Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder

Announcing the Speaker Lineup for the 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival 

From June 25-July 1, the Aspen Ideas Festival brings hundreds of speakers and thousands of attendees to the Rocky Mountains to explore ideas that help us understand today and shape tomorrow.

Washington, DC & Aspen, CO, May 12, 2026 – The Aspen Institute has announced the initial lineup of speakers appearing at the 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival. Gathering leaders and innovators spanning business, technology, public service, journalism, science, and the arts, the growing speaker list is setting the stage for another incredible year of conversations that matter with people who inspire. The 2026 Festival takes place from June 25 to July 1 in Aspen, Colorado, against the backdrop of a stunning Rocky Mountain landscape. It is preceded by Aspen Ideas: Health, which spans June 22-25.  

The full speaker list can be viewed here, with new names added weekly.
Among hundreds of speakers participating:

  • Tom Barkin, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
  • Ken Burns, Award-winning documentarian and Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence
  • Asha Curran, CEO, Giving Tuesday
  • Thasunda Duckett, President & CEO, TIAA
  • Chrystia Freeland, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Canada
  • Michael Froman, President of the Council on Foreign Relations
  • Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
  • Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, United States Senator, New York (D) 
  • Alberto Gonzales, Former U.S. Attorney General
  • Mark Gordon, Governor, State of Wyoming
  • Walter Hood, Founder and Creative Director, Hood Design Studio
  • Jeh Johnson, Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security
  • Neel Kashkari, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Paula Kerger, President and CEO, PBS; President, PBS Foundation
  • Senator Cynthia Lummis, United States Senator, Wyoming (R)
  • Lynn Martin, President, New York Stock Exchange Group
  • Jared Polis, Governor, State of Colorado
  • David Risher, CEO, Lyft
  • RJ Scaringe, Founder & CEO, Rivian
  • Joshua Seftel, Oscar-Winning Filmmaker; Director, “All the Empty Rooms” 
  • Keith Sonderling, Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor
  • Raj Subramaniam, President & CEO, FedEx
  • Samantha Tweedy, CEO, Black Economic Alliance 
  • Gina Raimondo, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce
  • Mike Varshavski (“Doctor Mike”), Physician; Speaker; and Creator
  • Amy Webb, Founder and CEO of Future Today Strategy Group 
  • Tom Wilson, CEO, Allstate
  • Christine Wormuth, former U.S. Secretary of the Army and president and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative 

Acclaimed journalist and author Fareed Zakaria will return as Guest Curator to guide conversations that explore bold ideas, while dozens of celebrated journalists will join the Festival to lead insightful dialogue from the stage, including David Leonhardt, Katie Couric, Jenn White, Kara Swisher, Jonathan Capehart, David Brooks, Mary Louise Kelly, Jerusalem Demsas, Tim Miller, David French, Amy Harder, and Lauren Hirsch.

This year’s Festival will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 2026 program tracks will use this milestone as a lens to reflect on its founding ideals and explore the forces shaping our world today. Programming will examine independence on the global stage, in our communities, and within ourselves.

For media: Journalists interested in covering the Aspen Ideas Festival in person are invited to apply for press credentials here. Information about how to attend is available here.

The 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival is supported by Presenting Underwriters Allstate, Edward Jones, GE Vernova, Mount Sinai Health System, Rivian, and the Walton Family Foundation. Supporting Underwriters are Bayer, Capital One, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, NYSE, Southern Company, and Vantor.

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The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.