Keynote Speaker Ron Elving Senior Washington Editor National Public Radio

In his position at National Public Radio, Mr. Elving directs coverage of national politics and is frequently heard as a news commentator.  He also writes the weekly NPR website column, Watching Washington, and has been published by the Brookings Institution and the American Political Science Association.   In his years covering national politics, Mr. Elving has developed expertise and insight into the American political system.  Mr. Elving will speak on the upcoming presidential election, the bias against internationalism that is ingrained in American politics, and how this attitude affects the role of the U.S. in the world. 

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Susan Castillo Oregon State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Susan Castillo is a third-generation American who grew up witnessing her mother’s struggle to find employment with only an eighth grade education. Her commitment is to ensuring that the educational needs of all students be met continues to grow.

She was elected Oregon’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction in May 2002 and sworn into office in 2003.  In addition to her duties as an elected official, Ms. Castillo is a fellow in the American Leadership Forum, which is dedicated to bringing leaders together to strengthen their skills and better serve the public good.  She is also an active board member of the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Ms. Castillo was the first Hispanic woman in the Oregon Legislative Assembly.  She served in the Oregon State Senate from 1997 to 2002 and was Vice-Chair of the Senate Education Committee. She was also elected an Assistant Democratic Leader for the 1999 and 2001 legislative sessions. As a champion for Oregon's public schools, she worked to foster innovation in public schools, and remove barriers to achievement. In 2004, Ms. Castillo was named one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in America by Hispanic Business Magazine. 

Ms. Castillo received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Oregon State University. Prior to entering public office, she enjoyed a long career as an award-winning television journalist for KVAL-TV in Eugene, Oregon.  She is married to Paul Machu and lives in Eugene.

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Michael Furdyk Co-Founder TakingITGlobal.org

Michael Furdyk is the Co-founder of TakingITGlobal.org, a global online community for young people that engages hundreds of thousands of youth in over 200 countries and territories.

As one of Teen People's "20 teens that will change the world", Mr. Furdyk has shared his opinions about Youth Engagement and experiences as a member of the Net Generation by speaking at dozens of events, including the World Congress on IT, the US Government's National Youth Summit and Microsoft's Anytime, Anywhere Learning Summits. He has made numerous media appearances including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Time Magazine, BusinessWeek, CNN, MSNBC, and USA Today. He is a board member and advisor to numerous groups including Microsoft, Pollution Probe, the Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation, and several other national and global organizations.

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