Upcoming Speakers

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

May 06, 2025

Candice DeLong
"Former FBI Profiler"

“My Best Day”

• View Candice DeLong's Full Bio

  While in training at the FBI Academy, she dreamed of three things that she hoped would happen in her career: investigate a high profile crime, catch a serial killer and rescue a kidnap victim alive. By the time she retired, she had accomplished all three. Candice hosts Investigation Discovery Programs: Dead Women and Facing Evil.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

April 29, 2025

Patty Wetterling
"Consultant, Educator & Author"

“Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope”

• View Patty Wetterling's Full Bio

  Patty is a consultant, educator and author. Her book, Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope” chronicles her personal journey. Patty is the mother of Jacob Wetterling and she has a special place in her heart for Fargo as she came here to help with the Jenna North abduction.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

October 22, 2024

Edward O'Keefe
"Chief Executive Officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library"

“The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President”

• View Edward O'Keefe's Full Bio

  Edward is originally from Grand Forks, ND and now resides in New York City. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. O’Keefe is a former media executive, has worked at ABC News, CNN and was a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow. He has won numerous awards for his research and reporting.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

September 17, 2024

Jocelyn Hagen
"Composer, Publisher & World Wide Performer"

"Neither the Smartest or the Most Talented: How Curiosity and Persistence Led to a Successful Career in the Arts"

• View Jocelyn Hagen's Full Bio

  Jocelyn is originally from Valley City and now lives in Minneapolis where she is a composer, publisher and a world wide performer. She is president of Graphite Publishing and founder of acapella band, Nation. Her husband, Timothy Takach, who is a composer, professional choral singer and soloist, part of Nation and owner of Graphite Publishing will perform with her at the Town Hall Lecture.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

May 21, 2024

Dr. Corey Martin
"Physician and Wellbeing Facilitator"

“Moving from Surviving to Thriving”

• View Dr. Corey Martin's Full Bio

  A Yale-trained family physician, Dr. Martin discusses the importance of relationships and the detrimental effect loneliness has on our communities and our own mental and physical well being.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

April 30, 2024

Rebecca Undem
"Speaker and Advocate"

“Places we Love to Call Home”

• View Rebecca Undem's Full Bio

  Rebecca is an inspirational speaker community advocate and host of the podcast The Growing Small Town Show.  Her nonprofit organization helps communities in southeast ND be places that people love to call home.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

October 24, 2023

Amy Thielen
"Writer and Chef"

"The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others"

• View Amy Thielen's Full Bio

  Born and raised in northern MN, Amy is a two-time James Bear award -winning food writer and chef who speaks about midwestern home cooking, writing and rural foodways.  Her lates cookbook is coming out in August and they will be for sale at her lecture.

2023 - 2024 Town Hall Lecture Series

September 26, 2023

Brendan McDonough
"Speaker and Author"

“The Untold Story of my Lost Brothers”

• View Brendan McDonough's Full Bio

  A former Granite Mountain Hotshot and lone survivor of the Yarnell Hill AZ wildfire, Brendan shares his account of the real-life tragedy that claimed the lives of his 19 firefighter brothers.