As a Kisco Signature community, The Carnegie will offer residents a curated selection of intellectually stimulating programming, including lectures developed through partnerships with educational institutions and experts in various fields. Even before The Carnegie’s doors officially open in 2024, the signature retirement community will advance its vision of culture, intellectual growth and enrichment through its Red Carpet Speaker Series®.
Debuted in September 2022, The Carnegie has hosted several Red Carpet events with renown authors, historians, and local celebrities. The series has included Dr. Steve Gillon (history professor and NY Times best selling author), Rebecca Eaton (executive producer of Downton Abbey), Carl Bernstein (political journalist from the Post), and Joe Theismann (NFL quarterback for the Washington Redskins).
Coming up at the end of July, Dr. Steve Gillon will be the key note speaker for the series. Gillon is a leading expert on modern American history and politics and has written or edited nearly a dozen books including America’s Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr., 10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America, and The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours Later. Steven Gillon is the Scholar-in-Residence at The History Channel as well as founding dean and Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma. Gillon is a professional historian and scholar-in-residence at the History Channel. As one of the nation’s leading experts on modern American history and politics, his articles have appeared in academic journals and such newspapers as the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe. Over the past decade, Gillon has hosted a number of shows on HISTORY, including the network’s flagship public affairs program, History Center. He has also hosted Our Generation, History vs. Hollywood, and Movies in Time. He was the main narrator and executive producer for a number of History and A&E documentary specials, including Boomer Nation, The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After, and JFK Jr. The Final Year. He also served as the chief consultant on History’s eight-hour series, The Presidents.
Dr. Gillon served as the inaugural speaker for The Carnegie’s Red Carpet Speaker Series, held at the Lakewood Country Club in Rockville in September 2022. He spoke primarily about his personal friendship with JFK, Jr and how he was inspired to write about events that impacted American History. Sharing his insights and inspiration on finding subjects to write about, Gillon engaged the audience with personal stories and anecdotes in a question & answer session that culminated in a book signing at the event. As he takes the stage this July for his fireside chat, Dr. Gillon is expected to speak on the unsung heroes we are surrounded by every day. His most recent release, Len Lomell: D-Day Hero, will be the focus of discussion.
Steve Gillon shares the extraordinary story of Len Lomell, an unsung hero of World War II. Lomell was drafted in the United States Army in 1942, became an Army Ranger and was given the mission to disable the large German guns at the top of the steep cliffs at Point Du Hoc that could have otherwise destroyed the rest of the D-Day landing fleet, almost single-handedly. In this stirring, action-packed book, Gillon details the incredibly heroic actions on D-Day—and throughout World War II—that ultimately won Lomell the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star. Lomell was later praised by Stephen Ambrose as the single most important person in the success of D-Day after General Eisenhower.
The Carnegie has partnered with Dr. Gillon to foster an intellectually stimulating environment that will provide residents with opportunities to explore and engage with historical topics in meaningful ways. Further elevating service and wellness programs for residents, The Carnegie incorporates Kisco’s Signature Art of Living Well® programming, providing tailored, whole-person wellness for each resident through customized activities, both within the community and in the city of Gaithersburg. As part of this unique wellness approach, the Red Carpet Speaker Series offers residents the extraordinary opportunity to explore their own interests in history and embrace lifelong learning.
Steve Gillon will make an appearance at The Carnegie’s Red Carpet Speaker Series event on July 26, 2023. Click here to RSVP.
