The Peter J. Hoagland Integrity in Public Service Lecture Series honors the former second district congressman's legacy and seeks to inspire young people to dedicate themselves to public service.
Each lecture features state and national leaders who prove that honor and integrity remain essential components in their service to our country.
Launched in 2008, the series rotates between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Next Event: Panel Discussion
Feb. 19, 2026 • 5 to 6:30 p.m. • Sheldon Museum of Art
Beau Ballard
District 21 (R)
Carolyn Bosn
District 25 (R)
Machaela Cavanaugh
District 06 (D)
Ashlei Spivey
District 13 (D)
About the Panelists
Sen. Beau Ballard
Sen. Ballard has represented District 21 since being appointed to replace Mike Hilgers in 2023. He serves on multiple committees and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Sen. Carolyn Bosn
Sen. Bosn has represented District 25 since being appointed to replace Suzanne Geist in 2023. She serves on multiple commitees and earned her JD from Creighton University School of Law in 2009.
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh
Sen. Cavanaugh has represented District 6 in the Nebraska Legislature since 2018 and serves on the Appropriations and Legislative Oversight Committees. She earned her MPA from University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2008.
Sen. Ashlei Spivey
Sen. Spivey has represented District 13 since 2024 and serves on multiple committees. She earned a graduate degree in urban social planning from University of Texas at Arlington.
About the Moderator
Joe Jordan is formerly the news director and investigative and political reporter for News Channel Nebraska and Telemundo Nebraska. As Michael Shively wrote, Jordan made a career out of holding those in power accountable.
He started in Chicago radio in 1973, honed his skills at KMTV in Omaha starting in 1980, then left in 2009 to start Nebraska Watchdog. Six years later, he became press secretary for Congressman Brad Ashford, then returned to TV in 2017 with News Channel Nebraska.
Previous Speakers
2023
Amy Walter
Political analyst and publisher of 'The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter'.
2013
Jim Messina and Jeff Zeleny
Deputy chief of staff and campaign manager for President Barack Obama, and CNN senior White House correspondent (respectively).
2009
David Axelrod
Political consultant and analyst and adviser to President Obama during the 2008 election.
2008
Ted Sorensen
Former speechwriter and counselor to President John F. Kennedy.
About Peter Hoagland
Peter Hoagland, an Omaha native, graduated from Stanford University in 1963 and from Yale Law School in 1968. He served as a Nebraska state senator before winning a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 1988. He served three terms before losing by less than 1 percent of the vote to John Christensen in 1994.
Prior to being elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 1978, Hoagland worked with Nebraska Common Cause to write and pass into law the Nebraska Open Meetings Law. In addition, he helped to create the Political Accountability and Disclosure Committee, which regulates political activity in Nebraska.
While in the state legislature, Hoagland was known for his work on legislation supporting environmental causes and on issues affecting financial service companies in his home district which included Omaha and the surrounding area.
During his time in Congress, Hoagland was known as a student of the issues and for his bipartisan approach to legislation. He was placed on the Ways and Means Committee out of respect for his legislative ability.
He died Oct. 30, 2007, at age 65 from complications of Parkinson's disease.