The Strategerist
George W. Bush Presidential Center
What happens when you cross the 43rd President, late night sketch comedy, and interesting conversation? The inspiration behind The Strategerist– a podcast series highlighting the American spirit of leadership and compassion.
- 42 minutes 55 secondsSMU's Dr. Jeffrey Engel -- Insights into Presidential HistoryDr. Jeffrey Engel is an award-winning presidential historian and the David Gergen Director of the SMU Center for Presidential History. He’s authored or edited thirteen books on American foreign policy and spent a good part of his career at the Bush School of Government and Public Service in College Station before coming to SMU. He joins host Andrew Kaufmann and Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, former White House Communications Director under President Bush and Senior Advisor to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, to discuss his passion for presidential history, the shift in legacies post-presidency, and why we need to continue learning about our past to build our future.10 April 2025, 6:49 pm
- 42 minutes 17 secondsCaptain Flo Groberg -- Leadership Lessons with a Medal of Honor RecipientRetired U.S. Army Captain Florent Groberg is one of 3,528 recipients of the Medal of Honor—the highest military honor awarded to those who serve in the United States armed forces. Flo joins host Andrew Kaufmann and Michael Bailey, Deputy Director of the Leadership Programs at the Bush Institute to discuss his service to our country and what leadership means both in the uniform and as a civilian.25 March 2025, 11:00 am
- 37 minutes 37 secondsChuck Todd — Local Journalism and the State of News in 2025Chuck Todd is an Emmy award-winning journalist while NBC’s Chief Political Analyst and former moderator for Meet the Press, which he stepped away from in September 2023. Although he stepped away from the moderator’s chair, he still covers politics this his podcast, The Chuck Toddcast. He joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute Bill McKenzie to discuss how the journalism ecosystem has changed and evolved and how local news should be driving national news (not the other way around).18 March 2025, 11:00 am
- 45 minutes 54 secondsJared Cohen — From Presidential History to Technology
If you enjoyed this episode, watch Purpose Beyond the White House: A Conversation on the Post-Presidency, an Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint featuring Jared Cohen.
13 March 2025, 7:53 pm - 38 minutes 13 secondsJames D. Rodriguez — Former Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training ServiceThe Honorable James D. Rodriguez served as Assistant Secretary within the Biden administration Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service from January 2021 until January 2025 where he served 440,000 veterans annually. He is an accomplished executive leader with over 30 years experience across the government and corporate landscapes and over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership and management positions. Last year, he joined Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Casey Rodriguez, the Senior Program Manager of Leadership Programs. But not only is Casey managing the operations of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, she’s the daughter of Secretary Rodriguez.12 March 2025, 7:04 pm
- 26 minutes 4 secondsNatalia Arno -- Fighting for a Democratic Russia
To learn more about Natalia's work at the Free Russia Foundation click here.
5 March 2025, 9:14 pm - 25 minutes 29 secondsLarry D. Thompson -- The Quiet Counsel
Limited signed copies of Larry Thompson’s book ”The Quiet Counsel Looking Back on a Life of Service to the Law” are available for purchase at the Bush Museum here.
27 February 2025, 8:35 pm - 30 minutes 38 secondsAmbassador Nicole Avant - Think You'll Be HappyAmbassador Nicole Avant is a critically acclaimed producer of the Netflix film The Six Triple Eight, bestselling author of Think You’ll Be Happy, and former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas under President Obama. We discuss Ambassador Avant’s contributions and what led her to the Netflix film “The Six Triple Eight”, the influence of her incredible parents — which inspired her book “Think You’ll Be Happy” — and how to live out our freedom every single day.21 February 2025, 6:05 pm
- 53 minutes 43 secondsMike Morath -- Texas Commissioner of Education22 January 2025, 12:02 am
- 52 minutes 20 secondsMadame President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf -- Africa's Iron Lady
Madame President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a true trailblazer — she served as the president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018 and was the first elected female head of state in Africa. And now she’s dedicated to helping other women ascend to leadership roles through her work at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development.
President Sirleaf joined the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts and host Andrew Kaufmann for a conversation with our staff about leading her country after years of division, the need for gender equity, and why young Africans give her hope about the future of the continent and the world.
Hear more from Madame President Sirleaf on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
6 December 2024, 7:01 pm - 45 minutes 1 secondMary Tobin -- Building a More Perfect Union
Mary Tobin is the Director of Brickyard Chapters and Programs for nonprofit More Perfect Union, which aims to bring people together through social connection, service, and civic engagement events in order to build stronger and more resilient communities.
She joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Jason Galui for an impactful conversation on More Perfect Union’s mission, how her experiences in the military helped her grow, and the importance of human connection.
Hear more from Mary on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
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