Katie Gorka is the Senior Advisor for Civic Education at the U.S. Department of Education and Executive Director of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen civic literacy and help students connect more deeply with America’s founding principles as the country approaches its 250th anniversary. In her role, she leads national efforts like the “History Rocks! Trail to Independence” tour, bringing history and civics to life for students across all 50 states. Prior to her work in civic education, Katie served in senior roles in government and the policy world, including at the Department of Homeland Security and leading civil society initiatives focused on strengthening democratic institutions. Her work today is driven by a deep belief that understanding America’s past is essential to sustaining its future. 

Katie Gorka is the Senior Advisor for Civic Education at the U.S. Department of Education and Executive Director of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen civic literacy and help students connect more deeply with America&rsquo;s founding principles as the country approaches its 250th anniversary. In her role, she leads national efforts like the &ldquo;History Rocks! Trail to Independence&rdquo; tour, bringing history and civics to life for students across all 50 states. Prior to her work in civic education, Katie served in senior roles in government and the policy world, including at the Department of Homeland Security and leading civil society initiatives focused on strengthening democratic institutions. Her work today is driven by a deep belief that understanding America&rsquo;s past is essential to sustaining its future.&nbsp;

We are E Pluribus Unum – out of many one. Our show is about unity. We believe there are many people in America who care about our country regardless of their background or political affiliations. We are here to talk about how we may come together for the betterment of our country and our own well-being. We believe in the motto “Seek first to understand before you judge.” If we understand each other better, we will be better able to help each other, and our country will survive and thrive.

We are E Pluribus Unum &ndash; out of many one. Our show is about unity. We believe there are many people in America who care about our country regardless of their background or political affiliations. We are here to talk about how we may come together for the betterment of our country and our own well-being. We believe in the motto &ldquo;Seek first to understand before you judge.&rdquo; If we understand each other better, we will be better able to help each other, and our country will survive and thrive.

The E Pluribus Unum Show

We are a pluribus Unum – out of many one. Our show is about unity. We believe there are many people in America who care about our country regardless of their background or political affiliations. We are here to talk about how we may come together for the betterment of our country and our own well-being. We believe in the motto “Seek first to understand before you judge.” If we understand each other better, we will be better able to help each other, and our country will survive and thrive.

We are a pluribus Unum – out of many one. Our show is about unity. We believe there are many people in America who care about our country regardless of their background or political affiliations. We are here to talk about how we may come together for the betterment of our country and our own well-being. We believe in the motto “Seek first to understand before you judge.” If we understand each other better, we will be better able to help each other, and our country will survive and thrive.

Katie Gorka -- America 250 Civics Education Coalition (Department of Education)

Rosie Rios is the Chair of America 250, the United States Congressional Commission planning the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, and the CEO of Red River Associates, an investment management consulting firm. She served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States in the Obama Administration from 2009 to 2016, overseeing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the U.S. Mint, including Fort Knox, with responsibility for nearly 4,000 employees and a $5 billion budget. She initiated and led the historic efforts to place a portrait of a woman on U.S. Federal Reserve notes for the first time in over a century, and upon her resignation received the Hamilton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Her signature appears on a world-record $1.8 trillion of U.S. currency in circulation worldwide. 

Rosie Rios is the Chair of America 250, the United States Congressional Commission planning the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, and the CEO of Red River Associates, an investment management consulting firm. She served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States in the Obama Administration from 2009 to 2016, overseeing the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the U.S. Mint, including Fort Knox, with responsibility for nearly 4,000 employees and a $5 billion budget. She initiated and led the historic efforts to place a portrait of a woman on U.S. Federal Reserve notes for the first time in over a century, and upon her resignation received the Hamilton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Her signature appears on a world-record $1.8 trillion of U.S. currency in circulation worldwide.&nbsp;

Rosie Rios -- America 250 Commission

Dr. Douglas Bradburn is the President and CEO of George Washington's Mount Vernon, a position he has held since 2018, making him the 11th person to lead the estate since the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association purchased it from the Washington family in the mid-nineteenth century. A distinguished historian of early America, he joined Mount Vernon in 2013 as the founding director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, before assuming the presidency. Prior to Mount Vernon, he served as Chair of the History Department at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He is the author of The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union, 1774–1804, co-founder and editor of the award-winning Early American Histories book series at the University of Virginia Press, and the recipient of numerous fellowships, including the yearlong Gilder Lehrman Research Fellowship at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello. Bradburn has appeared on C-SPAN, Good Morning America, and CBS Sunday Morning, and was featured in the History Channel's docudrama Washington. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in history and economics from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Douglas Bradburn is the President and CEO of George Washington's Mount Vernon, a position he has held since 2018, making him the 11th person to lead the estate since the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association purchased it from the Washington family in the mid-nineteenth century. A distinguished historian of early America, he joined Mount Vernon in 2013 as the founding director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, before assuming the presidency. Prior to Mount Vernon, he served as Chair of the History Department at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He is the author of The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union, 1774&ndash;1804, co-founder and editor of the award-winning Early American Histories book series at the University of Virginia Press, and the recipient of numerous fellowships, including the yearlong Gilder Lehrman Research Fellowship at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello. Bradburn has appeared on C-SPAN, Good Morning America, and CBS Sunday Morning, and was featured in the History Channel's docudrama Washington. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in history and economics from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Doug Bradburn -- George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Victoria Hughes is a lifelong civic educator and national leader in constitutional literacy, with more than five decades of experience working at the intersection of history, education, and public engagement. She began her career as a classroom teacher during America’s Bicentennial and went on to found and lead the Bill of Rights Institute, helping tens of thousands of teachers and students engage more deeply with the founding documents and the principles of self‑government. She also served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education and co‑chairs the America 250 Civics, History, and America’s Future Advisory Council, where she is helping shape national efforts to prepare students, educators, and communities for the country’s 250th anniversary. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to making American history not just something we study, but something we understand and live.

Victoria&nbsp;Hughes is a lifelong civic educator and national leader in constitutional literacy, with more than five decades of experience working at the intersection of history, education, and public engagement. She began her career as a classroom teacher during America&rsquo;s Bicentennial and went on to found and lead the Bill of Rights Institute, helping tens of thousands of teachers and students engage more deeply with the founding documents and the principles of self‑government. She also served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education and co‑chairs the America 250 Civics, History, and America&rsquo;s Future Advisory Council, where she is helping shape national efforts to prepare students, educators, and communities for the country&rsquo;s 250th anniversary. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to making American history not just something we study, but something we understand and live.

Katie Gorka -- America 250 Civics Education Coalition (Department of Education)

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