Expertise: Classic Films

Available for in-person lectures in: All Markets

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Dan, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A lifelong film lover, Dan Hudak has worked extensively as a film critic in print, radio and television. He has provided film reviews and commentary for WPLG-TV (ABC) Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, ABCNews.com, the Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, CNN.com, indieWIRE.com, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Newsday, Orlando Sentinel, San Francisco Examiner and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

He is the owner of Hudak On Hollywood, Inc., and his popular "Hudak On Hollywood" lectures are given throughout the United States. He is the former chairman of the Florida Film Critics Circle and a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association. He studied Film History and Criticism at Bard College and the University of Miami, where he received his M.A. in Film Studies. To give Dan a piece of your mind, e-mail him at dan@hudakonhollywood.com.

Expertise: Broadway & Classic Films

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Hap, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Born in Washington, D.C., Hap Erstein went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in dreary Troy, New York, where he narrowly escaped becoming an engineer. In 1994, he and his wife moved to West Palm Beach, where he assumed the position of theater critic at The Palm Beach Post and soon after added the job of film critic. He held these positions for 15 years, until retiring from the paper in 2008. Hap now writes for Palm Beach ArtsPaper, an online and hard copy arts magazine. He has taught theater appreciation courses at Florida Atlantic University's Lifelong Learning Society and been a longtime member of the Carbonell Awards panel recognizing theater excellence in South Florida. Each weekend, he can be heard on WJNO Radio talking about the latest film releases. During his career Hap has interviewed such show business legends as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, George Burns, Stephen Sondheim and Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. When not working, he can usually be found playing tennis or backgammon.

Expertise: Film History & Music

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida & Southern New Jersey

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sharon, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Sharon Harris has worked in public relations/communications and the media since the 1980s, and currently works as a freelance business and consumer journalist. She’s always had a deep interest in classic Hollywood; she launched her adult enrichment course, "Hooray for Hollywood," in October 2016 for Stockton University's Friends of Encore Learning at Stockton (FELS) program in New Jersey. She began with the invention of the motion picture in the 1890s, and recently completed her sixth season, which focused on WWII and Hollywood's participation in the war effort. She’s been giving lectures on a variety of classic Hollywood topics since 2018. Topics include: Music of the 1960s, in depth looks at Gone With The Wind, The Godfather, and Casablanca, the early studio moguls, Jewish Vaudeville and Hollywood, the film industry before, during and after WWII, and a look at the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

Expertise: Jewish History, Israel, Middle East

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Alex, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Alex Bruner is a former international management consultant and fundraiser. A child of Holocaust survivors from Yugoslavia who remained in Europe after World War II, he has lived in and worked on three continents. His special interest is the history of the Jewish people. He lectures on various topics related to Israel, the Middle East and antisemitism.

He was the chief Palm Beach fundraiser for the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel). Bruner also served as the North American director for an agency established by American and Canadian business leaders to assist early-stage Israeli companies. He holds a BS, Ch. Eng. from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Expertise: Classic & Foreign Film Discussions

Available for in-person discussions in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Roberta, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Roberta Presser has had a multi-faceted career in the film industry as a Location Manager, Production Coordinator, Assistant to the Producer, and Second Assistant Director. She has worked with such luminaries as Tom Hanks, Richard Burton, Tatum O’Neal, John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. On The Blues Brothers, she coordinated more than 100 vehicles used in this iconic car chase comedy. You can see her film credit every Halloween when they show Friday the 13th, Pt. 2!

While living in Toronto, Roberta set up a workshop for Toronto Women in Film and Television and assisted at the Toronto Film Festival. Back in New York, she was an active member of the Media Educators Association and wrote for their newsletter.

Since moving to Florida, Roberta has taught film and hosted screenings for the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the JCC in Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton, the Palm Beach County Library, the Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, and Temple Beth El in Boca. For the past twelve years, she has been teaching film courses to retirees at the New York Teachers’ Union (UFT) headquarters in Boca, and, since Covid, she has also been teaching on Zoom nationwide for the Queens, New York, UFT office.

