Listening for the Heartbeat of Iran
2021-05-26 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Tara Kangarlou will be discussing the role of media and society in the U.S. and Iran, and her insights about the Iranian people and culture as the western media seems to highlight only a slim view of this country of 80 million people. Tara will be interviewed by Todd Schwartz, former Foreign Service officer with the United States and current Executive Director with the European American Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati.
More about Tara Kangarlou: She is an award-winning journalist who has reported, written, and produced breaking news, investigative pieces, and broadcast stories for NBC-LA, CNN, CNN International and Al Jazeera America. Her writing and reporting has also appeared in digital news outlets such as TIME, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post, and Al Monitor. She previously served as a fellow at the East West Institute, is a contributor to Al Jazeera, and a frequent commentator on various news outlets covering the MENA region and humanitarian issues worldwide.
In 2015, she led Al Jazeera America’s team with unprecedented access to report from inside Iran during the nuclear negotiations. In recent years, she has reported extensively from the Syrian border regions of Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan covering issues that impact Syrian refugees, host countries, and the Middle East at large. In 2016, she founded Art of Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the psychosocial and mental health needs of refugees in Lebanon.
Her forthcoming book, The Heartbeat of Iran will be released on June 1st, and captures the heart and soul of a country that’s often seen through news headlines and a political fog that blurs the reality of life for millions of Iranians inside the country. Each chapter is an incredibly nuanced, textured, and intimate journey into the diversity of beliefs, struggles, and complexities of life in today’s Iran – all told through the real stories of its people. Tara was born and raised in Tehran and is fully bilingual in English and Farsi.
You can follow Tara at the handles below and pre-order her forthcoming book!
Twitter: @TaraKangarlou
LinkedIn: TaraKangarlou
Instagram: @TaraKangarlou
Website: TaraKangarlou.com
Facebook: TaraKangarlouJournalist
Book Link: The Heartbeat of Iran

More about Todd Schwartz:He retired from the Foreign Service of the United States in September 2015 with the personal rank of Counselor (roughly equivalent to Brigadier General).
Mr. Schwartz joined the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer in 1987. His overseas postings included Germany, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Qatar, the Philippines, Kuwait (Counselor for Economic Affairs), Canada (Principal Officer in Winnipeg, Manitoba), and Iraq (Counselor for Economic Affairs). His assignments in Washington have included tours as Director for the Office of Iraq Economic Affairs, Director of the Office of Iran Affairs, and as an assessor with the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Superior Honor Awards, six Meritorious Honor Awards, and the Secretary’s Career Achievement Award.
Mr. Schwartz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics at the Richard T. Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. A father of four, he is married to the former Nancy Dye Sunderland of Dayton, Ohio. Nancy and Todd now reside in the Mount Washington area of Cincinnati.

This event was selected for World Affairs Council of America’s May Cover to Cover author series.

Instant Issue: Consul General Alberto Fierro Garza on Mexico/US Today
2021-06-09 12:00 - 13:00
Alberto Fierro Garza, Consul General of Mexico in Boston, will speak on “Mexico/US Today: Neighbors, Partners and Friends”

About this event

Consul General of Mexico Alberto Fierro Garza will speak at an Instant Issues Online event on Mexico/US Today: Neighbors, Partners and Friends on Wednesday, June 9 at Noon (EDT).
Consul General Fierro was previously the Minister for Culture and Education at the Mexican Embassy to the United States and Executive Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute. He has been a member of Mexico’s Diplomatic Corps since 1993. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has served as Director General for Educational and Cultural Cooperation and Deputy Director General for North America. He was the Consul of Mexico in Orlando, FL and in St. Paul, MN. Early in his career he served as Deputy Cultural Attaché at the Mexican Embassy in Washington and as Cultural Attaché at the Mexican Embassy in Canada.
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This event is generously sponsored by Glenmeadow, Sir Speedy, and Wilbraham and Monson Academy.

A (Pandemic) Year in the Life of a Peace Teacher - Stories of Resilience from the American Classroom
2021-07-08 13:00 - 14:30
Amid the COVID pandemic and national upheaval, four high school teachers from Alaska, Kentucky, Mississippi and Nebraska participated in USIP’s Peace Teachers Program and dedicated themselves to helping their students make sense of conflicts in the world and to showing them how peace can be achieved.
The Peace Teachers Program is rooted in the conviction that educators can be pivotal in bringing issues of international conflict and practical peacebuilding skills into their classrooms, schools and communities. Each school year, USIP selects a cohort of outstanding American middle and high school teachers from different U.S. states to receive education, resources and support to strengthen their teaching of international conflict and peace. Given the disruptions of the COVID pandemic, the 2019 cohort was extended — and the teachers persisted, despite the difficult context, in providing their students with opportunities to explore new perspectives, make global connections and develop critical skills to help them navigate a changed world.
Join USIP and the 2019-2021 Peace Teachers as they share their experiences, insights and strategies for engaging new generations in peacebuilding based on their time in the program — including how their own approaches to teaching conflict and peace evolved during this tumultuous period.
Take part in the conversation on Twitter with #USIPPeaceTeachers.

