Our Experts & Analysts

Charles Overby is former chairman and CEO of the Freedom Forum and Newseum in Washington, D.C. Overby was the top editor at Florida Today in Melbourne, Fla., and the executive editor of The Clarion-Ledger and Jackson Daily News in Jackson, Miss. Overby supervised news coverage that led to the Clarion-Ledger winning the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1983. Overby served as vice president of news and communications for Gannett and was a member of the management committees of Gannett and USA TODAY. Overby is a graduate of Ole Miss. He lives in Franklin, Tenn.

Fred Anklam Jr. has been an assistant professor of professional practice at the University of Missouri School of Journalism since August 2021. He has 50 years of experience in print and digital newsrooms at the local, state and national level. His work as a reporter for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., covering education contributed to that paper receiving the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. He covered federal agencies and Congress for Gannett News Service and in 1986 became the first USA TODAY reporter assigned to cover the U.S. House of Representatives full time. He held several news editing roles at USA TODAY. He was a consultant with and then founding co-editor of Mississippi Today from 2015 until May 2018. Anklam holds a B.A. from the University of Mississippi. He lives in Columbia, Mo. 

Dr. Donald Cole is professor emeritus in mathematics at the University of Mississippi. First arriving at the university as a student in 1968, Cole was an active participant in civil rights protests on the campus. He was arrested, spent two nights in jail, and, with several others, was expelled from the university in 1970. He pursued studies elsewhere before returning, twice, to Ole Miss, first to complete a doctorate and later as a professor of mathematics. He served in numerous capacities during a distinguished 25-year career at the university, including as assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs. Cole graduated from Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss., earned master’s degrees from State University of New York and the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. He lives in Oxford, Miss.

Richard Cowart is founder and chairman of the Baker Donelson Health Law Department, which has ranked among the top 10 health law groups in the country for 20 consecutive years.  He is a past president of the American Health Law Association and a recipient of the AHLA Lifetime Achievement Award.  He is also chairman of the Baker Donelson government relations and federal policy practice, which ranks among the leading bipartisan voices in our nation’s capital. 

Cowart spent 40 years in Mississippi, where he was active in numerous community and civic affairs, including president, Leadership Mississippi; chairman, Mississippi 2000 Commission; and founder, Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. Cowart has spent the past 27 years in Nashville where he is chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lipscomb University; former chairman, Andrew Jackson Foundation; and was a health care columnist for The Tennessean. His national recognitions include Distinguished Community Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Service and the National Integrity Award from NASBA Center for Public Trust. He graduated magna cum laude at the University of Southern Mississippi and holds a J.D. with honors from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He lives in Nashville, Tenn.

David Crews serves as clerk of court for the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Mississippi.  He is a former United States marshal who spent 12 years with the U.S. Justice Department. While working for Gov. William Winter, he helped secure legislation that brought a statewide system of kindergartens, reading specialists, and compulsory school attendance to Mississippi. Crews has produced several documentary films including “The Toughest Job,” which won a regional Emmy for best historical documentary. His film “Unrivaled” aired on 95% of all PBS stations. Currently he is coproducing a film on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty and directing a film on the iconic Whiskey Speech. He authored “The Mississippi Book of Quotations,” now in its third printing. Among other philanthropic initiatives, Crews helped raise $2 million to construct the Mississippi Children’s Cancer Clinic at the University Medical Center in Jackson. He serves as a judge for the Willie Morris Literary Awards. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. He lives on a farm outside Oxford, Miss.

James C. Duff is executive director of the Supreme Court Historical Society. He previously was director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, by appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts. As Administrative Office director, Duff was the secretary of the Judicial Conference of the United States. Duff served as president and chief executive officer of the Freedom Forum and Newseum 2011-2014. From 1996 to 2000, Duff served as counselor to Chief Justice William Rehnquist and was his liaison with Congress, the executive branch, and various state and federal organizations. Duff served as counsel to Rehnquist in his role as presiding officer of the presidential impeachment trial in 1999. Previously, Duff was managing partner of the Washington office of Baker Donelson, a firm founded by former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. Duff is a graduate, magna cum laude, of the University of Kentucky and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from the School of Law at Georgetown University. Duff lives in Bethesda, Md. 

Melissa Overby Ford is director of internal communications at Southwest Airlines. In her role, she and her team partner with work groups across the company to provide communication counsel, create messaging strategy, and ensure communication alignment for Southwest’s 70,000-plus frontline employees in more than 120 locations across 11 countries. Throughout her two decades at the airline, she has concentrated on understanding work groups and building trust among employees by delivering honest, timely, and relevant communication. Melissa earned a B.A. in journalism and Spanish from Baylor University and an M.A. in advertising from the University of Texas. She lives in Dallas. 

Juanie Fuqua spent six years as executive assistant to the director of the administrative office of the United States Courts.  Before this, she served for 25 years as assistant to the chairman and CEO and manager of board activities of the Freedom Forum and its affiliates, in Washington, D.C.  She also served on the staff of USA TODAY founder Al Neuharth, where she traveled to all 50 states during his “BusCapade” tour of the United States and to 15 countries during his around-the-world tour “JetCapade.”  She lives in Mount Jackson, Va.

