Gary Hoover is the Executive Director of the Murphy Institute at Tulane University. He is also a professor of economics and is an affiliate professor of law.

Nicole Richie is an American actress, TV personality, and fashion designer. She rose to fame, costarring with Paris Hilton on the reality series The Simple Life from 2003 to 2007. Richie appeared as a judge on NBC's Fashion Star and VH1's Candidly Nicole. Since 2020, she has served as a judge on AppleTV+'s Making the Cut. Richie also launched the lifestyle brand House of Harlow in 2008.

Jim Sciutto is CNN’s chief national security analyst and anchor of The Brief with Jim Sciutto weekdays at 6pmET on CNN International and CNN Max. Sciutto reports and provides analysis on all aspects of U.S. national security including foreign policy, the military, intelligence community and the State Department.

Throughout his career, he has reported from more than 50 countries across the globe including dozens of assignments from inside Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran, as well as multiple assignments in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Dooky Chase’s Restaurant opened its doors for business in 1941 in New Orleans. What was initially a sandwich shop and lottery ticket outlet in 1939 blossomed into a thriving bar and later a respected family restaurant in the Treme neighborhood. Founded by Emily and Dooky Chase, Sr., the restaurant soon became the meeting place for music and entertainment, civil rights, and culture in New Orleans. In 1946, Edgar Dooky Chase, Jr. married Leah Lange Chase.

Chef Megan “Meg” Bickford has called the Commander’s Palace kitchen her culinary home since June 2008 and took on the role of Executive Chef at the New Orleanians’ destination for leading edge Haute Creole cuisine in October 2020. With over 12 years of experience with the Commander’s Family of Restaurants, Chef Meg previously served as the Executive Chef of Cafe Adelaide, the Commander’s family’s playful, modern Creole restaurant.

Carmen Smith
SVP & Executive Creative Development Product/Content & Inclusive Strategies
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products

Charita Carter
Executive Creative Producer Walt Disney Imagineering

As Executive Creative Producer, Charita Carter is responsible for creating, collaborating on, and developing Disney Parks experiences, from blue-sky ideation through delivery. She has functional leadership of all producers at Walt Disney Imagineering. Charita is currently serving as executive creative producer of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both Disneyland Park in California and Magic Kingdom Park in Florida, inspired by the fan-favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “The Princess and the Frog.”

Rick Cleveland, a native of Hattiesburg and resident of Jackson, is the most decorated sports journalist in Mississippi history. A 1975 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s in journalism, Rick has worked for the Hattiesburg American, Monroe (La.) News Star/Morning World, Jackson Daily News and Clarion Ledger and Mississippi Today as a reporter, editor and columnist.