Expertise: Politics, American History

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book James, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

James Todd is an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Politics at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach. His areas of expertise include American government, constitutional law, and political history. Since he and his family arrived in Palm Beach County in 2015, Dr. Todd has been a frequent contributor to local and national media coverage of politics. He has regularly appeared as a speaker for Palm Beach County civic, community, and library groups. In 2022, Dr. Todd contributed lectures about the Constitution to the State of Florida Civics Seal of Excellence teacher training program. A native of Alabama, Todd received a B.A. in political science and economics from Jacksonville State University (2001), a law degree (2005) and Ph.D. in American politics (2015) from The University of Alabama. His most recent published work is "Why Do We Have a Constitution?" for The U.S. Constitution in Five Minutes (2023).

Expertise: Women's Studies, Sexuality, Pop Culture

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Jane, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Jane Caputi is Professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Florida Atlantic University. She grew up in Huntington Long Island in a large family. Her first job was at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, which she loved, especially because she learned so much from the Indigenous cultures there. But Albuquerque is literally high and dry and in 1997 she moved back to the ocean, taking a job at FAU.  She has written four books, most recently Call Your “Mutha’”: A Deliberately Dirty-Minded Manifesto for the Earth Mother in the Anthropocene (Oxford University Press, 2020). She also has made two educational documentaries, The Pornography of Everyday Life (2006) distributed by Berkeley Media and Feed the Green: Feminist Voices for the Earth (2016), distributed by Women Make Movies.

Dr. Caputi was FAU’s Distinguished Teacher for 2001 and received FAU’s Research and Scholarly Activities award (Professor level) for 2005 and for 2012. In 2016, she was named Eminent Scholar of the Year by the American Culture/Popular Culture Association and in 2020 the Association for the Study of Women in Mythology gave her their annual “Saga Award” for contributions to women’s history and culture.

Expertise: Andy knows a lot about a lot of things

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Andy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Andy Greenberg was one of the most listened to speakers in America as a result of his national radio spot that appeared daily on 100’s of radio stations for 5 years and was heard by millions of people in a show called “Your Daily High with Andy Greenberg."

His book “Your HIgh” sold 5 times the average for a first book signing and the subject of a national Associated Press Article. He was also the host and creator of a critically acclaimed TV talk show.

Since moving to Florida full time, 7 years ago he quickly continued to be a sought-after speaker, trainer and educator, on both secular, business and Judaic topics for HOA’s, Senior Facilities, Trade Organizations, business conferences, Synagogues and Clubs and businesses. His presentation style is inter-active, humorous, educational, entertaining, and long lasting.

Background
His accomplishments include managing the marketing and sales of several $60,000,000 businesses, creating and launching 12 new products and rebranding a national company. He has won several national awards, quoted in USA Today, Associated Press, Inc Magazine, Omaha World Herald, Strictly Business Magazine, and Business Midlands Journal, Business to Business Magazine and in various local news broadcasts.

He is married for 53 years, visited 101 countries, all 50 states and every major league ballpark, 2 World Series Games, 1 All-Star and Home Run Derby and one world boxing championship. His sales career started by selling shoes door to door in New York City at age 18.

Although active in speaking and training for over 11 years, in July 2009 he started “ Speaking of Andy Greenberg” a life and business building based company that through presentations, seminars, consulting and coaching he shares and teaches individuals and businesses how to stay motivated, excel in sales, marketing, leadership, networking. customer service and life.

Three months later “Getting UP with Andy Greenberg” was featured on Omaha’s most listened to daily radio show “The Good Morning Show with Gary Sadlemyer on 1110 KFAB. The segment provided daily innovative insights on keeping motivated all day. Over 1,300 vignettes were created! The show went national 1.5 years later and then Andy produced and created a TV Show and wrote a book.

His thoughts and ideas are frequently featured in 3 leading South Florida publications.

He has also been voted the 4th best dressed in Omaha!

Expertise: Israeli-Arab relations, Latin America, Anti-Semitism

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Luis, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Luis Fleischman is a professor of Sociology at Palm Beach State College and the founding co-chair of the Palm Beach Center for Democracy, a recently created think-tank based in Florida.

Previously he worked for the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Florida, and in Central New Jersey for more than two decades as Executive Director for community and political relations. He has taught multiple courses about the Middle East; democracy and dictatorship; Latin America; Political Sociology; conservative and neo-conservative thought, and the sociology of rogue states. He is also an active member of the Academic Engagement Network, which aims to promote productive ways to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fleischman has also written congressional testimonies on Latin American affairs, regularly provided briefings to members of Congress and staffers, and speaks at national and public conferences alongside high-ranking government officials, including members of Congress and national experts. Fleischman holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York City, an M.A. from the New School, and a B.A. in Political Science and Labor Studies from Tel Aviv University. Lectures available in English, Spanish and Hebrew.