William Gottshall is the executive director of the Trent Lott Leadership Institute at the University of Mississippi. He previously worked at First National Bank in Oxford, Miss., beginning as a bookkeeper and ending his 25-year career as CEO. He then spent eight years as chief of staff for Sen. Trent Lott in Washington, D.C. While a student at Ole Miss, Gottshall was elected vice president and president of the Associated Student Body. After graduation, Gottshall served in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant at Special Weapons Command in Germany and later as a captain at Hawk Missile Command in South Korea.  He earned a B.B.A. at the University of Mississippi. He lives in Oxford, Miss. 

Robert Khayat was the 15th chancellor of the University of Mississippi, serving from 1995 until 2009. As chancellor, Khayat established the Sally McConnell Barksdale Honors College and oversaw rapid growth, major fundraising, and increased national standing of the university that included the initiation of a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Before he was chancellor, Khayat was professor and assistant dean at the Ole Miss School of Law. After finishing his undergraduate degree, Khayat was drafted by the NFL Cleveland Browns and played professional football for several seasons. Khayat earned both his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Mississippi. He earned an LL.M. from Yale Law School. He lives in Oxford, Miss. 

Dr. Billy Long was founding partner of Gastrointestinal Associates, Jackson, Miss., and was in private practice of medicine for 35 years.  He interned and was a resident in Internal Medicine at University Medical Center in Jackson.  He spent two years at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., in Digestive Diseases and served as lieutenant commander in the U.S. Public Health Service.  Long was a fellow in Gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and assistant professor of medicine. He has served on the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure, the Governor’s Medicaid Advisory Committee, the boards of Vigilant Health, Health Talents International, a medical mission focused on Central America, Sunnybrook Children’s Home in Ridgeland, Miss., and the board of trustees for Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. He earned an M.D. at the University of Mississippi and lives in Madison, Miss.

Dr. Will Norton is professor and dean emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he served 19 years. He was on the faculty at the University of Mississippi from 1974 to 1990 and 2009 to 2021, serving first as chair of the Journalism Department and later as dean of the School of Journalism and New Media. He was sports editor of the Wheaton Daily Journal, on the sports staff of the Chicago Tribune, managing editor of the magazines of Christian Life, Inc., and publisher of The Daily Iowan. He is president of the corporation that owns The South Reporter in Holly Springs, Miss., and The Pigeon Roost News in Byhalia, Miss. He is an emeritus board member of the Freedom Forum and holds a B.A. with honors in history from Wheaton College, an M.A. from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He lives in Oxford, Miss.

Jan Neuharth is chair and CEO of the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all. Prior to joining the Freedom Forum, she practiced law with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker in Los Angeles, worked on Capitol Hill as a press assistant for Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker, conducted political polling for Louis Harris International in London, and established Paper Chase Farms, Inc. in Middleburg, Va. Neuharth is a graduate of the University of Florida, holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, and is admitted as an attorney and counselor of the U.S. Supreme Court. She lives in Middleburg, Va. 

Tony Pederson is professor emeritus in journalism at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he held The Belo Foundation Endowed Chair in Journalism in a 20-year career. Before that he served as reporter, sports editor, managing editor, and executive editor of the Houston Chronicle. Throughout a career of more than 50 years in journalism, Pederson has been active in First Amendment work and freedom of expression in the United States and Latin America. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Headliners Foundation of Texas. Pederson holds a B.A. from Baylor University and M.A. from The Ohio State University. He lives in Dallas.

Dr. Jennifer Simmons is assistant provost at the University of Mississippi. She previously worked at the School of Journalism and New Media, where she held the positions of assistant dean for student services and associate director of undergraduate admissions. At the university, she chairs the Honors and Awards Convocation Committee, Grade Appeals Committee, and Academic Appeals Committee and serves on several other standing committees. Simmons earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from The University of Southern Mississippi and an M.A. and Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Mississippi. She lives in Oxford, Miss.

Gary Sisco spent 15 years in government service in Washington, D.C., in the offices of Sen. Howard Baker and Rep. Robin Beard and as an officer in the U.S. Army Adjutant General Corps in the Pentagon. He was the 29th Secretary of the U.S. Senate and played a key role in authorizing, planning, and funding the Capitol Visitors Center (visitthecapitol.gov). In 1998 Sisco became the second Secretary of the Senate to receive presidential impeachment articles from the House of Representatives and managed details of the historic 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.  He managed the first campaign of Lamar Alexander for Tennessee governor.  In the intervening years, he was in the private sector.  He has served Belmont University, Brentwood Baptist Church, Youth for Christ, and other church-related organizations.  He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and from George Washington University with an M.S.A.  Sisco lives in Nashville, Tenn. 

Leslie Westbrook is internationally recognized for her career in marketing, public relations, and consumer research. She worked for Procter & Gamble before founding her own consulting firm working with Fortune 500 companies. She worked directly with the CEO of Johnson & Johnson during the 1982 Tylenol poisoning crisis, developing strategy for the company’s recovery. She teaches and guest lectures in Integrated Marketing Communications at Ole Miss and heads LMW Endowment, which funds scholarships and humanitarian and cultural projects, among them a mobile clinic in Ukraine, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and Doctors Without Borders.  Westbrook is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and lives in Oxford, Miss.