Following is a list of the distinguished military and civilian leaders who have spoken at the UC Berkeley Nimitz Lecture series since its establishment in 1985.
- 2024 – Admiral James A. Winnefeld
- 2023 – Dr. Kori Schake
- 2022 – Janet Napolitano
- 2021 – H. R. McMaster
- 2020 – General Ellen Pawlikowski
- 2019 – Admiral James Stavridis
- 2018 – Admiral Dennis C. Blair
- 2017 – Vice Admiral Robert Thomas
- 2016 – Dr. David M. Kennedy
- 2015 – Lieutenant Colonel John A. Nagl
- 2014 – General James N. Mattis
- 2013 – General Norton A. Schwartz
- 2012 – Ahmed Rashid
- 2011 – Thomas E. Ricks
- 2010 – Nathaniel C. Fick
- 2009 – Ambassador Barbara K. Bodine
- 2008 – Mr. Michael Scheuer
- 2008 – General John P. Abizaid
- 2007 – Mr. Mark Steyn
- 2006 – Dr. Victor Davis Hanson
- 2005 – Dr. Thomas P.M. Barnett
- 2004 – Major General Robert H. Scales, Jr.
- 2003 – Mr. Max Boot
- 2002 – Dr. Albert C. Pierce
- 2001 – General Anthony C. Zinni
- 2000 – Admiral Charles Larson
- 1999 – Lieutenant General Robert J. Gard, Jr.
- 1998 – Dr. Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
- 1997 – Admiral Leighton Smith
- 1996 – Colonel Harry Summers
- 1995 – The Honorable Tom Lantos
- 1994 – Lieutenant General Bernard Trainor
- 1993 – General John Galvin
- 1992 – General Fred Woerner
- 1991 – Dr. John Lehman
- 1990 – Admiral Thomas Moorer
- 1989 – Admiral Elmo Zumwalt
- 1988 – Dr. Hans Mark
- 1987 – Dr. Ed Luttwak
- 1986 – Admiral Bobby Inman
- 1985 – Dr. Sam Huntington