The 2026-2027 Face to Face Speaker Forum will host Cynthia Erivo, Ken Burns, Michael Schur, José Andrés and a final speaker who is yet to be announced.
Every year, Face to Face Speaker Forum brings the Wake Forest and broader Winston-Salem community together to listen to influential voices. The events cover political affairs, social justice and global issues, arts and culture, innovation, business and more.
“Face to Face will continue its mission as a community-facing speaker series next season,” Face to Face Executive Director Sue Henderson said. “We thank the entire community for the overwhelming and enthusiastic support we received during our first five seasons, which included numerous sold-out events.”
Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo was originally scheduled to speak on April 15, 2026. Due to a conflict with her one-woman “Dracula” show in London’s West End, Erivo will visit the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 16.
Erivo starred as Harriet Tubman in “Harriet,” as Elphaba in the recently released movie adaptations of “Wicked,” and as Celie in the Broadway revival of “The Color Purple.” She is acclaimed for her powerful singing voice and acting, and many describe her as an empowering celebrity for women and people of color.
The Oct. 21 event will feature Ken Burns, a documentary filmmaker and historian. His films have been honored with 17 Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Oscar nominations. Burns has directed and produced some of the most-watched historical documentaries ever made, including “The Civil War,” “Baseball,” “The Vietnam War” and, most recently, “The American Revolution.” Additionally, Burns was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2022.
“We have tried to get him as a speaker since the very beginning of Face to Face, and we’re over the moon that he agreed to be part of our upcoming season,” Henderson explained.
The Program for Leadership and Character will partner with Face to Face to offer a special event on Dec. 3 featuring Michael Schur. The award-winning television writer, producer and actor will speak in Wait Chapel. Schur began as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” before working on popular shows like “A Man On The Inside,” “The Good Place,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Brooklyn 99” and “The Office.”
To start off the spring semester, José Andrés, a chef, restaurateur and humanitarian, will speak on Feb. 25 in Wait Chapel. Andrés manages 40 restaurants through the José Andrés Group, and is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides meals to communities experiencing humanitarian crises. Andrés also founded the Global Food Institute at George Washington University, which educates students on creating sustainable solutions for global food challenges.
Face to Face has not yet announced the final speaker of the season, who is expected to speak in April 2027.
“I promise you that the final speaker for season six will be of the same caliber as our past speakers and will be someone no one will want to miss,” Henderson said. “We’re close to making an announcement, and I can’t wait to share the good news soon.”
