The 21st annual Westmont President’s Breakfast will offer inspiration and insights, featuring world-renowned journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, 7-9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27 at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.
Tickets, at $150 per person, go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30 at westmont.edu/breakfast.
“An emerging luminary on global affairs, domestic politics and culture, Stephens offers a panoramic view of America’s place in a rapidly shifting world,” Westmont said.
His distinguished career includes four years as the Wall Street Journal’s deputy editorial page editor and foreign affairs columnist, which earned him the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
Before that, at age 28, Stephens was editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, where he oversaw the paper’s news, editorial, digital and international operations, and wrote a weekly column.
Stephens is the author of the bestseller “America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder,” which examines the consequences of the United States stepping back from its traditional role of global leader.
His commentary has earned him numerous accolades: three honorary doctorates; the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; and a lifetime ban from entering Russia in 2022 for his searing critiques of the invasion of Ukraine.
Raised in Mexico City, Mexico, and educated at the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics, Stephens brings a global perspective shaped by lifelong engagement with international issues, Westmont said.
He serves on several academic advisory boards and co-founded the Renew Democracy Initiative, devoted to strengthening democratic principles worldwide.
The President’s Breakfast, which the Westmont Foundation sponsors along with local businesses and community members, offers a forum for addressing today’s most pressing ideas.
BMO is this year’s lead sponsor, with thanks to U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management. Gold sponsors include Alfred and Mary Barbour, HUB International Insurance Services Inc., La Arcada Plaza, MATT Construction, and Reicker Pfau.
For more on sponsorship opportunities, call Steve Baker, Westmont associate vice president for advancement, 805-565-7156.