DETAILS
Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021
Time: 1:00pm – 2:15pm EDT
Location: Online

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Proposed Agenda
Lise Grande, welcoming remarks
President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace
Jill Armstrong
Greenup County High School, Greenup, KY
Sarah Campbell
Ketchikan High School, Ketchikan, AK
Katrina Gotschall
O’Neill High School, O’Neill, NE
Emily Philpott
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Ridgeland, MS
Megan Chabalowski
Senior Outreach Officer, Public Education, U.S. Institute of Peace
Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, moderator
Novelist, Short Story Writer and Journalist; Member, International Advisory Council, U.S. Institute of Peace

Diplomats at Work | Working in the Arctic: A U.S. Diplomat's Story feat. Eavan Cully, U.S. Department of State
2021-07-15 13:00
The Arctic is a geopolitical hotspot and strengthening the U.S. presence in the Arctic is a foreign policy priority. To that end, in June 2020, U.S. diplomats reopened the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, 67 years after it had been closed. Diplomats at Work is hosting Eavan Cully, the public affairs officer at U.S. Consulate Nuuk, to hear about her experience working to reopen a long-shuttered consulate in what is now a fast-growing city that is becoming a center for Arctic issues. They will discuss the importance of this reopening as well as life and work in Greenland for a young U.S. diplomat. There will be opportunities for Q&A. The event is open to the public.

Nuancing National Security: Biological and Agricultural Security
2021-08-18 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.

Dr. Ken Burton is currently the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Coordinator and APHIS lead for USDA NBAF in Manhattan, KS. Dr. Burton received his Bachelor of Science in biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Kansas State University. He owned and operated the Lyons Veterinary Clinic in Lyons, Kansas for 28 years, providing rural Rice County residents with companion animal and food animal production veterinary medicine and surgery. Read more and register.

All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Central time (6:30-7:30 p.m. Eastern time)

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Supporting Series Sponsor
Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC
Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security: The 21st Century Military
2021-08-25 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.
About the Speaker

Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, PhD, is a Marine Corps combat veteran with multiple combat deployments as an AH-1W “Super Cobra” attack pilot. She finished her active duty time in the Marine Corps’ Legislative Liaison Office in the House of Representatives. She is an Assistant Professor of Military and Strategic Studies at the United States Air Force Academy and the co-director of the Athena Leadership Project. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, and a Masters of Arts and a Doctorate from University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

Dr. Hunter’s research focuses on the intersection of social integration and military effectiveness, with a focus on gender and unconventional warfare. While completing her dissertation was a researcher in residence at University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace and Justice. She was co-primary investigator for the Nonviolent Actors in Violent Conflicts project funded by the Carnegie Foundation. Her work has been published in Journal of Peace Research, Armed Forces & Society, and Signs, as well as popular publications such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, and San Diego Union Tribune. She is co-editor of Invisible Veterans: What Happens When Women Become Civilians Again (Preager Press, 2019) with Kate Thomas Hendricks.

Dr. Hunter is also an adjunct professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She was the former Chair of the Employment and Integration Subcommittee for the Secretary of Defense’s Advisory Committee of Women in the Services (DACOWITS). She was part of the Department of Veterans Affairs inaugural class of “Women Veteran Trailblazers,” and named as one of HilllVets 100 most influential veterans in 2018. She serves on the advisory board for Impact:PEACE. She and her husband reside in Colorado Springs, CO.

Supporting Series Sponsor
Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC

Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security Series Schedule
All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT (6:30-7:30 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Nuancing National Security: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
2021-09-09 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.
About the Speaker

Mona Yacoubian’s work centers on conflict analysis and prevention in the Middle East, with a specific focus on Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. In 2019, she served as executive director of the Congressionally-appointed Syria Study Group, which USIP was mandated to facilitate. Additional research interests include violent extremism, fragility and resilience.

Yacoubian joined the U.S. Institute of Peace after serving as deputy assistant administrator in the Middle East Bureau at USAID from 2014 to 2017, where she had responsibility for Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Prior to joining USAID, Yacoubian was a senior advisor at the Stimson Center focusing on the Arab uprisings with an emphasis on Syria. Prior to joining the Stimson Center, she served as a special advisor on the Middle East at the U.S. Institute of Peace, where her work focused on Lebanon and Syria as well as broader issues related to democratization in the Arab world. From 1990 to 1998, Yacoubian served as the North Africa analyst in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

Yacoubian was a Fulbright scholar in Syria where she studied Arabic at the University of Damascus from 1985 to 1986. She has held an international affairs fellowship with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and is currently a CFR member. She Yacoubian earned a master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s from Duke University.

Supporting Series Sponsor
Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC

Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security Series Schedule
All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT (6:30-7:30 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Nuancing National Security: Transnational Security Issues
2021-09-13 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.
About the Speaker

Andrea Kendall-Taylor is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She works on national security challenges facing the United States and Europe, focusing on Russia, authoritarianism and threats to democracy, and the state of the Transatlantic alliance.
Prior to joining CNAS, Andrea served for eight years as a senior intelligence officer. From 2015 to 2018, she was Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council (NIC) in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). In this role Andrea led the U.S. intelligence community’s strategic analysis on Russia, represented the IC in interagency policy meetings, provided analysis to the National Security Council, and briefed the DNI and other senior staff for White House and international meetings. Prior to joining the NIC, Andrea was a senior analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) where she worked on Russia and Eurasia, the political dynamics of autocracies, and democratic decline.

Andrea is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Her work has been published in numerous political science and policy journals, including the Journal of Peace Research, Democratization, Journal of Democracy, Foreign Affairs, the Washington Post, the Washington Quarterly, and Foreign Policy.

Andrea received her B.A. in politics from Princeton University and her Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright scholar in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, where she conducted dissertation research on oil and autocracy.

Supporting Series Sponsor
Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC

Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security Series Schedule
All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT (6:30-7:30 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Nuancing National Security: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
2021-09-20 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.

About the Speaker

As head of the National Risk Management Center, Kolasky has the responsibility to develop integrated analytic capability to analyze risk to critical infrastructure and work across the national community to reduce risk. As part of that, he co-chairs the Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force and leads CISA’s efforts to support development of a secure 5G network. He also serves on the Executive Committee for the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and is the Chair of the High-Level Risk Forum for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Kolasky’s current position is the culmination of years of risk and resilience experience. He most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection (IP), where he led the coordinated national effort to partner with industry to reduce the risk posed by acts of terrorism and other cyber or physical threats to the nation’s critical infrastructure, including election infrastructure.

Kolasky has served in a number of other senior leadership roles for DHS, including acting Deputy Under Secretary for NPPD before it became CISA and the Director of the DHS Cyber-Physical Critical Infrastructure Integrated Task Force to implement Presidential Policy Directive 21 on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience, as well as Executive Order 13636 on Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.

He is also the former Assistant Director for the Office of Risk Management Analysis at DHS where he was responsible for developing DHS’s formative policies and processes for risk management, including the DHS Risk Management Fundamentals and Risk Lexicon. Prior to joining DHS, he was a journalist and an entrepreneur. He helped start two of the first public policy web sites and served as the Managing Editor for IntellectualCapital.com.

Kolasky joined the Federal government in 2008 after six years as a management consultant. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1994 and from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2002.

Supporting Series Sponsor
Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC

Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security Series Schedule
All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Distinguished Speakers: An Introduction to Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and Decentralized Finance with Andreas Park
2021-09-23 19:00 - 20:30
Please register for this free program. After registering you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom webinar login information.
About the Program

Professor Andreas Park will provide a brief introduction to blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, providing an overview of some of the tools and apps that are available in the new world of decentralized finance. Park has recently been part of a research effort for the Bank of Canada on the design of a central-bank issued digital Loonie, and he will provide an overview of how this development together with advances in blockchain technology drive broader changes in the financial industry internationally, and discuss what changes we might expect over the next decade. He will discuss what cryptocurrencies might allow us to do and how they are being used (and misused) in the movement of wealth around the world.

About the Speaker
Andreas Park is a Professor of Finance at the University of Toronto in the Department of Management with a cross appointment to the Finance area at the U of T Rotman School of Business. He has been a University of Toronto faculty member since 2003. His research covers empirical topics, such as the market impact of maker-taker pricing, dark orders, and high frequency trading, and theoretical topics, such as herd behavior in financial markets and the impact of trading mechanisms. Andreas has served as Co-Director of the Master of Financial Economics program at University of Toronto, and he teaches courses on Market Microstructure, Trading, Investments, Asset Pricing, and Corporate Finance. His current research focuses mostly on the impact of high frequency trading and recent market structure changes in Canadian markets. Andreas is currently a member of the Ontario Security Commission’s Market Structure Advisory Committee. He earned both his masters degree and doctorate from Cambridge University in England.
About the Moderator
Donald Cassell, a member of the ICWA Board of Directors, is a senior fellow at the Sagamore institute and director of the Africa program and Liberian initiatives there. He also oversaw the development of the Indiana-Africa Connections project, a database of over 250 Hoosier organizations with ties to Africa. Additionally he serves as the host of Sagamore‘s fellows program. Previous to his role at Sagamore, Mr. Cassell spent 20 years working as an architect in Indianapolis. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Construction Specification Institute (CSI). A native of Liberia, Mr. Cassell graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Cassell also studied at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he received his master of divinity.
Thank you to our generous sponsor

Nuancing National Security: Energy Security
2021-09-27 18:30 - 19:30
Click Here to Register

A central mandate of any national government is national security, but the responsibility involves much more than traditional military defense capabilities. Today, while balancing military and diplomacy priorities, national governments assess and combat threats in cyberspace and outer space, water supplies and power grids, food production and energy chains. In this six-part virtual series, the International Relations Council will take a deep dive into the national security arena, offering historical context and global perspective for core dimensions of national security and exploring the risks, priorities, and tactics on the radar of U.S. security policy.

