21st Annual Westmont President's Breakfast Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Takes the Stage at President’s Breakfast

Get ready for a morning of inspiration and stimulating insights at the 21st annual Westmont President’s Breakfast, featuring world-renowned journalist and Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times columnist Bret Stephens. The annual early morning event will transform the Grand Ballroom into a vibrant epicenter of ideas and conversation on Friday, Feb. 27, from 7–9 a.m. at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

Tickets, which cost $150 per person, go on sale Friday, Jan. 30, at 9 a.m. at westmont.edu/breakfast. With high demand and limited seating, tickets will sell quickly on a first-come, first-served basis.

An emerging luminary on global affairs, domestic politics and culture, Stephens offers a panoramic view of America’s place in a rapidly shifting world. 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, he was editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, where he oversaw the paper’s news, editorial, digital and international operations, and also wrote a weekly column.

Stephens has also written the provocative 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 fearless 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 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. 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 generous local businesses and community members, creates a dynamic forum for engaging today’s most pressing ideas.

BMO is this year’s Lead Sponsor. Special Thanks to U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management. Gold sponsors include Baker Hill, Alfred and Mary Barbour, HUB International, La Arcada Plaza, MATT Construction and Reicker Pfau.

For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Steve Baker, associate vice president for advancement at Westmont, at (805) 565-7156.