Expertise: Florida History, South Florida Past & Present

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sylvia, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Sylvia Gurinsky was born in Miami and is a lifelong South Floridian. A Florida International University graduate, she worked as an editorial writer and public affairs producer for WPLG-Channel 10, as an editor and reporter for the Sun-Sentinel's community news division and as an educator at HistoryMiami Museum.

She is currently an education guide at Flamingo Gardens; a women's leadership development instructor for the Girls Empowerment and Mentoring summer program of the Miami-Dade County Women's Park; and a presenter for the lifelong learning programs of Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University and Nova Southeastern University. For the Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives, she co-hosts the television series "Roadside Florida," about Florida destinations of years past. Her honors have included Florida Associated Press Awards for Editorial Writing and a Peter Jennings Project Fellowship for Journalists and the Constitution at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Expertise: Jewish History & Humor

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? No

To book Stephen, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A lifelong Chicagoan and now a seasonal Florida resident, Dr. Stephen Z. Cohen holds masters and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago. For more than 40 years he was a distinguished educator at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago teaching social group work practice and group psychotherapy. An early expert in the field of gerontology and services to the elderly, he co-authored a book, The Other Generation Gap: The Middle Aged and Their Aging Parents, named ‘Best Non-Fiction of the Year’ by The Society of Midland Authors. He is fluent in Hebrew.

A tried and true presenter that always delivers, Dr. Cohen is also a consultant, entertainer, humorist, freshwater fisherman and lecturer. He’s been vetted and presented by prestigious Jewish and Yiddish arts, cultural, educational, fundraising and religious organizations at hundreds of venues across the country. With a demand for high quality programming and so large a winter population of Jewish residents and visitors, much of his work during the past 15 years has been in South Florida.

Expertise: Biology & Oncology

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Chris, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Christopher J. Hickey is a cancer molecular biologist who specializes in cancer experimental therapeutics. Dr. Hickey is originally from Columbus, Ohio and completed his doctoral training at The Ohio State University where his research was focused on leukemia experimental therapeutics. Following his doctoral training, he completed additional training as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow while investigating breast cancer experimental therapeutics at The Mitchell Cancer Institute located in Mobile, Alabama. Currently, Dr. Hickey has an active cancer research laboratory in West Palm Beach and continues his research in developing experimental therapies for the treatment of multiple types of cancer. His award-winning cancer research has been recognized at the international and national levels. Moreover, his laboratory breakthroughs have been published in numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Hickey currently lives in West Palm Beach, Florida and he enjoys scuba diving in his very limited free time.

Expertise: Philosophy, Classics, Art Studies

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Carol, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Carol Steinberg Gould is Emerita Professor of Philosophy at Florida Atlantic University and Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Future Mind in the FAU Brain Center. She is a Philosophical Practitioner certified to work with individuals and organizations. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, The American Philosophical Association, The American Society for Aesthetics, and American Philosophical Practitioners Association, among other societies. She is Associate Editor of the leading international journal in the field of Philosophical Practice (sometimes called ‘philosophical counseling.’). She spearheaded the founding of both the Jewish Studies and Classical Studies Program at FAU and has twice won the FAU University Award for Teaching Excellence. She has lectured in the community on many topics ranging from the trial of Adolph Eichmann to Plato on love, and the ethics of women in ground combat.

Expertise: Holocaust Remembrance

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book David, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

David Groen is an author and public speaker, with most of his work focused on the plight of Dutch Jewry during the Holocaust and the events surrounding his family. His first published book is "Jew Face: A story of love and heroism in Nazi-occupied Holland". Through the book, and David's website Holland's Heroes hollandsheroes.com, a violin that belonged to his uncle, a victim of Auschwitz, found its way back to David and his family. More details are available on bramsviolin.com, the website David created to help tell this story. He has spoken in various synagogues and institutions, most recently at Boca Raton Synagogue, Chabad Jewish Center of Coral Springs, The Jewish museum of Miami Beach, and 2 synagogues in Boynton Beach, Temple Beth Kodesh and Anshei Chesed. He is working on his second book which tells a broader history leading up to the remarkable story of the violin. David is also a Cantor for the High Holidays at Beth Tovim in Philadelphia.

