Roger welcomes Andrés Guilarte, vice president of opinion research at Eyes Over US and Stratus Intelligence and a former TFAS outreach fellow. Guilarte reflects on growing up under Venezuela’s socialist regime, his journey to the U.S. after facing political persecution, and his work raising awareness about the consequences of authoritarian rule.

They discuss the U.S.-led efforts to pressure Nicolás Maduro’s regime, the regional implications for Latin America and the challenges of rebuilding democratic institutions after decades of authoritarian rule. Guilarte explains the role of opposition leader María Corina Machado, the slow process of releasing political prisoners, and the continued influence of the military. He also recounts his travels across the country as a TFAS outreach fellow, sharing his firsthand experience with socialism, educating students about its real-world consequences, and addressing common misconceptions he encountered from young Americans who believe it could be implemented differently in the United States.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

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On this special year-end episode of Liberty + Leadership, Roger reflects on a remarkable year for The Fund for American Studies (TFAS). He highlights moments from the podcast that celebrate TFAS’s mission and the work of alumni, fellows, students, and friends who are advancing individual liberty, personal responsibility and economic freedom around the world.

These moments feature foreign policy leaders, courageous journalists, economists, educators and student leaders. Topics range from reflections on captive nations and the global fight for freedom to firsthand accounts of the costs of courageous journalism, discussions on fiscal responsibility and sound governance and the changing media landscape. They also showcase the impact of TFAS programs and the voices of students and alumni just starting their leadership journeys.

These moments tell the story of a year defined by growth, intellectual seriousness and a renewed commitment to the principles that sustain a free society. As TFAS looks ahead to 2026 and America’s 250th anniversary, it is a reminder of why developing principled leaders remains more important than ever.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

Support the show

Roger hosts a special episode of Liberty + Leadership that brings listeners inside the 32nd Annual TFAS Journalism Awards Dinner and the Journalism Forum that preceded it. These curated conversations offer a look at how TFAS is shaping the journalists of tomorrow through their rich ecosystem of programs like the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship, the Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowships for Excellence in Journalism, the Student Journalism Association, the Media Accelerator Fellowship and the Campus Transparency Fellowship.

Listeners will hear keynote remarks and panel discussions featuring alumni, fellows, editors and student journalists who examine the state of journalism, the collapse of trust in legacy media and the rise of independent reporting. Topics include the responsibilities of credible news organizations, the importance of showing one’s work, the changing business models of journalism and the discipline required to report with accuracy and independence. Listeners will also hear the results of the yearlong projects of two Novak alumni and a panel of student journalists who demonstrate the bright possibilities of the future of journalism.

This special episode features voices from across TFAS’s journalism network, including Brian Anderson of City Journal; Novak alumni Charles Lehman, Kate Batchelder Odell and Mene Ukueberuwa, Carine Hajjar (also a Rago alumna) and Audrey Fahlberg; student journalists Alex Shieh, Natalia Lopez and Max Whalen. Their commentary reflects the mission of TFAS to prepare principled, curious and courageous reporters who can strengthen the public square and elevate the standards of their profession.

The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS president Roger Ream and produced by Podville Media. If you have a comment or question for the show, please email us at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support.

Support the show