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Wielding America’s Preeminent Power

The 2025 Sedona Forum was held May 2-3, 2025, with the theme, “Wielding America’s Preeminent Power.” Focusing on America’s power – our economic leadership, technological innovation, military strength, and cultural diplomacy, the Forum explored how America can effectively wield its power to address global challenges, uphold democratic values, and secure its leadership in an evolving world. Heads of state, policymakers, academics, and practitioners shared insights and offer bold ideas on how to harness American exceptionalism in an era of great power competition.

All panel times are listed in Arizona time (MST)
2:40 pm - 2:50 pm

Welcome Remarks

Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University

2:50 pm - 3:05 pm

A View from Arizona

Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chairman, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
Gov. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s 24th Governor
Scott Jablow, Mayor, Sedona

3:05 pm - 3:45 pm

Stirring Up Change in Africa and the Middle East

Anaïse Kanimba, Human Rights Defender, World Liberty Congress
Roya Mahboob, CEO, Afghan Citadel Software Company

Moderator:
Elisa Massimino, Executive Director, Human Rights Institute, Georgetown University Law Center

3:45 pm - 4:30 pm

Democracy Under Pressure

Amb. David Pressman, Former United States Ambassador to Hungary
Dr. Dan Twining, President, International Republican Institute
Damon Wilson, President & CEO, National Endownment for Democracy

Moderator:
Ishaan Tharoor, Foreign Affairs Columnist, The Washington Post

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

American Power at Home and Abroad

Sen. James Lankford, United States Senator, Oklahoma

In Conversation with:
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Former United States Senator, Arizona

5:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Concluding Remarks

Doug Ducey, Former Governor, Arizona

7:00 pm - 8:45 pm

The Sedona Forum Leadership Dinner

This portion of the program will not livestreamed.

Welcome remarks by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute

Tribute video to Dikembe Mutombo

Presentation of the In The Arena Award
Presentation by Jack McCain, CEO, Blue Sky

Michael Bidwill, Principal Owner, Arizona Cardinals

Keynote Program:

Adm. Samuel Paparo, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

In Conversation With:
Demetri Sevastopulo, U.S.-China Correspondent, Financial Times

Conclusion:
Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute

8:30 am - 8:35 am

Opening Remarks

Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute

8:35 am - 8:50 am

Presentation of the Courage & Leadership Award

Presentation by Jimmy McCain, Director of Government Affairs, Hensley Beverage

María Corina Machado, Leader of the Venezuelan Democratic Movement
Ana Corina Sosa Machado, Chief of Staff to the President, Celonis

8:50 am - 9:30 am

Eastern Frontlines: Russia, Ukraine, and the New World Order

Rep. Jason Crow, United States Congressman, Colorado’s 6th District
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, United States Senator, Minnesota
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, National Leader, Republic of Belarus

Moderator:
Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute

9:30 am - 10:10 am

Signal in the Noise: Cybersecurity, Intelligence, and Data

Sue Gordon, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Sen. Mark Kelly, United States Senator, Arizona
Frances Fragos Townsend, Former Counterterrorism & Homeland Security Advisor

Moderator:
Shane Harris, Staff Writer, The Atlantic

10:25 am - 11:05 am

The New Industrial Stack: AI, Chips, and Energy as Strategic Assets

Jeff Guldner, Former Chairman & CEO, Pinnacle West Capital Corp.
Sec. Gina Raimondo, Former Secretary of Commerce, Former Governor of Rhode Island & Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Ryan Tseng, Co-Founder, Shield AI

Moderator:
Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology, Arizona State University

11:05 am - 11:45 am

American Economic Leadership

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, United States Senator, Wyoming
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Former United States Senator, Arizona

Moderator:
Eliza Collins, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

“A Cause Greater Than” Lunch Discussion

Remarks and Introduction by Meghan Latcovich, Chief of Staff, World Food Programme

Amb. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme

In Conversation With:
Kelly O’Donnell, Senior White House Correspondent, NBC News

1:15 pm - 1:55 pm

Powering Partnerships: The Geopolitics of Trade and Energy

Sen. Ruben Gallego, United States Senator, Arizona
Rep. Craig Goldman, United States Congressman, Texas’ 12th District
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator, Rhode Island

Moderator:
Jon Decker, White House Correspondent & Senior National Editor, Gray TV & McCain Institute Media Fellow

1:55 pm - 2:35 pm

The Great Wall of Influence: A Look Into China

Introduction by Elbegdorj Tsakhia, Former President & Prime Minister, Mongolia

Liz Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow & Co-Chair of the Program on U.S., China, and the World, The Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Chris Johnson, President & CEO, China Strategies Group
Andrew Shearer, Director-General of National Intelligence, Office of National Intelligence, Australia

Moderator:
Josh Rogin, Lead Global Security Analyst, Washington Post Intelligence

2:50 pm - 3:30 pm

Muscle Memory: Military Power in the Middle East

Gen. Frank McKenzie, Executive Director, Global & National Security Institute, University of South Florida
Rep. Seth Moulton, United States Congressman, Massachusetts’ 6th District

Moderator:
Courtney Kube, Correspondent, NBC News

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm

Freedom on Trial

Amb. Roger D. Carstens, John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Distinguished Senior Fellow, McCain Institute
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Vice President, Free Russia Foundation
Alsu Kurmasheva, Russian & American Journalist, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Moderator:
Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, CEO, Knight Foundation

4:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Politics as Usual or Politics Unusual?

David Axelrod, Chief Political Analyst, CNN & Professor of Practice, Arizona State University
Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute

Moderator:
Major Garrett, Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News

5:00 pm - 5:05 pm

Closing Remarks

Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute

Thoughtful Leaders. Decision Makers. Activists and Experts.

The Sedona Forum is the McCain Institute’s annual, high-level gathering of national and international leaders held each spring in the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona. Starting from the assumption of character-driven leadership and core democratic values, The Sedona Forum convenes thought-leaders, decision makers, activists and diverse experts to discuss approaches and solutions to real-world problems.