Creative Thinkers

These folks really think outside the box - proposing new ways of looking at problems and new solutions. We're starting with people we know and have encountered, but we'll be adding new people to the list as we go along. Suggestions? Email us!

For easier reference, acknowledging some overlap, BFT has placed each person into one of the following categories:

Academics and Education

Allesandro Acquisti - Assistant Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy, Heinz School of Public Policy. Dr. Acquisti has intriguing views on privacy, economics, and the interaction of today's information world and privacy.

Philip Doty - Professor, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information. Dr. Doty's has written on the privacy and information dynamic. His style offers an insightful and engaging approach to the information policy debate.

Yvonne Davis Frear - Assistant Professor of History, Sam Houston State University. Professor Frear offers clear and intersting points on the issues of civil rights and historical ramifications.

Michael H. Granof - Professor of Public Affairs, LBJ School and Professor in Accounting, McCombs School of Business. Dr. Granof pushes the envelope on accounting thought and he makes a dry topic interesting. He has strong views on public accountancy and local government fiscal policy.

Anthony W. Marx - As President of Amherst College, Dr. Marx had led a revolutionary approach to diversifying his campus and increasing the number of lower-income student attending elite colleges in general. His approach (illustrated in BusinessWeek) is considered "radical" by some, but overall it is thought provoking, ingenious and if successful could change the board rooms of tomorrow.

Thomas Nechyba - Department Chair in Economics, Duke University where he has focused on the economics of education. His views on school vouchers, for instance, are original and thought provoking.

Richard Reeves - Historian Journalist, historian, academic, Professor Reeves extends an important viewpoint of American, especially presidential, politics.

Elspeth Rostow - Professor of Government and Policy, and oh so much more. Ms. Rostow has been appointed to a number of Presidential Committees and has a strong interest in the U.S. presidency; American foreign policy; national elections; and urban policy. Professor Rostow's discussions on public policy are unique and unparalleled. Professor Elspeth Rostow receives the fourth Distinguished Service Award (U.S. Institute of Peace)

Hal Varian - Class of 1944 Professorship, School of Information Management and Systems, the Haas School of Business, and the Dept of Economics, Univ. of California at Berkeley. Considered a leading expert in the area of information economics.

Community

Barbara Jordan - Former Congresswoman from Texas and distinguished professor of public affairs. Professor Jordan's oratory and thoughts are not only legendary; they offer a perspective that makes one think and review one's point of view.

Will Lowrance - An innovative local politician and educator. Mayor Lowrance developed and initiated a community based strategic action program that was clearly out of the ordinary. He was able to motivate the best minds of the area to maximize their potential into a clear and concise 10-point action plan.

Lady Bird Johnson - Former First Lady of the United States, Ms. Johnson's inspiring stories and thought provoking comments makes her a legend. She has motivated many as she beautified the world (Memorial - New York Times Article).

Bill Spelman - "Turning theory into practice has been the cornerstone of Spelman's career." A master at qualitative study, he is a nationally recognized expert and local favorite on community related issues.

Leadership

John McCain - United States Senator, Arizona. Sometimes called a maverick, Sen. McCain delivers a candid, broad view of policy and politics. He is a consensus builder and looks to get things accomplished rather than plod through the typical politics of the day. You might say he is a grown-up in a little kids world.

Theodore Roosevelt - President Roosevelt was a gifted leader. As president, many of his troops greeted him openly with a joyous "Colonel!" As president he strategically led the United States defining itself for the 20th Century. "Much of what he achieved affects each and every American today."

Bobby R. Inman - Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy. Former Deputy Director of Intelligence, Admiral Inman presents a broad analysis of world dynamics, a comprehensive view of national and international crisis, and a clear understanding of the changes going on around us.

Michael Bloomberg - Known as the "CEO Mayor," Mayor Bloomberg has transformed some of the most bureaucratic and insulated areas of New York City and made them almost state of the art. His style can be gruff and his policies can be uncomfortable, but his leadership has been inspiring. Businessweek Article - The CEO Mayor (Bloomberg on Bloomberg)

Pete Carril - THE Basketball teacher. Coach Carril is a strategic genius. His unconventional approach to a conventional game has frustrated opponents for years. He stresses intelligence, discipline and the occasional backdoor cut.

Liz Feeley - Coach Feeley has worked with hundreds of young people as a coach, mentor, and inspiration. Her success goes beyond her work with her team to her work with young people in the community (venture).

