Bruce Reed, Rhodes scholar and former assistant to President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama, will be this year's keynote speaker at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' 17th annual human rights banquet.

Tickets are on sale now for the human rights banquet, which will be held April 28 at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn, 506 W. Appleway. A reception will begin at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m.

Reed's most recent public policy position was serving for three years as chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden. Reed is currently president of the Broad Education Foundation.

"We have been fortunate to feature such prominent public officials as former Idaho Gov. Phil Batt, Sen. Mike Crapo, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and now Reed as our banquet keynote speakers," said task force president Christie Wood.

During the banquet, the task force will recognize former Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem and the 2013 City Council members whose support led to the June 2013 adoption of a city ordinance banning discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation.

Gregory C. Carr, Mary Lou Reed, Scott Reed and the Human Rights Education Institute will be inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame during the banquet.

Individual tickets are $40 or tables can be purchased for $500 or $1,000. All profits will go to the Human Rights Education Institute for its work including the awarding of four annual NIC minority student scholarships. The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday, April 25. For more information, call (208) 765-3932 or 292-2359.