John Avlon
Keynote Speaker
Author, Columnist, Commentator, Senior Political Analyst and Former Anchor at CNN
John Avlon brings historical context and front-line political analysis to today’s most complex challenges. He helps audiences understand the drivers of polarization and extremism and how to overcome it, equipping leaders with the perspective needed to navigate uncertainty and anticipate what comes next.
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John Avlon is a journalist, political commentator, and author who has had a significant presence in the media landscape. He served as the editor-in-chief and managing director of The Daily Beast from 2013 to 2018, and in 2018, he joined CNN full-time as a Senior Political Analyst. Avlon has made appearances on several television shows, including “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Daily Show,” and “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Additionally, he has lent his expertise to the History Channel docuseries “Thomas Jefferson” as a commentator.
As an author, Avlon has contributed several books to the political discourse. His works include Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America, Lincoln and the Fight for Peace, and Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. In 2024, he ventured into politics, running for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in New York’s 1st congressional district, although his bid was unsuccessful. He is also a co-founder of No Labels, a bipartisan political group, illustrating his commitment to balanced and inclusive politics.
Avlon’s roles extend beyond journalism and politics; he also contributes his time and expertise to several organizations. He serves on the board of governors for the Overseas Press Club and the board of directors for the House of Speakeasy. He is the Chair of the Citizens Union Board of Directors, a clear indication of his civic involvement.
John Avlon’s Speech Topics
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A More Perfect Union: An Evening with Margaret Hoover & John Avlon
Center-right meets center-left. Margaret Hoover and John Avlon—PBS host and journalist, Republican and Democrat, husband and wife—take the stage together to model something the country is starved for: the ability to disagree agreeably, with good faith and good humor. Drawing on American history from Washington’s Farewell Address to Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena,” they make the case that America has always been a story of imperfect people striving toward a more perfect union—and that the 80% of issues where we agree matters far more than the 20% where we don’t. Audiences walk away with a richer understanding of what unifying leadership has looked like throughout American history, a practical framework for finding common ground in their own organizations and communities, and something increasingly rare: genuine hope, grounded in evidence, that the center can hold.
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Breaking Through the Noise: Understanding Today’s Political Landscape
We live in an era of manufactured outrage, algorithmic tribalism, and political extremism that is undercutting the American experiment. But the loudest voices in the room are rarely the majority—and they don’t have to win. Drawing on his years as a journalist, political analyst, CNN anchor, Democratic congressional candidate, and author of multiple books on American history, John Avlon shows audiences how to cut through the noise, identify the real fault lines in American politics, and reclaim our country for the moderate majority. Attendees leave with a sharper ability to read the media landscape critically, a framework for engaging across political differences, and a renewed conviction that the sensible center is not only a legitimate position—it’s historically the most American one.
Works by John Avlon
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John Avlon
Lincoln and the Fight for Peace -
John Avlon
Wingnuts: Extremism in the Age of Obama
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