Former White House staffer Kal Penn to speak at CU Boulder

Apr. 4—Actor, writer, producer and former associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Kal Penn will speak about his experiences as an actor and his time in politics at 7 p.m. April 11 in the Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University of Colorado Boulder.

"We believe that Kal Penn will be able to connect with CU Boulder students easily due to his broad career history, his wit and his humor," Veena Bhatnagar, chair of the CU Boulder Distinguished Speakers Board, stated in a news release.

Penn is known for his starring roles in "Designated Survivor," "House," Mira Nair's "The Namesake," the "Harold & Kumar" franchise and the patriotic immigration sit-com Sunnyside, which he co-created for NBC.

Penn is also known for his extensive work in the Obama administration, where he served as the President's Liaison to Young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the Arts community. In these roles, Penn worked on a range of issues, including the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Affordable Care Act, Pell Grants, arts and culture programs, the DREAM Act, and rapid response to the BP Oil Spill and earthquake in Haiti.

Tickets cost $2 for students, faculty and staff and $5 for the general public.