna Cummings, a passionate advocate whose work led to two crucial recognitions for the 6888. Milauna discusses what it was like working on the Netflix film while Col. Cummings shares the behind-the-scenes bipartisan advocacy for the battalion who played a critical role in World War II.

To learn more about the incredible heroes of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion like Dennis' grandmother, Sylvia Armstrong, watch the documentary The SixTriple Eight. 

Order a copy of Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II on the Bush Center's website.

Dr. Jeffrey Engel is an award-winning presidential historian and the David Gergen Director of the SMU Center for Presidential History. He’s authored or edited thirteen books on American foreign policy and spent a good part of his career at the Bush School of Government and Public Service in College Station before coming to SMU. He joins host Andrew Kaufmann and Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, former White House Communications Director under President Bush and Senior Advisor to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, to discuss his passion for presidential history, the shift in legacies post-presidency, and why we need to continue learni...

Retired U.S. Army Captain Florent Groberg is one of 3,528 recipients of the Medal of Honor—the highest military honor awarded to those who serve in the United States armed forces. Flo joins host Andrew Kaufmann and Michael Bailey, Deputy Director of the Leadership Programs at the Bush Institute to discuss his service to our country and what leadership means both in the uniform and as a civilian.

Chuck Todd is an Emmy award-winning journalist while NBC’s Chief Political Analyst and former moderator for Meet the Press, which he stepped away from in September 2023. Although he stepped away from the moderator’s chair, he still covers politics this his podcast, The Chuck Toddcast. He joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute Bill McKenzie to discuss how the journalism ecosystem has changed and evolved and how local news should be driving national news (not the other way around).

If you enjoyed this episode, watch Purpose Beyond the White House: A Conversation on the Post-Presidency, an Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint featuring Jared Cohen. 

The Honorable James D. Rodriguez served as Assistant Secretary within the Biden administration Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service from January 2021 until January 2025 where he served 440,000 veterans annually. He is an accomplished executive leader with over 30 years experience across the government and corporate landscapes and over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership and management positions. Last year, he joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Casey Rodriguez, the Senior Program Manager of Leadership Programs. But not only is Casey managing the operations of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, she’s the daught...

To learn more about Natalia's work at the Free Russia Foundation click here. 

Limited signed copies of Larry Thompson’s book ”The Quiet Counsel Looking Back on a Life of Service to the Law” are available for purchase at the Bush Museum here.

Ambassador Nicole Avant is a critically acclaimed producer of the Netflix film The Six Triple Eight, bestselling author of Think You’ll Be Happy, and former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas under President Obama. We discuss Ambassador Avant’s contributions and what led her to the Netflix film “The Six Triple Eight”, the influence of her incredible parents — which inspired her book “Think You’ll Be Happy” — and how to live out our freedom every single day.

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Madame President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a true trailblazer — she served as the president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018 and was the first elected female head of state in Africa. And now she’s dedicated to helping other women ascend to leadership roles through her work at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development.

President Sirleaf joined the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts and host Andrew Kaufmann for a conversation with our staff about leading her country after years of division, the need for gender equity, and why young Africans give her hope about the future...

Mary Tobin is the Director of Brickyard Chapters and Programs for nonprofit More Perfect Union, which aims to bring people together through social connection, service, and civic engagement events in order to build stronger and more resilient communities.

She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Jason Galui for an impactful conversation on More Perfect Union’s mission, how her experiences in the military helped her grow, and the importance of human connection.

Hear more from Mary on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Rela...

Rena Pederson is a true trailblazer in journalism. During her storied career, she interviewed five U.S. presidents and countless history makers including Margaret Thatcher and Fidel Castro. Texas Monthly described her as one of the most powerful women in Texas during her time serving as vice president and editorial page editor at The Dallas Morning News.

Rena has left the newsroom, but her love of words continues in her next chapter. She recently released The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief, a book about the infamous thief who stole millions of...

Mere months ago, Russian activist and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza thought he would die in Siberia, where he was imprisoned for speaking out against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

This week, he sat with his wife Evgenia and staff at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas as a free man, where he told us about his experiences in prison, his joy when released, and his fight for democracy in Russia — a country he loves and refuses to give up on.

His wife Evgenia bravely advocated for Vladimir’s release during his...