Texas Tribune Festival 2019

Smith is the CEO and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. Previously, he spent nearly 18 years at Texas Monthly, including eight years as editor and a year as president and editor-in-chief. Smith also hosts “Overheard with Evan Smith,” airing on PBS stations nationally.

Dowd serves as chief political analyst for ABC News and is the founder of Paradox Capital, a social impact venture fund. Previously, he served as chief political strategist to former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and President George W. Bush in 2004. Dowd is the author... Read More →

Jordan is a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC and a contributor to Time. Previously, she served as director for communications in the National Security Council and as speechwriter for then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Jordan’s work has also appeared in The Atlantic, Buzzfeed... Read More →

Palmieri served as communications director for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2015. Previously, she served as president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Palmieri also served as director of communications for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and as... Read More →

Wilson is a Republican political strategist and media consultant. He has produced television ads for several gubernatorial and Senate candidates as well as super PACs and corporations. He is also a columnist for The Daily Beast, where he covers national politics, and writes for publications... Read More →

Jolly represented Florida in the U.S. House from 2014 to 2017 and is currently a policy and politics analyst for MSNBC and CNN. He has worked in specialty finance, as an attorney and as a political consultant, and he previously served as an adjunct professor at the University of South... Read More →