PAST EVENT FROM OUR
SUMMER-FALL 2026 ZOOM SERIES
Kate Byrnes
Ambassador (ret.) Kate Marie Byrnes brings more than three decades of frontline diplomatic experience to a timely conversation on geopolitics, democracy, and transatlantic security. Now Principal of KMB Strategies LLC in Sarasota and a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Tennessee’s Baker School of Public Policy, she advises leaders navigating today’s complex global landscape.
During her 32-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service—largely focused on Europe—Ambassador Byrnes developed deep expertise in U.S.-European relations, political-military cooperation, and strategic communications. As U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia (2019–2022), she led efforts to advance the country’s integration into NATO and the European Union, earning a Presidential Rank Award for her leadership.
Her long-standing connection to Hungary—including service in Budapest and work across NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and U.S. European Command—gives her a unique lens on democratic backsliding and regional security dynamics. With additional postings in Greece, Spain, Afghanistan, Bolivia, and Türkiye, Ambassador Byrnes offers a rare blend of on-the-ground insight and strategic perspective on the challenges shaping Europe—and their implications for the United States.
Bob Gary
Robert Gary brings a rare, hard-earned perspective to the study of democracy—shaped not just by theory, but by a lifetime at the intersection of law, public service, and lived experience. Trained at New York University School of Law and seasoned in the U.S. Department of Justice, he built a career confronting organized crime, protecting citizens, and navigating the real-world tensions between power and accountability. His later work—from advising state leadership in Ohio to representing victims and pensioners—deepened his focus on justice as a cornerstone of democratic systems.
But it is Gary’s global lens that gives his voice particular urgency. From crossing Soviet-era Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie to traveling across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, he has witnessed firsthand how governments can either serve their people—or control them. These experiences inform both his teaching and writing, including Protecting Your Pension for Dummies and his cross-cultural work I Am the Other, co-authored with Imam Subedar.
In this Zoom discussion on Hungary, Gary connects these threads—law, history, travel, and faith—to explore how democracies erode, how authoritarianism advances, and, critically, how democratic resilience can still be strengthened and sustained.
James Talarico
James Talarico is an American politician, Presbyterian seminarian, and former educator who has served since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
A member of the Democratic Party, Talarico is its nominee in the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas.
Born in Round Rock, Texas, Talarico graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in government in 2011, and from Harvard University with a Master of Education degree in education policy in 2016.
Before entering politics, Talarico was a middle-school English teacher and an executive director for an education nonprofit.
He is serving his fourth term in the Texas House of Representatives, having first been elected in 2018. While serving in the Texas House, Talarico earned his Master of Divinity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
As a Presbyterian and a progressive, Talarico has championed gun control, abortion rights, increased education funding, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, gaining national recognition for framing progressive policies through his Christian faith.
In 2025, he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in 2026
Simon Rosenberg
Simon Rosenberg is a highly regarded political strategist and commentator with more than 30 years of experience in national politics and television news. Simon has advised elected officials and campaigns (including the Dukakis for President Campaign) at all levels of government and across the country.
He was the founder of New Democrat Network (NDN), a centrist think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Rosenberg shuttered NDN in March 2024.
He has built a new home for his political analysis, commentary, and live political discussions at Hopium Chronicles, an engaging project on the Substack media platform.
Simon Rosenberg was born in New York City. He attended the Walden School (New York City) and then public schools in Wilton, Connecticut. He is a graduate of Tufts University, Boston.
Sheila Markin Nielsen
Sheila Markin Nielsen is a former social worker and attorney (Temple, 1977) whose career spans public service, law, nonprofit leadership, and executive coaching.
She served as a prosecutor in Philadelphia and Chicago, and later as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Seventh Circuit, where she led investigations, trials, appeals, and a major grand jury vote fraud case.
She transitioned from legal practice to leadership of a nonprofit focused on work-life balance for attorneys, and in 1990 founded Nielsen Career Consulting. She has since coached more than 6,000 professionals nationwide, authored books and articles on career development, and spoken at major legal organizations.
