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 of the continent and the world.

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

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.

Related content:

• More Perfect Union
• Learn more about the Bush Institute's work to support veterans and their families

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 dollars in jewels from some of Dallas’ wealthiest residents in the 1960s.

She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Bill McKenzie to discuss her time in the newsroom, what inspired her new book, and how to consume news in the age of growing disinformation.

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

Related content:

• The King of Diamonds

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 more than two years in prison, and her efforts undoubtedly played a pivotal role in her husband’s release from prison in the August 2024 prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia.

Hear more from Vladimir and Evgenia on his struggle for freedom and their fight for democracy in Russia on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

John J. Sullivan is the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, former Deputy Secretary of State, and author of Midnight in Moscow, a memoir of his experiences in Russia.

Ambassador Sullivan joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts to discuss what he witnessed ahead of Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine while he was stationed in Moscow, what he experienced as Putin’s army began its catastrophic war in the country, and how his time working as a diplomat in authoritarian Russia shaped his unique worldview.

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

Related content:

• Engage Nexpoint Lecture: The Russia-China Challenge
• Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia's War Against the West

John Blake is not only the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the 2023 world champion Texas Rangers, but he is also a docent at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, where he has volunteered since the museum opened its doors in 2013.

John joined host Andrew Kaufmann to talk about his deep-rooted love of presidential history, his feelings when the Texas Rangers finally took home a World Series trophy last year, and why he loves spending his Saturdays volunteering at the Bush Museum.

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

Related content:

• Volunteer at the Bush Museum

The North Korean regime is one of the most brutal on Earth. Executions, torture, and arbitrary detention are commonplace. Many lose their lives attempting to escape. For those who do make it out of the hermit kingdom, many difficulties remain.

But how can we help the people of North Korea?

The answer is that the issues on the Korean Peninsula won’t be easily solved. But many are working hard to help North Koreans.

Ambassador Julie Turner, the U.S. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, is working diplomatically through her role in the U.S. government.

Hannah Song, CEO of non-profit Liberty in North Korea, brings boots-on-the-ground support through LiNK’s modern-day underground railroad.

And Joseph Kim, Research Fellow at the Bush Institute and North Korean escapee himself, is telling his story of survival and supporting his people through his powerful words.

The three experts joined host Andrew Kaufmann for an important conversation about how the U.S. can support North Koreans still in the country, the state of human rights in North Korea, and the work they do to advocate for North Koreans living in the U.S.

That’s on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Related content:

• Escapees develop leadership skills at the Bush Institute's North Korean Human Rights Workshop
• The Bush Institute's work supporting freedom in North Korea

During Dr. Robert Roncska’s impressive 28-year career in the Navy, he commanded a nuclear-powered submarine, led the largest submarine squadron in the U.S. fleet, and even carried the nuclear football for President George W. Bush, who affectionately named him “Navy Bob.”

Recently, he authored his debut book — Beyond the Sea: Leading with Love from the Nuclear Navy to the White House and Healthcare — in which he offers insights from his career and shares his own unique outlook, which blends military precision and execution with compassionate understanding.

Navy Bob joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Center’s Robert Favela to discuss his book, his experience carrying the nuclear codes, and his insights on how to lead with love.

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

Related content:

• Beyond the Sea: Leading with Love from the Nuclear Navy to the White House and Healthcare