Thank you for a successful 2025 season
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Stay Tuned for our 2026 Season​
We already have several confirmed events for 2026 and more in the works. We plan to look into the Planetary Boundaries initiative, which attempts to identify how much perturbation of the planetary environment we can “afford” to let ourselves create, with a global expert in the field. We will speak with individuals who have gone to space for both NASA and private companies as we contemplate the future of space travel. An Emmy award winning writer, director, actor and comedian examines the funny topic of humor. Author, professor and transgender activist Jenny Finney Boylan invites us to join her on her journey. Other topics we are exploring are Gaza and the Middle East, the changing face of the media and the American judiciary at a crossroads. We hope you’ll join us.
Our 2025 Season Was...
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Amy Walter, political analyst and award winning forecaster of national U.S. elections joined Calvin Mackenzie, former Chair of the Colby College Government Department, to discuss what the elections of 2024 foretell about the world we live in and the future of national U.S. elections.
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Ann McKee, MD, is a neurologist & neuropathologist at the VA Boston. Her career focuses on Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), She discussed her groundbreaking work on the effects on the brain of both repetitive head impacts and concussions in sports and Alzheimer’s with Dr Carol Leary, President Emerita of Bay Path University.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Dr. Ross Greene is a bestselling author and clinical psychologist, who’s been working on behavioral issues with children for over 30 years. Dr. Nirav Shah has worked at the highest levels of public health at the state and national level. Together, they discussed the epidemic of mental health disorders in youth.
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Retired US Navy Admiral Gregory Johnson, retired diplomat Susan Thornton and Robert Gelbard, American diplomat who led US policy in the Balkans through wars and post-war recoveries, discussed the potential turmoil in Ukraine in 2025.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Cullen Ryan, Executive Director Community Housing of Maine, Deborah De Santis, President and CEO of CSH, a national organization on homelessness, Dr. Jim O’Connell, President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and subject of renowned author Tracy Kidder’s book Rough Sleepers about his work with Boston’s homeless community, and Tracy Kidder himself joined this conversation about the homelessness crisis nationally and in Greater Portland and proposed alternatives to how we currently manage this issue.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Jeffrey Brown, journalist and senior arts and literature correspondent for the PBS News Hour, led a conversation with AO Scott, former chief film critic for the New York Times and now critic at large for the New York Times Book Review, and novelist Richard Russo about the many – oft underestimated – ways in which art and literature impact our lives.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Join Dr. Fiona Hill, formerly an official at the U.S. National Security Council specializing in Russian and European affairs, in conversation with former diplomat and Russia expert Susan Thornton and non-profit community builder Barrett Takesian in a discussion about strengthening grass roots organizations as a means to alleviate domestic dysfunction that can lead to national security crises.
2025 Lead Sponsors
Kathy Biberstein
Gregory Boulos
Joseph Boulos
Gladys Cofrin and Dr. Dan Logan
Dr. Ross W. Greene and Jenny McBrady
The Dara Jeanne Kaufman Fund
Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
David Douglas Stone
Robert and Joan Carpenter Troccoli
Amy Woodhouse and Tobey Scott
Paul and Janis Walsh
Joseph and Carol Wishcamper
2025 Community Sponsors
Allen, Sterling & Lothrop Garden Center
Balsam Realty
Liza Bakewell
Polly Bakewell
Joe and Maury Bohan
Paul Biberstein
Jack and Katherine Emory
Marcia Feller and Bob Murray
Marion Freeman and Corson Ellis
Lori Garon and Timothy Cloudman
Ret. Amb. Robert Gelbard and Alene Gelbard
Sara and Ben Gideon
Peggy Golden
Martin and Shayla Haines
Amanda and Nicholas Kent
Kristi Marsh
Elizabeth McLellan
Col. Joseph and Janet Moan
Chris Parker
John and Dean Paterson
Strand and Ric Quesada
Tom and Rita Saliba
Ineke Schair
Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shop
Clayton Spencer
Vistage
2025 Season Supporters
Lyn Ballou, Michael and Nancy Beebe, Jane and Ed Bradley, Hooper Brooks, Steve and Judy Brown, Maryellen Carew, Amy and Matt Cartmell, Anne and Jim Cram, Julie and Matt Forsyth, Daniel and Julie Freund, John Gleason and Katrina Van Dusen, Phil Gleason and Mary Schendel, Francisco and Sarah Guzman, Gordie and Judy Hamlin, Michael and Bridget Healy, Becky and David Hotelling, Robert and Paula Hoy, Carol and Dale Hudson, Ret. Adm. Gregory Johnson and Carol Hancock, Jonathan and Cindi Knowles, Carol and Noel Leary, Mac and Catherine Lewis, Arnie Macdonald and Liza Moore, Tony MacDonald and Denise Caron, Cal and Sally Mackenzie, Steve Massicotte, Mari Miya and Bob Mehler, Stevan Morrow and Rommy Brown, Elizabeth and Hugo Murphy, Ken and Rosemary Murphy, Lenny and Merle Nelson, Mary and Ken Nelson, Martha Nichols, Mark Nordenson, Dr. James O'Connell, Stephanie Paine and John Pier, Fred and Pat Palmer, Ann Parker, Steve Poulos, Ford and Karen Reiche, Cullen Ryan, Lynn and Jim Shaffer, Dr. Nirav Shah and Kara Palamountain, Robert and Ellen Snyder, David Soley and Deb Coppinger, Steve and Beth Sunenblick, Barrett Takesian and Qamer Hussein, Susan Tananbaum and Joe Frazer, Susan Thornton and Michael Joseph Daley, Jonas and Kate Werner
CONTACT
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Freeport Speech
PO Box 284
South Freeport, ME 04078, USA