Scarsdale High School graduate Jacob M.  Appel, MD, JD, MPhil, MFA, is a
professional bioethicist who contributes frequently to such academic
publications as The Hastings Center Report, The Journal of Medical Ethics, The
Journal of Clinical Ethics, The Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics and The
Bulletin of the History of Medicine.  His commentary on issues related to the
interstices of law, medicine and morality has also been featured in The New York
Times, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, and many other
regional newspapers.  He also writes regular bioethics columns for The
Huffington Post and Opposing Views.  Jacob has recently held teaching
appointments at Columbia University, New York University, Pace University and
Brown University, where he was named Teacher of the Year by the undergraduate
student body in 2003.  Jacob is a graduate of Brown University, Harvard Law
School and Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.  He
practices medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and healthcare law in New York City
and Rhode Island.

The Scarsdale Forum is honored to host noted Professor Akhil Reed Amar, Yale University Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at our SUNDAY SPEAKER program. The program is co-sponsored by the Scarsdale Forum and the Yale Westchester Alumni Association. Forum members, Yale alumni, and the wider public are invited to attend in-person or on Zoom. 

Professor Amar is a leading scholar and teacher of the history and interpretation of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, the author of several books on these and related subjects, and has appeared frequently in the media. This special program will cover issues that resonate today and topics from his latest, fascinating book, The Words That Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840. We look forward with interest to this special program and Professor Amar's sequels to this volume.

NOTE:  Recording started as audience assembled.  Therefore the program starts at 17:52 of the recording.  Slide the progress indicator at the bottom of the playback screen to 17:52 and the program will begin.  

Dr. Jonathan Haidt, a Scarsdale native, is the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at the NYU-Stern School of Business. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992, and spent most of his career (1995-2011) at the University of Virginia. Dr. Haidt’s research examines the intuitive foundations of morality, and how morality varies across cultures–including the cultures of American liberals, conservatives, and libertarians. Dr. Haidt is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis, and of the New York Times bestseller, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion. In his new position at NYU-Stern, Dr. Haidt is applying his research on moral psychology to business ethics, asking how companies can structure and run themselves in ways that will be resistant to ethical failures.

Judy Cheng-Hopkins, a 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Scarsdale High School Alumni award, has just retired from an eminent 36-year long career at the United Nations.  Most recently, Judy served as the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support.  Previously, Judy served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Before that, Judy was the Director of the UN World Food Programme’s Bureau for Asia and Eastern Europe, where she supervised the UN’s most significant humanitarian operations in North Korea, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.  Judy has just been appointed as the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General for the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica, where she also serves as Chancellor.  Judy received a Masters degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, and she has diplomas/certificates from Harvard University and the University of Haute Bretagne.

Sunday Speaker series -- Nicholas Kristof at Sscarsdale Public Library

Lindsay Gottlieb, a Scarsdale native, is the award-winning Head Coach of the University of California's Women's Basketball team. After her stellar career as an athlete/scholar at Scarsdale High School, Lindsay received her B.A. degree in political science from Brown University in 1999 and her Masters of Philosophy, Education degree from Syracuse University in 2001. In 2013, during her second year as Head Coach of the Golden Bears, Lindsay brought her team to the NCAA Final Four after leading her team to a 17-1 conference record. Lindsay was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, and was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year. In 2014, her team made it to the Second Round of the NCAA tournament. Gottlieb is a recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Scarsdale High School Alumni award.

Mara Liasson is the national political correspondent for National Public Radio. Her reports can be heard on NPR's award winning newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition. She provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, DC—focusing on the White House and Congress—and also reports on political trends beyond the Beltway. Years of experience allow her to offer an interesting perspective on the role and responsibilities of the media in today’s society. A Scarsdale High School graduate, Liasson returns to Scarsdale to present A View From Washington

Mimi Rocah --westchester County DA

March 27, 2025 -- Speaker Series -- NY Botanical Garden -- Todd Forrest

Program starts at 5:30 in

Annual Meeting May 14, 2025, Congressman George Latimer speaker

Video recording of the Annual Membership Meeting held in-person at the Scott Room, Scarsdale Library, and livestreamed via Zoom.

May 23, 2024 -- Annual Membership Meeting

A video recording of the Annual Membership Meeting on May 4, 2023.

Mayor Miriam Flisser "State of the Village" and Proposed Non-Partisan Resolution Changes

A video recording of the November 10, 2022 Scarsdale Forum Membership Meeting.

Mayor Justin Arest and Village Mnager Alexandra Marshall on The State of the Village

Mayor Justin Arest and the Superintendent of Schools Drew Patrick speak on the state of the Village and the Schools

Recording of October 13, 2022 Membership Meeting featuring keynote speaker County Executive George Latimer.

Membership Meeting -- October 9, 2024: Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins