2026 Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities featuring Carly Fiorina

Virginia Humanities presents the 2026 Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities featuring Carly Fiorina, National Honorary Chair of the Virginia 250 Commission and CEO of Colonial Williamsburg. Fiorina is a business leader, author, and civic leader who became the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company as Chair and CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Over the course of her career, she has advised leaders in government and the private sector, authored bestselling books on leadership, and championed initiatives focused on unlocking human potential and civic engagement.

A strong advocate for civic leadership and historical understanding, Fiorina will explore the themes of leadership, citizenship, history, and the role individuals and communities play in shaping a more connected and engaged society as we commemorate the nation’s founding and look toward the future.

Prior to the lecture, Virginia Humanities will present the second annual Commonwealth Humanities Awards, recognizing an individual, community partner, and corporate or foundation partner who have championed the humanities through service, leadership, and philanthropy. A moderated conversation led by Barbara Hamm Lee — award-winning journalist and host of Another View — will follow the lecture, concluding with an audience Q&A.

Tickets for the public lecture are now available and may be purchased online through Dominion Energy Center: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/83567862/.

Virginia Humanities designed the Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities series to foster deeper reflection on how the humanities continue to shape and respond to societal change. The event is a signature program of Virginia Humanities’ Regional Events Initiative.

We are honored to recognize the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation as the lead sponsor of this event.