Expertise: U.S. Intelligence Agencies, Research, Family History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL, Everywhere

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Lisa, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Lisa Maddox is a former intelligence officer, having worked in various roles at NCIS, the State Department and the CIA for 15 years. Her work focused on combatting terrorism and supporting US efforts in Afghanistan during the war. During that time she developed unique research and investigative skills, which led to the founding of Family History Intelligence, a company that conducts extensive research on family backgrounds and digitizes the findings into private websites to share with family members and to preserve for future generations. Her services have been noted in several publications, including The Washingtonian.

Expertise: World History, Art History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Elizabeth, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Elizabeth Stice is a full professor of history at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, where she also serves as the Assistant Director of the Frederick M. Supper Honors Program. Her areas of expertise include modern European history, World War I, print culture, European imperialism, leadership, and the Great Books. She is the author of Empire Between the Lines: Imperial Culture in British and French Trench Newspapers of the Great War (2023). She is a regular contributor to multiple print and online publications for a broader audience, including Front Porch Republic, History News Network, Current, and Comment. An Army brat, Stice grew up all over, received a B.A. in humanities from Messiah University (2004), an M.A. in history from University of Hawai’i (2006), and a PhD in history from Emory University (2012). Her most recently published academic work is “Leading Like Lions: Junior Officers in the British Army during the First World War,” in the journal Leadership (August 2023).

Expertise: Film History, Alfred Hitchcock, Women In Film

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Christina, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Christina Lane is the Edgar® Award-winning author of the book Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock. She has published extensively on film history, classical Hollywood, and women filmmakers, including the groundbreaking book Feminist Hollywood: From Born in Flames to Point Break.

She is Professor of Film Studies and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the School of Communication at the University of Miami. She has served as President of the University Film and Video Association and on the Steering Committee of Women Film History International.

Christina has provided commentary to such outlets as Air Mail, CrimeReads, Ms. Magazine, and the Daily Mail. She has been a featured guest speaker at the Film Forum in New York City, the Outdoor Reading Room at Bryant Park, and on NPR and Turner Classic Movies.

Expertise: Life Coach, Human Development

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Cyndi, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Ms. Stein-Rubin is an award-winning tenured professor from Brooklyn College of CUNY, certified speech/language pathologist, published author of four books, most recently, “I See You Do You See You?”, professional life coach, speech coach, public and keynote speaker, and a specialist in the field of human development. In addition, she was the recipient of the university-wide Award for Excellence in Teaching and has served on the selection committee, over several years, to determine subsequent winners. Aside from her academic career, Ms. Stein-Rubin has a private life-coaching practice, where she coaches clients both individually and in groups. In addition, she delivers keynotes and lectures for The Boca Raton, various country clubs, and organizations in South Florida and New York. To inform her lectures and presentations, Ms. Stein-Rubin draws from fields such as positive psychology, cognitive therapy, and leadership training. Given her rich professional backdrop, which also includes a theater background, her lectures are alive with ingenuity and sparkle. Most leave her lectures with comments such as, “I feel so great, as if I had a session of therapy!”

Expertise: Jewish Studies & Jewish Humor

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Raphael, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Rabbi Raphael Adler leads an active Conservative Congregation in South Florida. A life-long avid popular culture devotee, Raphael lectures on a wide variety of topics gleaned from his studies and interests. He served as a Congressional Intern in college, received traditional Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University, and a Master's Degree in Philosophy. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary and presents popular weekly lectures in Delray Beach on contemporary topics through a Jewish lens.

Expertise: Jewish Humor, Pop Culture & Entertainment

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL (only from January to mid-March)

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Al, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A long-term devotee of Jewish humor, Al Kustanowitz, MBA, has been collecting and sharing it even before there was an internet. In 2009, after a 36-year career at IBM managing new technology projects, he founded Jewish Humor Central (jewishhumorcentral.com). Through the blog he brings a daily dose of fun and positive energy to readers (and subscribing is free!). He has published 12 books on humor based on his more than 4,000 blog postings, each of which includes a video clip and commentary.

He has presented more than 100 programs in South Florida and the Northeast on topics that include the great comedians and entertainers of the 20th century, funniest moments in film and television, flash mobs around the world, and composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City University of New York and taught computer science courses at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs.