As a child, Byron Pitts was functionally illiterate and spoke with a stutter. Today, he is an Emmy Award winning journalist, author and co-anchor of ABC News “Nightline”. With over 20 years of experience as a news veteran, he’s known for his thoughtful storytelling, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth interviews. His 2009 Memoir, “Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Help Me Conquer Life’s Challenges” chronicled his journey overcoming illiteracy and a stutter to become a journalist.
Bill Graves was the 43rd Governor of Kansas, serving from 1995-2003. Elected at the age of 41, he was one of the youngest governors in Kansas history. His term of office saw strong economic growth for Kansas after years of recession, and a continued excellence and emphasis on education. Following his tenure as governor, he has served as president of the American Trucking Association.
Col. Mark Tillman was chosen as the nation’s 12th Presidential Pilot and served as commander of Air Force One for eight years under President George W. Bush. The retired colonel was responsible for “the flying White House” throughout both of Bush’s terms and has edge-of-your-seat stories to share about keeping the President safe on Sept. 11, 2001, and clandestinely flying the President in and out of Iraq on Thanksgiving 2003.
Amanda Knox is an exoneree, journalist, public speaker, and author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, “Waiting to Be Heard”. Between 2007 and 2015, she spent nearly four years in an Italian prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn’t commit. Amanda now works to shed light on the issues of wrongful conviction, truth seeking, and public shaming, and to inspire people towards empathy and perspective.