About the Speaker

Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan (2015 – 2018), Bob Cekuta has long and extensive experience as a top level U.S. diplomat. Deeply engaged in advancing high-profile international energy projects, trade policy initiatives and agreements, commercial sales, and other complex international security matters, Amb. Cekuta’s positions in the State Department included Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities.

His overseas postings included the U.S. Embassies in Berlin and Tokyo where he oversaw the full range of economic, commercial, nonproliferation, and scientific relations. In addition, Bob was Deputy Chief of Mission in Albania and held positions in Vienna, Baghdad, Kabul, Johannesburg, and Sana’a, Yemen. He established the Economic Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy Office in the State Department’s Bureau for Economic and Business Affairs, and served on the boards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the International Energy Agency (IEA), where he also chaired the IEA Board’s Standing Group on Long-term Cooperation charged with anticipating global energy developments.

During his career with the State Department Ambassador Cekuta received nine Senior Foreign Service Performance Awards, four Superior Honor Awards, five Meritorious Honor Awards, and the Career Achievement Award. He is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and the National War College.

Supporting Series Sponsor

Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC
Cyprienne Simchowitz & Jerry White

Nuancing National Security Series Schedule
All programs will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CT

Wednesday, August 18: Biological and Agricultural Security
Wednesday, August 25: The 21st Century Military
Thursday, September 9: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Monday, September 13: Transnational Security Issues
Monday, September 20: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Monday, September 27: Energy Security

Local Solutions to Global Challenges: Creating a Green Cincinnati
2021-09-29 07:00 - 08:00, 2021-11-03 07:10 - 08:00 | Virtual
7am – Local Solutions to Global Challenges: Creating a Green Cincinnati
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
About the Program: In August, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released an alarming report on the current status of the environment and the impact that it will have on humanity. Around the world, youth have become outspoken advocates in demanding that governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations make changes to ensure the sustainability of the planet. In this session, you will be inspired to “think globally and act locally.” Speakers from the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability and other area nonprofits will discuss the Green Cincinnati Plan, a bold vision to put Cincinnati on a path to 100% renewable energy and advance the sustainability, equity, and resilience of our city. Be inspired to advocate for climate issues affecting your own community and learn more about volunteer opportunities to assist in the work that local leaders are doing to create a more sustainable future.

The Coldest War: Toward a Return to Great Power Competition in the Arctic?
2021-10-01 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Because of climate change, large sheets of Arctic ice are melting, exposing vast stores of natural gas and oil. With Russia and China already miles ahead with their Arctic strategies, can the US catch up? This program is presented in cooperation with the World Affairs Council – Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and OLLI at University of Cincinnati.
The group will enjoy a short film about this topic provided by the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decision program. Following this, there will be a moderated discussion by Padamar Niskode, Richard Lauf, and Michelle Harpenau.

The History and Importance of the Jewish Community in Cincinnati
2021-10-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
*This Is An Invitation for October’s Virtual Meeting*
The October meeting is scheduled for:
Monday, 10/4/21 from 6:00-7:00 pm
Topic: The History and Importance of the Jewish Community in Cincinnati
Link to Meeting: meet.google.com/aui-koay-vdh
*Please RSVP if you will be attending the meeting*
Hallo all, join us this month as we have a member of the Jewish community speak to us about the History and importance of the Jewish Community. To join the meeting, simply click the meeting link on 10/4 – click here: meet.google.com/aui-koay-vdh

China Town Hall with Fareed Zakaria by M3C
2021-10-19 18:45 - 21:00 | Virtual Event
China Town Hall with Fareed Zakaria by M3C with special guest moderator Kenneth Jarrett, former president of AmCham Shanghai.
October 19, China Town Hall Agenda:

6:45pm-7:00pm EDT, Pre-event warm up and networking
7:00pm-8:00pm EDT, China Town Hall by Fareed Zakaria
8:00pm-9:00pm EDT, China Business Briefing by Kenneth Jarrett, Q&A

Kenneth Jarrett is a Senior Advisor at ASG, where he draws on decades of business and diplomatic experience in China and across East Asia to provide perspective and advice to businesses, investors, and other organizations with interest in the region.
Most recently, Mr. Jarrett spent five years as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. Under his leadership, the Chamber helped hundreds of companies establish and grow their networks in China and navigate operational and regulatory challenges.
Previously, Mr. Jarrett was a distinguished diplomat whose positions included service as Consul General in Shanghai, and as Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong. His 26-year foreign service career also included postings in Beijing, Chengdu, and Singapore. His government roles in Washington, D.C, included serving as Director of Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council. Following his government service, Mr. Jarrett served as Chairman of Greater China for APCO Worldwide.
Mr. Jarrett is a frequent commentator on the business environment in China, and he has been quoted in outlets including Bloomberg, the Economist, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.
He is the recipient of the Magnolia Award (Silver) from the Shanghai government and is a member of the National Committee for U.S.-China Relations.
Mr. Jarrett earned an M.A. in East Asian Studies from Yale University and an M.A. in National Security Studies from the National War College. He received a B.A. in History from Cornell University. He speaks Mandarin Chinese.
He is based in Shanghai, China.
About ASG: Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) is the premier global strategy and commercial diplomacy firm that helps clients understand and successfully navigate the intersection of public, private, and social sectors in international markets. ASG’s worldwide team has served clients in more than 120 countries. Learn more at www.albrightstonebridge.com.