Nielsen is also deeply engaged in civic and political work, supporting reproductive rights and progressive causes through organizations such as Personal PAC, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, and the ACLU. She has helped raise millions for candidates and advocacy efforts.
Her political blog, The Markin Report, launched in 2016, grew out of concern over misinformation and threats to democratic norms. Combining legal insight with an accessible, opinion-driven voice, the blog now reaches 6-8 million, offering fact-based analysis and fostering dialogue—particularly among readers seeking clarity in a complex political environment.
Her weekly series, The Zoom Where It Happens, has 600 members and has featured more than 120 notable speakers, including Letitia James, James Talarico, Ro Kanna and Heather Cox Richardson.
Ms. Markin Nielsen obtained her MSW from Bryn Mawr and her JD from Temple University
On July 7th, we hosting a Zoom event, the third in our Summer-Fall ’26 series, in which we offered a number of candidates for office in Sarasota County and the City of Sarasota the opportunity to introduce themselves and to let us know (1) how they will win on August 18 (FL primaries) and on November 3 (general election) and (1) what they intend to achieve when in office.
Sarasota County School Board
In this non-partisan election, school board seats in three of the five districts were up for election in August – districts 1, 4 and 5. We are showcased three candidates:
Jimmy Glover (D1) who led the 3-person field on August 18th and who goes forward to the general election on November 3rd against Heidi Brandt;
Megan Tennimon (D4) who also won her primary and was duly elected.
Thus, these two candidates ensured that the chaos of the Moms for Liberty years was put behind us.
City of Sarasota Commissioners-at-Large
(You are eligible to vote in this particular race only if you live within the City of Sarasota limits.)
In this non-partisan election, we showcased two of the five candidates who are running for two open seats: Jen Ahearn-Koch and Flo Entler.
They finished first and second respectively and go forward to the general election against the third place finisher.
In order of appearance:
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David Jolly & Gwen Graham, nominees for Florida Governor & Lt. Governor respectively | Video Clip
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Leela Gray, nominee for US House FL District 13 | Video Clip
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Angie Nixon, nominee for US Senate | Video Clip
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Kelly Kirschner, nominee for US House FL District 16 | Video Clip
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Matthew Montavon, nominee for US House FL District 17 | Video Clip
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José Javier Rodríguez, nominee for Florida Attorney General | Video Clip
During this Zoom event, the fourth in our Summer-Fall ’26 series, with Steve Bousquet as moderator, the nominees introduced themselves, and let us know (1) how they will win on November 3 and (2) what they intend to achieve when in office.
Ambassador (ret.) Norm Eisen
Ambassador (ret.) Norman Eisen is the co-founder and executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund, which has been helping lead the successful national court fights against the Trump Administration, helping secure multiple landmark orders against its authoritarian moves.
His work in the courts of law is matched by his efforts in the court of public opinion as the co-founder and publisher of The Contrarian.
He is also the co-founder and former chair of other major non-profits including CREW and States United
Adav Noti
Adav Noti is Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center (CLC), one of the nation's leading organizations dedicated to protecting free and fair elections, defending voting rights, and strengthening democratic institutions.
A nationally recognized expert in election and campaign finance law, he oversees CLC's work to safeguard elections, promote fair redistricting, advance government ethics, and combat threats to the democratic process.
Before joining CLC, Noti spent more than a decade in senior nonpartisan leadership positions in the Office of General Counsel at the Federal Election Commission, where he helped enforce federal election law, and also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. He has argued constitutional cases in federal courts, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, and regularly advises Congress on election and democracy legislation.
Adav is a graduate of New York University School of Law (J.D.), Georgetown University (M.A.L.S.) and the University of Pennsylvania (B.A.).
Catherine ("Catie") Kelly
Catherine (Catie) Kelley is Vice President of Impact & Strategic Partnerships at the Campaign Legal Center (CLC), where she helps lead the organization's work to protect free, fair, and secure elections. She develops legal, policy, and advocacy strategies that strengthen election integrity while measuring their real-world impact.
