Former adviser to President George W. Bush joining the lineup for OSU’s 2015 speaker series

Friday, January 30, 2015

Karen Hughes, who served on the staff of President George W. Bush in the early 2000s, is the featured speaker for the upcoming Oklahoma State University Executive Management Briefings and Tulsa Business Forums, presented annually by the OSU Spears School of Business along with corporate sponsors.

Karen Hughes, former adviser to President George W. Bush, will be speaking March 11-12 as part of OSU Spears School of Business speaker series.

Hughes, former counselor to President George W. Bush (2001-2002) and currently worldwide vice chair for the New York City public relation firm of Burson-Marsteller, will speak March 11-12 on “The CEO’s of Leadership” as she breaks down what it takes to be an exceptional leader: Clarity, Example and Optimism.

Hughes will be the featured speaker during a luncheon presentation from noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the Executive Management Briefings at the Cox Business Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. She will also appear from noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Tulsa Business Forums at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

She is replacing Moira Forbes, who is expecting her first child and therefore unable to travel during this time. The president and publisher ofForbesWoman and the daughter of former Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes is disappointed she will not be able to appear in Tulsa and Oklahoma City but hopes to reschedule in the future.

Hughes is one of the world’s foremost communication strategists. Since joining Burson-Marsteller in 2008, she has brought to the business world her unique expertise honed over more than 30 years of public policy, communications and political experience, from helping lead winning presidential campaigns to serving at the highest levels of government.

Previously she served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs where she led the U.S. State Department’s effort to communicate America’s values abroad. In her role as counselor to President George W. Bush, she acted as strategic adviser to the president on policy and communications and managed the White House Offices of Communications, Media Affairs, Speechwriting and Press Secretary.

The schedule is as follows:

Executive Management Briefings

March 11, 2015 – Karen Hughes, worldwide vice chair of Burson-Marsteller and former adviser to President George W. Bush, 12-1:30 p.m., Cox Convention Center.

April 7, 2015 – Steve Wozniak, chief scientist of Fusion-io and co-founder of Apple Computer, 4-5:30 p.m., Cox Convention Center.

Tulsa Business Forums

March 12, 2015 – Karen Hughes, worldwide vice chair of Burson-Marsteller and former adviser to President George W. Bush, 12-1:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Hotel.

April 7, 2015 – Steve Wozniak, chief scientist of Fusion-io and co-founder of Apple Computer, 10-11:30 a.m., Mabee Center.

The cost is $85 per seat for the Hughes luncheon, and $50 for the Wozniak question-and-answer session.

Register online at http://cepd.okstate.edu/emb for the Executive Management Briefings in Oklahoma City, or at http://cepd.okstate.edu/tbf for the Tulsa Business Forums.

For more information about the Tulsa Business Forums or to learn how you can participate as a sponsor, contact Karen Ward at karen.ward@okstate.eduor 405-744-5208.

For more information about the Executive Management Briefings in Oklahoma City or to learn how you can participate as a sponsor, contact Mandy McKinney at mandy.mckinney@okstate.edu or 405-744-5208.