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.
2026-27 Speaker Events
We are excited to host another world-class series of speakers for the 2026-27 school year. Please check back soon for additional speakers, in addition to registration information.
Lenore Skenazy

USM/REDgen Speaker Series
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6:30-8 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (Upper School)
Presenter: Lenore Skenazy, author of "Free-Range Kids," and president and co-founder of Let Grow.
Past Community Speaker Events
2025-26
Dr. Jean Twenge

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "Raising Kids in a High-Tech World"
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6:30-8 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (Upper School)
Presenter: Dr. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology and author of "10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World"
Dr. Jeremy Kedziora

Daniel J. Smyczek '10 Symposium: "Beyond the Hype: Building a Bright Future with AI"
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (Upper School)
Presenter: Dr. Jeremy Kedziora, PieperPower Endowed Chair for Artificial Intelligence at MSOE
Mike Domitrz

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "SAFER Choices for My Child in Today's Sexualized World"
Tuesday, April 7, 6:30-8 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (Upper School)
Presenter: Mike Domitrz, The Center for Respect
2024-25
Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "The Anxiety Paradox: Why Helping Kids Feel Bad Can Help Them Feel Good"
Wednesday, Aug. 21, 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (US)
Presenter: Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, author of "Why Anxiety is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad)"
Lynn Lyons

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "From Stress to Smartphones, from Freak-outs to Friendships: What Parents Need to Know (and DO!) about Worry, Anxiety, and Managing Moods"
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (US)
Presenter: Lynn Lyons, author of "Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children"
Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "Making Up and Breaking Up: Supporting Your Child Through Unavoidable Friendship Challenges"
Thursday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Mellowes Hall (US)
Presenter: Eileen Kennedy-Moore, psychologist and author of "Growing Friendships: A Kids' Guide to Making and Keeping Friends"
Maryam Durani

Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker Series
Thursday, April 3, 1:20 p.m.
Location: Mellowes Hall (US)
Presenter: Maryam Durani, Afghan refugee, activist, women's advocate, and recipient of the International Women of Courage Award.
Meg Kissinger

Cindy Zautcke Memorial Speaker Series: "While You Were Out"
Wednesday, April 9, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (US)
Presenter: Meg Kissinger, investigative journalist and author of "While You Were Out: An Intimate Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence"
2023-24
Sheri Glucoft Wong

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "Raising Resilient Kids"
Thursday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Mellowes Hall (US)
Presenter: Sheri Glucoft Wong, author of "Raising Kids: Your Essential Guide to Everyday Parenting"
Supported in part by the USM Parents' Association
Rosalind Wiseman

USM/REDgen Speaker Series: "Relationships are Everything"
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m.
Location: Mellowes Hall (US)
Presenter: Rosalind Wiseman, author of "Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence"
Dr. Mai Truong

USM Global Scholars Crisis Simulation Speaker: "Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific"
Friday, Jan. 5, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Mellowes Hall (US)
Presenter: Dr. Mai Truong, Professor of Political Science at Marquette University
Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg

USM/REDgen Speaker Series:
"Resilience in Action"
Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.
NEW Location: Virginia Henes Young Theatre (US)
Presenter: Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, professor of pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
2022-23
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
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