The Value of Global Competence: Views from Young Professionals
2021-10-21 09:00 - 10:00
About the Program: Join four young professionals (31-40) and learn how curiosity and exposure to international ideas, education and experiences have led to different outcomes. Whether it’s working for a local non-profit on a global problem or in D.C., volunteer work here or abroad, or the twists and turns of establishing unexpected careers, these panelists have stories to tell. What motivates them and what matters to them on this one planet we all share? You’ll hear something about their world views and concerns as well as the possibilities global competency and cultural understanding created for them and can for you. Most importantly they will have plenty of time to answer your questions and concerns about your future in the world.
This panel discussion will be moderated by Deborah Schultz, Advisory Board member at the World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and founder of Trans-Borders Solutions.
Panelists Include:
David Crookham— Major in the US Marine Corps Reserve
Meagan Hawkins– Communications Director at The Chertoff Group
Thomas Schultz– Data and Program Manager at Green Umbrella
Lindley Winchester— Senior Language Engineer at Amazon
You can find more information about our panelists here.

Flash Chat with Consul General Bart Twaalfhoven
2021-11-04 12:00 - 12:30 | Virtual
12pm- Flash Chat: Consul General Bart Twaalfhoven of the Netherlands
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

About the Program: Join us for a brief chat with Bart Twaalfhoven, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the Midwestern United States. Learn more about relations between the United States and the Netherlands and how the nation plans to address current global challenges such as COVID, cybersecurity, economic development, and climate change. Consul General Twaalfhoven will also share his background and path towards his career with the consulate.
Learn more about Consul General Twaalfhoven here.

After the Airlift: Examining the Afghan Refugee Crisis Post-Taliban Takeover
2021-11-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
7pm -After the Airlift: Examining the Afghan Refugee Crisis Post-Taliban Takeover
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About the Program: In this conclusion to the International Education Summit, Eric Schwartz of Refugees International will give a keynote address regarding the current state of the Afghan humanitarian and displacement crisis. As 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that led to the global War on Terror, learn more about how the U.S. is examining its obligations to the region following the chaos of the Taliban takeover of the government. This session will address how governments, the United Nations, and various humanitarian organizations have worked—and should work—together to respond to the needs of Afghans displaced within and outside of Afghanistan. Participants will learn more about the challenges that face refugees resettling in the United States and how they can advocate to ensure the human rights of refugees and migrants around the world. Mr. Schwartz will also highlight the factors that brought about the humanitarian and evacuation crises as well as make predictions on what issues and trends the refugee and humanitarian communities will face in the coming years.

About the Speaker: Eric Schwartz became President of Refugees International in June 2017. Eric has had a three-decade career focused on humanitarian and human rights issues. Between 2009 and 2011, he served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration. As Assistant Secretary, he was credited with strengthening the State Department’s humanitarian advocacy around the world, initiating and implementing critical enhancements to the U.S. refugee resettlement program and raising the profile of global migration issues in U.S. foreign policy. He was the senior human rights and humanitarian official at the National Security Council during the Clinton administration, managing humanitarian responses to crises in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. He also served as the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery after the 2004 Asian Tsunami; as Washington Director of Asia Watch (now the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch); and Staff Consultant to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, among other positions in the U.S. government, at the UN and in the nonprofit sector. Just prior to arriving at Refugees International, Eric served a six-year term as Dean of the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. During much of that period, he also served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and, ultimately, as the Commission’s vice chair. He holds a law degree from New York University School of Law, a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

The Future on the Persian Gulf Security
2021-11-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Is using military force a viable foreign policy option for 2021 and beyond?
The Persian Gulf remains tense as the rivalry between the regional powers of Saudi Arabia and Iran continues. Tensions escalated in early 2020 as the United States began to intervene in the Gulf, launching an airstrike that killed two Iranian military commanders. What are the historical influences that have led to these tensions? What role, if any, should the United States play? Is using military force a viable foreign policy option for 2021 and beyond? This program is presented in cooperation with the World Affairs Council – Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and OLLI at University of Cincinnati.
The group will enjoy a short film about this topic provided by the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decision program. Following this, there will be a moderated discussion by Padamar Niskode, Richard Lauf, and Michelle Harpenau.