Derek Jeter - Admittedly, adding a current sports star to this list might seem odd. But when you look at the collective works of Mr. Jeter (New York Yankees #2) he surely deserves to be part of this group. He leads by example, by his words (or lack of), he is clutch, and it is almost to the point that you simply expect him to come through when you need him to. To quote a certain 13 year old in Connecticut, "Derek Jeter is awesome."

Politics and Policy

Shirley Chisholm - Ms. Chisolm's attempt to enter the 1972 presidential race and her years in Congress inspired a recent documentary. She introduced a can-do spirit. She ruffled feathers and talked tough. (Film: Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed)

Viet Dinh - A famed policy designer and acclaimed legal mind, Professor Dinh offers clear thoughts on privacy issues as well as governmental practice. He is a distinguished legal scholar and former Assistant Attorney General. He is widely considered the author of the controversial "USA PATRIOT Act." (recent article)

Al From - As the founder and chief executive officer of the Democratic Leadership Council, Mr. From offers intelligent and insightful points of view of politics and policy development.

David Gergen - As a regular analysyt and commentator on all things political, Mr. Gergen continues to offer an impressive view on the staus of U.S. and world affairs. As an advisor to four U.S. Presidents, Mr. Gergen's perspectives are unique and open minded, his comments are well thought out and delivered evenly.

Rudy Giuliani - Like his policies or hate his policies, Mayor Giuliani turned New York City around and gave us all strength when we needed it most. He is blunt, strong, and a huge Yankee fan.

Victor Hansen - Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Listening to this war historian adds a whole new dimension to thinking outside the box. Especially so in today's times.

Joe Lieberman - The Senator from Connecticut has shown guts and strategic thinking as he has focused on issues during his career. "Joe Lieberman has earned a national reputation as a thoughtful, principled, and effective legislator."

David McCullough -"Twice winner of the National Book Award and twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His books have been praised for their exceptional narrative sweep, their scholarship and insight into American life, and for their literary distinction."

Daniel Patrick Moynihan - A legendary politician and statesman. He was instrumental in policy, thought and cooperation.

Andrew C. Revkin - A recent interview on NPR's "Fresh Air" showed Mr. Revkin to be interesting, thorough, fair, and most of all realistic. Mr. Revkin is considered one of America's most honored science writers. Selected articles from The New York Times

Ann Richards - In 2002, Ann Richards was walking out of the Lyndon B Johnson Presidential Library on her way to her next appointment. Next door, Admiral Bobby Inman (who was moderating a discussion at the LBJ School of Public Affairs) spotted Governor Richards and had a promptly sent a request for her to come in and say a few words to a group of graduate students. Without blinking an eye, she turned to her assistant and said "call my next appointment and tell them I will be late." Governor Richards proceeded to thrill the group for 20 minutes with stories and a hard core policy discussion. Normally BFT does not post articles in this section, but The Economist does a tremendous job in summarizing a woman who cared so much about leading, future leaders, and Texas.

Bob Schieffer - Mr. Schieffer's role as newsman, anchor and host on a variety of CBS news programs have been open, interesting, and creative. He offers insightful views of the politics in Washington and a colorful commentary on everyday goings-on.

James Steinberg - Former Deputy National Security Advisor and current Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Dr. Steinberg illustrates a clear-headed assessment of world affairs. He demonstrates an open mind and willingness to offer a clear opinion after careful consultation and analysis.

Success

Bob Iger - Starting as a "studio supervisor," Mr. Iger advanced up the ladder to become the CEO of one of the largest organizations in the world. This Ithaca College graduate's innovative leadership and solid reputation have led him to be a true success story. (Article from the 2/5/07 Issue of BussinessWeek)

Mary Minnick - Ms. Minnick is the President of Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation at the Coca Cola Co. BusineeWeek describes her as "Minnick is blunt. She's also worldly and smart, with an acerbic sense of humor. She can be charming when she's not being stern." Her Coca Cola bio hails her as a successful executive and an innovator.

Joe Paterno - Coach Paterno moved from a scrawny kid in Brooklyn to a sports giant. Coach Paterno has shown time and again that one can succeed regardless of the obstacles. From Brooklyn to Brown to Penn State, Coach Paterno has been a leader and a story worth watching and emulating.

Amanda Puppo - Ms. Puppo is a successful small business owner. She started with a simple concept and has built herself and her business into an award winning operation in Central New Jersey.

Kurt Vonnegut - "And so it goes...."