Daryl Davis, a Grammy Award winning blues and R&B pianist, took an extraordinary journey into the heart of one of America’s most fanatical institutions – the Ku Klux Klan. Driven by the need to understand those who, without ever having met him, hated him because of the color of his skin, Daryl decided to seek out the roots of racism. Davis met Roger Kelly, Imperial Wizard of the Invincible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and began to explore the Klan, gaining real insight into its workings and members’ minds. This quest into the heart of ignorance and hatred gave Davis a ray of hope for harmony between races. Davis believes that after decades of violence and hatred, racism can be overcome as we get to know one another on a social basis, not under a cover of darkness. The author of the acclaimed book Klan-Destine Relationships, Davis seeks to empower others to confront their own prejudices and overcome their fears, establishing a common ground to help forge peace even with the most unlikely adversaries. The title of his presentation was "A Black Man's Odyssey into the Ku Klux Klan."

Craig Rennebohm walks a regular route through downtown Seattle, seeking out those who are most vulnerable; those whose confusion or fear makes it hard to seek or accept assistance; those whose illness makes them feel isolated, unworthy, and hopeless. Rennebohm is there for the person who is seriously disturbed and uncertain about where or how to find aid. Working tenderly, he builds trust, helps find shelter and care, and continues to walk alongside as each person makes their way toward a new and stable life. In 1987, Rennebohm founded the Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle which, under his leadership, has grown to serve families, create mental health ministries in local congregations, and advocate for an effective and readily accessible community mental health system. His pioneering work with the homeless mentally ill community is known around the U.S. and overseas. The title of his presentation was "Recovering Human Neighborhood: From the Street to Systemic Change."

Kent Wommack has worked since 1982 for The Nature Conservancy, and is often credited with changing the scale of conservation projects in this country by leading some of the Conservancy's largest, most complex and innovative projects. The world's leading conservation organization, the Conservancy works around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. Since its founding in 1951, they have protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide, and they operate more than 100 marine conservation projects in all 50 states and more than 30 countries. The success of the Conservancy is due to their science-based approach, aided by their more than 700 staff scientists. They pursue non-confrontational, pragmatic solutions to conservation challenges, partnering with indigenous communities, businesses, governments, multilateral institutions, and other non-profits. The title of his presentation was "Conservation as if Nature and People Both Mattered".

David Quammen is a science journalist and nonfiction author. He travels on assignment for various magazines, usually to jungles, deserts, or swamps, and his accustomed beat is the world of field biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation. He currently holds the positions of Contributing Writer for National Geographic Magazine and Wallace Stegner Professor of Western American Studies at Montana State University. In his book The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, Quammen focuses careful attention on Charles Darwin, father of modern biology and source of an idea so radical its implications are still only imperfectly understood: evolution by natural selection. Quammen tracks the naturalist's life through the two decades following his epiphany that "natural selection" formed the basis of evolution, a time during which Darwin kept his explosive idea under wraps and pondered when and how to release it to the world. Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, Quammen’s presentation was titled "Charles Darwin Against Himself: Caution versus Honesty in the Life of a Reluctant Revolutionary."

Tyrone Hayes is a biologist and herpetologist who knows that scientific breakthroughs don’t begin and end in the laboratory. They also come from the field. Which is why, more often than not, Hayes can be found wet, muddy, and knee-deep in a swamp at 2 a.m., the time when the frogs come out. Associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, Hayes’ primary research focuses on the role of environmental factors on growth and development in amphibians. His studies have revealed how synthetic chemicals (such as the pesticide atrazine which is frequently used in Minnesota) interact with hormones in a variety of ways to alter developmental responses. As these studies also help predict effects in other wildlife and humans, Hayes’ findings reveal a crucial new link between conservation and health. The title of his presentation was "From Silent Spring to Silent Night: A Tale of Toads and Men".

Mark Anthony Neal jokes that if you "Google" the term "black male feminist," his name will invariably show up near the top of the search results. His work, and life, are dedicated to challenging sexism and misogyny. Professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African and African-American Studies at Duke University, Neal teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in black popular culture, black masculinity and hip hop aesthetics. A nationally recognized scholar, Neal has been examining issues of race, gender and sexuality for more than a decade. His book Soul Babies examines black popular culture since the end of the civil rights movement. Two of his books, What the Music Said and Songs in the Key of Black Life, examine the ties between black music and culture in the post-civil rights movement. The title of his presentation was "Barack Obama and the Era of the New Black Man."

David McMillen is the External Affairs Liaison with the National Archives and Records Administration, where he is also Director of Congressional Relations. He has advised members of Congress on a broad range of information policy issues including the Freedom of Information Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Presidential Records Act, the Privacy Act, the confidentiality of information collected by the government on individuals and businesses, and the laws governing the operation of the National Archives and Records Administration. McMillen previously worked at the U.S. Census Bureau, and has a flair for making the imperative of the Census accessible and engaging. He has a current and historical perspective on how the Census has functioned as an orderly revolution in the distribution of power. The upcoming Census will again be a hot issue, as it will be outrageously expensive to conduct, and the political ownership and status of subgroup populations will continue to be contested. The title of his presentation was "Revolution is in the Air: The American Census."