13th Annual Sedona Forum to be held May 1-2 in Arizona with the theme “Challenges to American Dominance”
Register for the livestream HERE
SEDONA, Arizona (April 29, 2026) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) today released the speaker lineup and full agenda for the 2026 Sedona Forum taking place May 1 – 2 in Sedona, Arizona.
“The McCain Institute welcomes this distinguished, nonpartisan group of leaders, policymakers, educators, and journalists to carry on Senator John McCain’s tradition of countering the world’s most pressing issues with open dialogue in the place he loved most—Sedona, Arizona,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “This year, we’ll discuss the dynamics reshaping America’s position in the world with the help of our media partners, Defense News, NOTUS, Punchbowl News, and The Washington Post.”
Notable speakers include Executive Director of the World Food Programme Cindy McCain, United States Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg, United States Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), United States Representatives Jason Crow (D-Colo.-06), Craig Goldman (R-TX-12) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.-16), Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, U.S. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, NBA Cares President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens, NBC News Chief Justice and National Affairs Correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, and more.
View the full list of speakers HERE and below.
Akie Abe, Chairperson, Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution
Anthony Adragna, Congressional Defense Reporter, Punchbowl News
Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, U.S. AFRICOM Commander
David Axelrod, Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics & Professor of Practice, Arizona State University
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.-02)
Kathy Behrens, President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs, NBA Cares
Rep. Stephanie Bice, (R-Okla.-05)
Michael Bidwill, Owner, Arizona Cardinals
Julie Borlaug, President, Borlaug Consulting
Charlie Black, Founding Chairman, Prime Policy Group
JC Btaiche, Founder and CEO, Fuse Energy
Ahron Cohen, Chairman & CEO, Polar Sun Ventures & Former President, CEO, and Alternative Governor, Arizona Coyotes
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.-06)
Dr. Michael Crow, President, ASU
Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
Jon Decker, White House Correspondent & Senior National Editor, Gray TV & McCain Institute Media Fellow
Sally Donnelly, Founding Partner, Pallas Advisors
Steve Duprey, CEO, Duprey Companies
Rep. Jake Ellezy (R-TX-06)
Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Dr. Benedikt Franke, Vice-Chairman & CEO, Munich Security Council
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)
Rep. Craig Goldman (R-TX-12)
Dr. Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology, ASU
Sue Gordon, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Joe Gould, Reporter, NOTUS
Michael Harper, Partner, K&L Gates
Rep. Jim Himes (R-Conn.-04), Ranking Member, HPSCI
Katie Hobbs, Governor, Arizona
Rachel Hoff, Policy Director, Ronald Reagan Institute
Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum
Chris Johnson, President & CEO, China Strategies Group
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Vice President, Free Russia Foundation
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.)
David Lakin, General Counsel, Player 15 Group, Phoenix Suns & Phoenix Mercury
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.-17)
Luke Lindberg, United States Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs
Leopoldo López, Co-Founder, World Liberty Congress
Rui Matsukawa, Senator, Senate of Japan
Amb. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme
Jack McCain, CEO, Blue Sky and Board Member, McCain Institute
James McCain, Captain, U.S. Army
Gen (Ret.) Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie Jr., Former Commander, U.S. Central Command
Kelly O’Donnell, Chief Justice and National Affairs Correspondent, NBC News
Mosheh Oinounou, Editor-in-Chief, Mo News
John Raidt, Advisor, Jones Group International
Jason Rezaian, Director of Press Freedom Initiatives, The Washington Post
Josh Rogin, Lead Global Security Analyst, Washington Post Intelligence
Demetri Sevastopulo, U.S.-China Correspondent, Financial Times
Josette Sheeran, Founder & CEO, Firefly Global Group
Akihisa Shiozaki, Member, House of Representatives, Japan
J.D. Simkins, Editor-in-Chief, Defense News
Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, World Food Programme
Reid Smith, Vice President of Foreign Policy, Stand Together
Dan Smoot, CEO, Vantor
Stephanie Sy, Correspondent, PBS News
Dr. Dan Twining, President, International Republican Institute
Amb. Kurt Volker, Former Ambassador to NATO
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
Gregory Wendt, Retired Partner, Capital Group
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
Dr. Tamara Wittes, President, National Democratic Institute
*Speakers and panels are subject to change*
Inspired by the McCain family, the Sedona Forum is held each spring to advance the mission of the McCain Institute – fighting for democracy, human dignity, and security. As the McCain Institute’s signature annual event, the forum provides a unique opportunity for U.S. and world leaders to have informal, face-to-face discussions about real solutions to the problems facing our world today. This year’s theme, “Challenges to American Dominance,” will examine the dynamics and threats reshaping America’s position in the world, from a mounting debt crisis and intense great-power competition with China and its authoritarian partners to the urgent need for bipartisanship at home. Defense News, NOTUS, Punchbowl, and The Washington Post are this year’s media partners.
Panels will be available to watch via livestream. To learn more about the event and register for the livestream, visit TheSedonaForum.org.