Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.)
<p>Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.) was the Commanding Officer of the USS <em>Cole</em> when it came under a suicide terrorist attack by al Qaeda in the port of Aden, Yemen, on October 12, 2000. During his command, he and his crew distinguished themselves by saving the American war ship from sinking.
Judy Smith
<p>The real-life inspiration behind ABC's hit political thriller series "Scandal" starring Kerry Washington, Judy Smith is the US's premier crisis management expert. As the founder and president of Smith & Company -- a leading strategic and crisis communications firm with offices in Los Angeles and Washington, DC -- she uniquely combines her communication skills, media savvy, and legal and political acumen to serve clients around the world.</p>