Global Supply Chains and National Security
2021-11-09 19:30 - 20:30 | Virtual Event
The shutdown of global supply chains due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought to the fore an issue with the high level of global economic interdependence: what happens when one country is the main source for an item, say face masks, and then can no longer supply the item? Countries suddenly unable to meet the demand for certain supplies are faced with growing calls for economic nationalism. What are some of the lasting effects that the pandemic could have on global supply chains and trade? How would this affect national security?
Guillermo Malpica Soto has a long and distinguished career in Mexico’s Ministry of Economy. In October he was designated to represent the Ministry at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C. Mr. Malpica has served as Mexico’s Director General for International Trade in Services and Investment in Mexico’s Ministry of Economy since 2008. Since then, he has been instrumental in formulating Mexico’s position in these areas in multilateral, regional and bilateral fora, including the Doha Round in the World Trade Organization, the OECD, ALADI, APEC, TISA, the Pacific Alliance and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

The Future of Arctic Security: Conversation with ADM. Karl Schultz, Commandant U.S. Coast Guard, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, U.S.
2021-11-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Speaker Biography:
Admiral Karl L. Schultz assumed the duties as the 26th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard on June 1, 2018. As Commandant, he oversees all global Coast Guard operations and 41,000 active-duty, 6,200 reserve, and 8,500 civilian personnel, as well as the support of 25,000 Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers.
He previously served from August 2016 to May 2018 as Commander, Atlantic Area where he was the operational commander for all Coast Guard missions spanning five Coast Guard Districts and 40 states. He concurrently served as Director, DHS Joint Task Force-East, responsible for achieving the objectives of the DHS Southern Border and Approaches Campaign Plan throughout the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Region, including Central America.
Prior flag assignments include Director of Operations (J3), U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Florida; Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District in Alameda, California; and Director of Governmental and Public Affairs at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Previous operational assignments include Sector Commander in Miami, Florida, as well as command tours aboard Cutters VENTUROUS, ACACIA, and FARALLON.
His senior staff assignments include Chief of the Office of Congressional and Governmental Affairs; Congressional Liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives; Liaison Officer to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; Assignment Officer at the Coast Guard Personnel Command; and Command Duty Officer in the Seventh Coast Guard District Operations Center in Miami.
A native of Connecticut, Admiral Schultz graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1983, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. In 1992, he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut, and in 2006, completed a one-year National Security Fellowship at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, Dawn, have five children – Kelsey, Lindsey, Annaliese, Eric, and Zachary.
His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, four Legions of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, three Coast Guard Commendation medals, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals and various other personal and unit awards.
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Special Guest Biography:
Lisa Murkowski, Alaska’s senior U.S. Senator, is a third generation Alaskan proudly serving as the first Alaskan born senator.
Since joining the Senate in 2002, Senator Murkowski has worked tirelessly for Alaskans and earned a reputation in the Senate for her ability to work collaboratively and across the aisle to reach common sense solutions. Murkowski is well-known for her love and dedication to her state, which means putting Alaska first.
A leader on energy and public lands issues, Senator Murkowski recognizes that sound national policy will promote not only job creation and economic growth, but also higher standards of living and greater global stability. She supports the safe and efficient production and use of all forms of domestic energy, as well as research to help develop emerging technologies. Senator Murkowski continues to pursue policies to advance renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and make America’s energy cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable.
Senator Murkowski has long advocated for the Arctic as a national priority and continues to push the United States to invest in the infrastructure and assets critical to supporting an Arctic strategy. She is leading the charge to recapitalize and expand America’s fleet of icebreakers and has introduced legislation to raise the nation’s presence in the Arctic through two bills that support responsible research and development as well as giving those who live in the region a greater voice on policy and research.
She is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Subcommittees –Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Defense; Energy and Water Development; Homeland Security; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies), Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee, member of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
Murkowski was born in Ketchikan and raised in towns across the state, including Wrangell, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. She is married to Verne Martell, and they have two grown sons. Lisa loves spending time in the Alaska outdoors. She’s an avid skier, has hiked on glaciers, enjoys fall duck hunts, and has an impressive King Salmon mounted on her office wall.
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Moderator Biography:
Heather Conley is senior vice president for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic and director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at CSIS. Prior to joining CSIS as a senior fellow and director for Europe in 2009, Conley served four years as executive director of the Office of the Chairman of the Board at the American National Red Cross.
From 2001 to 2005, she was deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs with responsibilities for U.S. bilateral relations with the countries of Northern and Central Europe. From 1994 to 2001, she was a senior associate with an international consulting firm led by former U.S. deputy secretary of state Richard L. Armitage.
Ms. Conley began her career in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She was selected to serve as special assistant to the coordinator of U.S. assistance to the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, and she has received two State Department Meritorious Honor Awards.
Ms. Conley is frequently featured as a foreign policy analyst and Europe expert on CNN, MSNBC, BBC, NPR, and PBS, among other prominent media outlets. She received her B.A. in international studies from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her M.A. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
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Commandant’s White House Fellow Biography:
Victoria Herrmann is a 2021-2022 White House Fellow placed with the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Prior to the Fellowship, Dr. Herrmann was an Assistant Research Professor at Georgetown University, a National Geographic Explorer, and the Managing Director of The Arctic Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to inform policy for a just, sustainable, and secure Arctic. Victoria directed strategic planning and oversaw the implementation of global research partnerships by a 45-person team.
Her research focused on Arctic climate change and resilience. As a recognized expert in the field, Victoria has testified before the House and Senate, served as the Alaska Review Editor for the National Climate Assessment, and contributes to national and international media. At Georgetown, she served as the Principal Investigator of a National Science Foundation-funded Research Coordination Network on Arctic migrations. The three-year initiative aims to build a lasting, policy-oriented network of Arctic scientists to strengthen communication between nations and scientific disciplines.
Beyond the Arctic, Victoria studies climate-induced displacement, migration, and relocation in North America and Fiji as a National Geographic Explorer. In her first National Geographic project, America’s Eroding Edges, she traveled across the country interviewing 350 local leaders to identify what’s needed most to safeguard coastal communities against the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
Her project, Rise Up to Rising Tides, is creating an online matchmaking platform that connects pro bono experts with climate-affected communities. The project seeks to safeguard heritage by connecting national expertise to some of the 13 million Americans at risk of being displaced due to rising waters in the coming years.
Victoria was a Junior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Fulbright Awardee to Canada, and a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow at the National Academies of Sciences. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar, an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University, and a B.A. from Lehigh University.

