Conference on political reform

The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute will convene state and national political scholars, journalists, and experts for a Conference on Political Reform Thursday, April 12, through Friday, April 13, at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. The conference, which is part of the Winthrop Rockefeller Centennial Celebration, is open to the public and free of charge. Topics will include Governor Winthrop Rockefeller’s legacy to Arkansas politics, what voters want reformed about the U.S. political system, how we select our national leaders, how money influences politics, how citizens’ groups are using the Web to inform and galvanize the public, and others issues.

Confirmed presenters include: Former Arkansas governors and U.S. Senators Dale Bumpers, David Pryor and Jim Guy Tucker; Jay Barth, chair, Department of Politics and International Relations, Hendrix College; Ed Bethune, former member of Congress from Arkansas; Justice Robert Brown, Associate Justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court; John Brummett, columnist, Arkansas Democrat Gazette; Bill Buzenberg, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity; Kahlil Byrd, CEO, Americans Elect; Charlie Cook, editor and publisher, The Cook Political Report; Keith Gaddie, professor of political science at the University of Oklahoma; John Kirk, chair of the History Department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, public opinion and political strategy research firm; Charles Lewis, professor and founding executive director of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication; Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder and national coordinator, Tea Party Patriots; Ellen Miller, executive director of The Sunlight Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to using the power of the Internet to catalyze greater government openness and transparency; Nick Penniman, president of United Republic, a national nonpartisan organization working to eliminate the undue influence of big money special interests in politics; John Samples, director of Cato Institute Center for Representative Government; Todd Shields, director of the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society at the University of Arkansas; Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow, Civil Justice Reform Initiative, Heritage Foundation; and Cathy Kunzinger Urwin, author of Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71.

There is additional pricing for accommodations and some meals, as well as special pricing for faculty and students. Due to limited seating, pre-registration is required. For a detailed agenda, more information, or to register, please visit: www.livethelegacy.org or contact Ashley Snellenberger at asnellenberger@uawri.org or 501-727-6220.

About the Centennial Celebration

The conference is part of a year-long series of events celebrating the contributions and impact of Governor Winthrop Rockefeller during the 100th anniversary of his birth. In 2012, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Winrock International, the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Central Arkansas Library System, and the Arkansas Arts Center, all organizations that benefitted from Winthrop Rockefeller’s activism and philanthropy, will offer a variety of programs to honor his legacy by convening thought leaders from Arkansas and the nation to discuss critical issues, including civil rights, government reform and philanthropy, among other issues. The Winthrop Rockefeller Centennial Celebration is generously supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Mangan Holcomb Partners. For more information concerning the Centennial Celebration, go to www.wr100.org.

About Winthrop Rockefeller Institute

The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute is dedicated to engaging the world’s best minds for the betterment of humanity. WRI stimulates positive change in the world by serving as a center for thought leadership on issues of state, national and global significance. Its unique location, programs and natural setting create an ideal environment in which to convene exceptional people to develop and share solutions for the most complex and compelling challenges facing the world today – and those we will encounter tomorrow.

The Institute’s approaches its search for solutions with imagination, enthusiasm and curiosity, recognizing the power of exchanging ideas and perspectives in an environment that promotes creativity and commitment. WRI’s goal is to catalyze practical and far-reaching positive societal changes through strategic partnerships and innovative outreach. To learn more, call 501-727-5435, visit the website at LiveTheLegacy.org, or stay connected through Twitter and Facebook.