Topic: Ep. 214 – Celebrate America: You Chose To Celebrate Freedom!
When: Tuesday 6/04/2024 at 2:00 pm ET
With July 4th just around the corner, we asked our listeners, “Why do you celebrate America?” Join us for our podcast series, “Celebrate America,” as we share and explore our listeners’ inspiring answers – and yours! Sign up below for our fun and interactive first episode, “You Chose to Celebrate Freedom!” Why do you celebrate America? Let us know on our live Q&A!
Constitutional Chats are hosted by Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie, student ambassadors, and experts who join us weekly to discuss hot-topic issues! The audience is not on camera, but you may ask questions!
Meet the Guest
The Honorable Aldona Woś, M.D.
Ambassador Aldona Z. Woś was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father survived Flossenburg Concentration Camp, and her mother survived Nazi Germany’s child slave labor. Her father, Paul Zenon Woś, was a member of the Polish Home Army and recipient of many distinguished awards, including the “Righteous Among the Nations” medal from Yad Vashem.
In 2002 and 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Ambassador Woś to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. In 2004, she was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia. During her tour, she focused on winning the hearts and minds of the next generation of Estonian leaders, Russian integration, HIV and AIDS prevention, and the preservation of Estonian culture. For her service, Ambassador Woś was awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana 1st Class by the President of the Republic of Estonia, the Distinguished Service Cross of the Estonian Defense Forces, and the Cross of Merit of the Estonian National Police Board. In 2007, she received the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. In 2008, she was presented the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. She was invested in the Sovereign Order of Malta in 2010.
In 2012, Ambassador Woś served on The University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors. From 2013 to 2015, she served as North Carolina’s Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services overseeing more than 18,000 employees across North Carolina and a nearly $20 billion budget. In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Ambassador Woś as the Vice Chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. In 2018, she was appointed to the Duke Law Board of Visitors. In 2020, President Donald Trump nominated Ambassador Woś to be the U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Ambassador Woś also serves on the boards of The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, the Council of American Ambassadors, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is currently the President of The Institute of World Politics.
Ambassador Woś earned her M.D. at the Warsaw Medical Academy and completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine, including a fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine, in New York City. Her career as a doctor included private practice, corporate medicine, clinical care, teaching, and consulting for both hospitals and private industry. She holds an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from The Institute of World Politics and an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Greensboro College.
Meet the Hosts
Janine Turner
Actress Janine Turner is famous for her role as Maggie O’Connell in television’s Northern Exposure. She is the Founder of Constituting America which launched in 2010. She is still acting but is also actively teaching kids about the U.S. Constitution and has given over 540 speeches to classrooms across the country.
Cathy Gillespie
Cathy Gillespie is the Chair of Constituting America, a former Congressional Chief of Staff and former Commissioner of the White House Fellows Commission. She is currently serving as one of 16 private citizens serving on the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, helping organize the celebration of our country’s 250th birthday in 2026!
Tova Love Kaplan
Tova Love Kaplan is a student at Harvard University. She currently serves as the National Youth Director for Constituting America and runs the National Youth Advisory Council. She is a three-time winner of the “We The Future” Contest and is passionate about educating and empowering young people to use their constitutional rights!
Jorne Gilbert
Jorne Gilbert is a recent graduate of Moravian University where he designed a major entitled Dramatic Production and Musical Performance. He used what he learned to further develop the charitable organization Sing For America which he co-founded to produce musicals portraying the art of Truth and Light.
Jewel Gilbert
Jewel Gilbert is Executive Producer of Sing for America, a charity founded by him and his family. Sing for America reveals the Art of Truth and Light through live performance. He is the Operations Director for a new business venture, J. Barker Paving. Jewel holds a BA in Musical Performance/Dramatic