FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Purdue Fort Wayne’s Omnibus Speaker Series is back with an Emmy-nominated actor at the start of the lineup.

Rainn Wilson, known for his role as Dwight Schrute on “The Office” and most recently “Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss”, is the first in a series of speakers coming to PFW. Wilson is also a co-founder of digital media company SoulPancake and has spent years exploring the ways we all seek connection, hope, truth, identity and purpose, the release said. “An Evening with Rainn Wilson” is scheduled for Sept. 21.

Next up on Nov. 7 is Theresa Payton, cybersecurity expert and the first female White House chief information officer. She currently helps private and public organizations protect their most valuable resources. Payton will be speaking on “How AI/ChatGPT is Shaping the Cyber Landscape”.

The series continues Feb. 29, 2024 with Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile, who will present on “Political Outlook: A Comprehensive Picture of What’s Going on in Washington”. Brazile has worked with candidates during every presidential election since 1976, and in 2000 became the first Black woman to serve as the manager of a major party presidential campaign, working for former Vice President Al Gore, the release said.

Sarah Thomas, the first female official for both the NCAA Major College Football Bowl Division and the National Football League, is speaking at PFW on March 26, 2024 with a presentation titled “Breaking Through: My Journey to Becoming the First Female NFL Official”.

The final speaker in the 2023-2024 series is Michael Beschloss, American historian and bestselling author, coming to PFW on April 25, 2024. Beschloss appears regularly as an NBC News presidential historian and contributor to PBS NewsHour. He is speaking to the audience on “What History Can Predict About Our American Political Future”.

The release said tickets- which are free on a first-come, first-served basis- usually go on sale two weeks before each presentation. Each night in the series starts at 7:30 p.m. in Auer Performance Hall. Learn more on the website.