A nationally recognized expert on election law, Kelley played a key role in the successful bipartisan effort to pass the Electoral Count Reform Act, landmark legislation that helps safeguard the presidential election certification process against attempts at election subversion. Earlier, she led CLC's state campaign finance program, advancing reforms to reduce the influence of money in politics and working with state and local leaders to improve election systems.
She began her legal career in the Office of General Counsel at the Federal Election Commission, giving her firsthand experience with federal election law. Kelley holds a law degree from American University's Washington College of Law and is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
Sheila Markin Nielsen
Sheila Markin Nielsen is an attorney, former social worker, executive coach, and civic advocate. She earned her MSW from Bryn Mawr College and JD from Temple University in 1977.
Nielsen served as a prosecutor in Philadelphia and Chicago and later as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, handling investigations, trials, appeals, and a major grand jury vote-fraud case. In 1990, she founded Nielsen Career Consulting and has since coached more than 6,000 professionals nationwide, while authoring books and articles on career development.
Active in civic and political causes, Nielsen has supported reproductive rights and other progressive advocacy efforts and helped raise millions for candidates and organizations.
In 2016, she launched The Markin Report, combining legal insight with fact-based political commentary for a readership that now reaches millions. Her weekly series, The Zoom Where It Happens, has 600 members and has hosted more than 120 prominent speakers, including Letitia James, James Talarico, Ro Khanna, and Heather Cox Richardson.
The event made for electrifying and energizing viewing as the participants briefed us on their broad-based initiatives to spike Trump's guns to ensure that the 2026 election are safe and secure, and the rightful outcome is preserved.
Democracy Defenders Fund Updates
Norm Eisen discussed the work of Democracy Defenders Fund and Democracy Defenders Action, explaining their three main areas of focus: protecting the rule of law, protecting elections, and fighting corruption. He reported an over 80% Supreme Court win rate and expressed confidence that courts would prevent Trump from implementing martial law or declaring an insurrection, noting that such actions lack legal predicate.
When asked about certification issues, Norm stated that refusing to certify a clearly victorious candidate such as James Talarico (TX) would likely be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, similar to their previous rejection of attempts in 2020.
Organizational Growth and Support Discussion
Norm discussed his organization's growth from three to seventy people and handling over 300 cases, exceeding their budgeted capacity.
He requested financial support and asked attendees to donate to both his organization and CLC.
Adav praised Norman's coordination efforts in the democracy field following the 2020 election.
Democracy Protection and Election Security
Adav and Catie from Campaign Legal Center discussed their organization's work protecting democracy through litigation and legislation, particularly focusing on voting rights and election security.
They explained how they prepare for elections through coordinated efforts with other organizations, including work on voting executive orders and updating the Electoral Count Act.
The discussion began to address top risks and threats to the upcoming election.
Election Risks and Protection Strategies
Adav outlined the top four risks to this year's election, focusing on potential interference by the federal executive branch.
The first risk involves procedural intervention, such as presidential executive orders dictating election administration, which Adav's organization has successfully litigated against.
The second risk is physical intervention, including the potential seizure of election materials, as demonstrated in Atlanta, though Adav downplayed the likelihood of federal agents being deployed to polling places.
The third risk involves blocking election winners from taking their seats in Congress, which Adav explained is unlikely due to constitutional requirements and the presence of a majority in the House who would not support such subversion.
Adav confirmed that ongoing efforts are focused on educating election officials about their rights and providing legal support to prevent these risks.
Election Security and Democracy Protection
Adav explained that cybersecurity vulnerabilities in election systems primarily exist at the state and local level, with most voting equipment being not hackable and having paper backups for electronic systems.
He detailed CLC's anti-corruption work, including their exposure of suspicious contributions to Senator Susan Collins' campaign that led to a donor's prosecution and conviction.
Adav encouraged attendees to vote, consider becoming poll workers or election protection volunteers, and be mindful of social media content that spreads disinformation about elections.
Sheila ended the conversation by discussing the current political moment, describing Trump as having exposed weaknesses in democracy while potentially creating a blue wave in response.
She emphasized the importance of supporting pro-democracy organizations like CLC and Norm Eisen's PAC, and encouraged attendees to donate and get involved in upcoming efforts.