Disarray & Disaster in the Taliban's Afghanistan
2021-11-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Please join us for a special, exclusive event featuring Lt. Tom Schram, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer, who specializes in the study and reporting on national security and political-economic events in China, the Western Pacific, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.
Thursday, November 18 at 6:30PM EST
via Virtual Zoom Presentation
The disaster and chaos in Afghanistan just keep getting worse. With the government unable to pay its bills, the infrastructure crumbling, the ruthless treatment of remaining Afghans who could not escape during the U.S./NATO airlift, the ruling Taliban are finding it complex and difficult to govern and manage as they change from fighting a war to state building, all in a failing economy with no workable financial system in place.
The Taliban’s approach to government has been and continues to be a strict Sharia law under a vicious theocracy. Their merciless approach to those not conforming exactly to these beliefs knows no mercy for those left behind following the U.S. departure. Women’s rights are almost non-existent.
Our evening presentation will touch on the history of the region, previous conquests, topographic challenges, war after 9/11, the evacuation debacle and the poor planning decisions by National Command Authority. Last but not least, our speaker will discuss the strategic implications for the U.S. and the world going forward.

Our Presenting Guest Speaker
Tom Schram holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1969. Tom also has an MBA degree in marketing and finance from the Shidler School of Business, University of Hawaii. He was commissioned in the Navy’s Restricted Line and
served 7.5 years as a special intelligence officer in the Naval Security Group. He was stationed in both Japan and Okinawa while serving on multiple deployments. In 1973, he was assigned to NSGA Anchorage, AK as Executive Officer. He resigned his commission in late 1976.
His specialty was electronic intelligence collection while serving in the Naval Security Group. He played a role in the Saigon evacuation in 1975. After leaving the Navy, he had an eclectic career starting with Procter & Gamble where he worked in manufacturing, research & development, advertising brand management, and sales. He was a co-owner of an advertising agency that he helped grow from $2M/year in revenue to $12M over five years. He ran a ballistics research firm for eight years, helped start a microbrewery and led an Internet security firm who had developed an unbreakable firewall.
Tom’s innovative approach in each of his endeavors led to patents and unique business opportunities. However, he never lost his interest in discovering and publishing about world events. For the past twenty years, he has been deeply involved in studying and reporting on geopolitical events around the world with special focus on the Middle East, Afghanistan, and China. His resurgence in learning about all things geopolitical began on 9/11/2001 when he lost his very close friend and USNA classmate in the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the attack on America. Most recently, Tom played a direct role in assisting 757 Afghan refugees flee in the recent aftermath of the Taliban takeover and is now currently assisting another group of refugees who desperately need to evacuate Afghanistan.

Introduction to the World of Butoh
2021-11-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
Join us as University of Michigan Professor Erik Santos provides insights into the history of Butoh and shares his perspective on this unique and sometimes controversial art form. Together with his wife, Japanese filmmaker Toko Shiiki, Professor Santos will share several Butoh dancers’ answers to the fundamental question: What is Butoh for you?
The webinar will feature two video clips, including “Manna” by Kumotaro Mukai, with an original musical score by Erik Santos, and artwork by Toko Shiiki. The Butoh dancer Mukai performed in 2008 at the University of Michigan, and the video of the performance has never been released to the public.
The presenters will also talk about the collaboration with Butoh dancers Jun Wakabayashi and Rie Kim and discuss their process for building a dance performance.

