Community Speaker Events

We invite you to save the date for these speaker events and parent forums at University School of Milwaukee during the school year. All events listed below are free and open to the general public, with the exception of the USM Parent Forums, which are only open to members of the USM community. Light refreshments will be served. RSVPs will be requested (but not required). Times, dates, speakers, and topics are all subject to change. All events will take place on the USM campus.

2022-23 Speaker Events

Please check back soon for additional community speaker events for the 2022-23 school year.

Previous 2022-23 Speaker Events

Belle Liang and Timothy Klein

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way, in School, Career, and Beyond
Tuesday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.
Presenters: Belle Liang and Timothy Klein

Peter Kranstover

Global Scholars Speaker Series: The Latin American Refugee Crisis: Historical Roots and Policy Implications
Friday, Jan. 6, 6 p.m. in Mellowes Hall
Presenter: Peter Kranstover

Dr. Jill Walsh

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Adolescents and their Social Media Narratives: A Digital Coming of Age
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Jill Walsh

Past Community Speaker Events

2021-22

Ana Homayoun

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Social Media Wellness - Understanding the Intersection of School Stress, and Social Media
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Ana Homayoun, educator and author

Peter Kranstover

Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker
"The United States: Still the World's Policemen?"
Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
Presenter: Peter Kranstover, advisory council to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, advisor to the Center for Global and Economic Studies at Marquette University.

Marc Brackett

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Permission to Feel - Inspiring a New Mindset Around the Power of Emotions to Transform Our Lives
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Marc Brackett, psychologist and director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

Lisa Damour

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Stress, Anxiety, and Resilience - Thriving in Uncertain Times
Thursday, April 7, 2022, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist and author
This event is sponsored in part by the USM Parents' Association

Chris Norton

Cindy Zautcke Memorial Speaker Series: The Power to Stand
Monday, April 11, 2022, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Chris Norton, motivational speaker and former football player

Michele Borba

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: How to Help the Pandemic Generation Thrive Now and Later
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Michele Borba, educational psychologist, author, and TODAY show contributor

Dana Suskind

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child's Potential, Fulfilling Society's Promise
Tuesday, May 17, 7 p.m.
Presenter: Dana Suskind, professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center
This event is sponsored by Boswell Book Company

2020-21

2019-20

Masha Gessen

Global Scholars Speaker Series
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019, 6:30-8 p.m. in Mellowes Hall
Presenter: Masha Gessen, author of "The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia"

Dr. Deborah Gilboa

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: What's Happy Got to Do With It: How to Figure Out What Our Kids Need and What They Want
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, 7-8:30 p.m. in the Virginia Henes Young Theatre
Presenter: Dr. Deborah Gilboa, board certified physician at Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill Health Center and founder of askdoctorg.com.

Paul Tough

USM Speaker Series: The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us.
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, 7-8:30 p.m. Location TBA
Presenter: Paul Tough, author and broadcaster

Mike Domitrz

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: SAFER Choices
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, 7-8:30 p.m. in Mellowes Hall
Presenter: Mike Domitrz, The Center for Respect

Dr. Michael Thompson

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Impact of the Loss of Play in Childhood
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, 7-8:30 p.m. in Mellowes Hall
Presenter: Dr. Michael Thompson, clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author

Alexandra Robbins

USM/REDgen Speaker Series
Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2020, 7-8:30 p.m. in Mellowes Hall
Presenter: Alexandra Robbins, investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author

2018-19

David Patrikarakos

USM Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker Series: The Future of International Conflict
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, 6:30-8 p.m.
Presenter: David Patrikarakos, journalist and author

Dr. Lisa Miller

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Spiritual Child
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, 7-8:15 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Lisa Miller, professor and founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University

Dr. Delaney Ruston

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, 7-8:15 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Delaney Ruston, filmmaker

R.P. Eddy '90

USM Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker Series: Social Media, Public Opinion, and National Security
Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, 6:30-8 p.m.
Presenter: R.P. Eddy, globally recognized security and intellegence expert and CEO of Ergo

Dr. Suniya Luthar

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Pressure in High-achieving Schools and Pathways to Fostering Resilience
Monday, April 8, 2019, 7-8:15 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Suniya Luthar, professor of psychology, Arizona State University

Deonte Lewis

Cindy Zautcke Memorial Endowed Fund and SEEK Diversty Speaker
Tuesday, April 20, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Presenter: Deonte Lewis, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee.

2017-18

Athletic Specialization Panel

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Pitfalls of Early Athletic Specialization
Monday, Sept. 18, 2017
Panelists: Joe Amplo, men's lacrosse head coach—Marquette University; Carolyn Kieger, women's basketball head coach—Marquette University; Kate Markgraf, two-time Olympic soccer gold medalist (M.S. in Kinesiology and Educational Psychology); Leigh Podlesny, trainer—Positive Coaching Alliance and former college softball coach; Steve Wojciechowski, men's basketball head coach—Marquette University; moderated by Tim Van Vooren, FOX6 sports director

Daniel Alarcon

Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker
Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017
Presenter: Daniel Alarcon, author, "Lost City Radio"

Lorraine Hobbs

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017
Presenter: Lorraine Hobbs, director, Youth and Family Programs—University of San Diego

Michele Wucker

Gray Rhinos Forum: Global Scholars Crisis Simulation
Friday, Jan. 5, 2018
Presenter: Michele Wucker, commentator, policy analyst, and author, "Gray Rhino"

Jessica Lahey

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Gift of Failure
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018
Presenter: Jessica Lahey, author, "The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed"

Katherine Reynolds Lewis

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: A Crisis of Self-Regulation—And How to Help
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Presenter: Katherine Reynolds Lewis, speaker and author, "The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever—And What to Do About It"

2016-17

Ben Rawlence

Activism, Politics, and Responsible Citizenship in the 21st Century
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016
Presenter: Ben Rawlence, author; "City of Thorns"

Trisha Anderson

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: Harvard University's Making Caring Common Project: Helping Educators, Parents, and Communities Raise Children Who Are Caring, Responsible, and Committed to Justice
Monday, Sept. 19, 2016
Presenter: Trisha Anderson, program director of Making Caring Common and senior program manager—Harvard Graduate School of Education

Matt Bellace

A positive, science-based, and seriously entertaining approach to substance abuse prevention
Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016
Presenter: Dr. Matt Bellace, speaker, psychologist,, comedian, and author; "A Better High: Laugh, help, run, love... and other ways to get naturally high"

Dan Schnur

Election 2016—Presidential Politics
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016
Presenter: Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics—University of Southern California

Sam Mihara

A personal account of the Japanese American imprisonment and its civil rights abuses during World War II
Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016
Presenter: Sam Mihara, member of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation

Dr. Robert Evans

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Crisis in Childrearing
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016
Presenter: Dr. Robert Evans, author; "Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope with the Crisis in Childrearing"

Andrew Bacevich

Global National Security Forum
Friday, Jan. 6, 2017
Presenter: Andrew Bacevich, author and faculty—Boston University

Dr. Louella Amos '95

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: How Sleep Impacts Mood, Behavior, and Success
Monday, Feb. 6, 2017
Presenter: Dr. Louella Amos '95, Pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and assistant professor—Medical College of Wisconsin

Dr. Emma Seppala

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: The Science of Happiness, Health, and Success
Monday, April 24, 2017
Presenter: Dr. Emma Seppala, author; "The Happiness Track," and science director—Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education