General Session Speakers

Gene L. Dodaro

Gene L. Dodaro became the eighth comptroller general of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on December 22, 2010, when he was confirmed by the United States Senate. He was nominated by President Obama in September 2010 from a list of candidates selected by a bipartisan, bicameral congressional commission. He had been serving as acting comptroller general since March 2008. Dodaro has testified before Congress dozens of times on important national issues, including the nation's long-term fiscal outlook, efforts to reduce and eliminate overlap and duplication across the federal government and GAO's “High Risk List” that focuses on specific challenges—from reducing improper payments under Medicare and Medicaid to improving the Pentagon's business practices. In addition, he continues to develop GAO’s efforts to meet the needs of Congress in such areas as science, technology, and cybersecurity. As comptroller general, he helps oversee the development and issuance of hundreds of reports and testimonies each year to various committees and individual members of Congress. These and other GAO products have led to hearings and legislation, billions of dollars in taxpayer savings, and improvements to a wide range of government programs and services.

 Steven Johnson

Steven Johnson was the host of the Emmy-winning six-part series, “How We Got To Now,” which aired on PBS in 2014, and is a best-selling author of several books who has been described by the New York Times as a “deep thinker and a gifted storyteller.” His most recent book, Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer, is an entertaining, wide-ranging and surprising look at how human species managed to double life expectancy in just 100 years. Known also for his TED talks on innovation which have been viewed more than 10 million times, in Extra Life Johnson explores the innovations and changes behind this remarkable feat, challenges such as gaps in life expectancy, and the role of innovation in further extending longevity.   

Michelle Singletary

Michelle Singletary is a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post. Her award-winning column, "The Color of Money," appears twice a week in dozens of newspapers across the country. She is a frequent contributor to various National Public Radio programs including "1A," "Morning Edition," and "All Things Considered," and regularly appears on CNN's daily and weekend programs. She is the author of four books and recipient of a 2021 National Association of Black Journalists award for commentary. In 2020, The Washington Post celebrated her long and distinguished career at the paper with the Eugene Meyer Award, its highest journalistic honor.

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D.

Through his practical, interactive, and entertaining virtual and in-person presentations and online video courses on ethics, Dr. Bruce Weinstein—The Ethics Guy®—inspires leaders to do the right thing every time. “High-character leadership is the key to success in the actuarial profession and beyond,” Weinstein said from his New York office. He writes a regular column on ethical leadership for Forbes magazine online. His books include Ethical Intelligence, The Good Ones: Ten Crucial Qualities of High-Character Employees, and for kids, Is It Still Cheating If I Don't Get Caught? Weinstein received a B.A. in philosophy from Swarthmore College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy with a concentration in bioethics from Georgetown University and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics. The W. K. Kellogg Foundation awarded Weinstein a National Fellowship in Leadership.