Role of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic
2021-11-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
The Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the World Health Organization (WHO) into the limelight, for better and for worse. While some of the Trump administration’s criticism of the organization was unfair, the response to the early stages of the pandemic left many experts wanting more from the WHO. What is the WHO’s role in responding to international pandemics? What can be done to improve the WHO’s response to future global health crises?
Dr. Samira Asma is the Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact at the World Health Organization where she leads WHO’s efforts to use timely, reliable and actionable data to drive progress towards the Triple Billion targets and health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgency to strengthen country health information systems. By aligning with countries and partners, Dr. Asma is working to ensure every country has a robust data and health information system, to make health data accessible, and to use data to improve health.

Teacher PD: Educating for the Global World of Work
2022-01-04 08:00 - 17:00
Virtual Zoom Webinar, Thursday March 17, 2022 from 4-5:15 pm. Register here to receive a Zoom invitation prior to the event.
About the Program: What skills are needed to succeed in a fast-paced, technologically advanced, and globalized economy? In this session, we will discuss ways in which to bring career exploration into your subject area and highlight enrichment opportunities available for students to set themselves up for success. Teachers will hear from a panel of individuals from organizations focused on technical education and experiential learning that help students prepare for the jobs of the future. We will also reflect on how this work contributes to the Asia Society’s “Investigate the World” global competency theme as well as P21’s “Life and Career Skills” focus. This session is open for middle and high school teachers of all subject areas and teachers have the opportunity to earn 1 CEU for participating in this session.
Learning Outcomes
Teachers will be able to

Identify social and cross-cultural skills that are needed in the modern workplace.
Identify ways in which students can further develop technical or industry-specific skills to better position themselves among other future job applicants.
Develop a strategy for introducing career exploration into a lesson or unit plan.
Reflect on ways in which their lessons can help students develop necessary soft skills such as initiative, flexibility, leadership, and accountability.

Teacher PD: Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Teach Global Topics
2022-01-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Virtual Zoom Webinar. Register to receive a zoom invitation.
Join us for the kick off to our professional development series, “Skills for Students’ Future in the World.” In this session, teachers will learn more about the Inquiry Design Model and how inquiry-based learning can help students develop skills within the “investigate the world” domain of the Asia Society’s global competency framework. Teachers will explore resources that they can use to bring inquiry into the classroom. This session is geared toward middle and high school teachers who may be new to inquiry-based learning or want to view inquiry lessons that are more specific to cultural or global topics. Teachers have the opportunity to earn 1 CEU for participating in this session.
Learning Outcomes
Teachers will be able to:

Define inquiry-based learning and develop a rationale for how it can contribute to the development of global competency.
Identify resources that they can use to develop their own inquiry-based lessons, including lesson and unit plan templates, as well as other pre-made inquiry lessons that are ready to use in the classroom.
Explain the difference between guided inquiry and direct inquiry and determine which would be appropriate for their students at a particular point in their learning.
Identify at least one concept and/or unit in which they would be able to use an inquiry-based method of instruction in the classroom and develop compelling and supporting questions for the lesson.

Standing Against Authoritarianism: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’ Opposition Leader on Fighting the Lukashenko Regime from Exile
2022-03-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Sponsored by World Affairs Council of Orange County
Conversation moderated by:
Melinda Haring, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center
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Hosted in Partnership with UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies
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A Zoom webinar event
Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 9:00 AM PST
Speaker Bio:
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces who independent observers agree won the presidential election on August 9, 2020, against the autocratic President Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
As the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, she has visited 26 countries, gathering support and advocating for the release of almost a 1000 of political prisoners and a peaceful transition of power through free and fair elections. In meetings with President Biden, Chancellor Merkel, President Macron, President von der Leyen, President Charles Michel, and other world leaders, Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the need for a braver response to the actions of the Belarusian dictatorship.
Tsikhanouskaya’s story began when she entered the race after her husband Siarhei Tsikhanousky was arrested for voicing his presidential aspirations. Lukashenka publicly dismissed her as a “housewife,” saying that a woman cannot become president. Nonetheless, Tsikhanouskaya united and successfully led the democratic coalition along with two other leaders, Maria Kalesnikava and Veranika Tsapkala. Following her forced exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya inspired unprecedented peaceful protests in Belarus, with some rallies numbering at least 200,000 people.
In 2020–2022, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya became a symbol of the peaceful struggle for democracy and strong female leadership. Among dozens of distinctions, she is a recipient of the Sakharov Prize awarded by the European Parliament, 2022 International Four Freedoms Award, and Charlemagne Prize. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Members of the Norwegian Parliament. Tsikhanouskaya has been recognized in Bloomberg’s Top 50 Most Influential People, Financial Times’ Top 12 Most Influential Women, and Politico’s Top 28 Most Influential Europeans.
Moderator Bio:
Melinda Haring is the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was the editor of the Atlantic Council’s popular publication, the UkraineAlert blog. She is the author of the report Reforming the democracy bureaucracy (FPRI, 2013) coauthor of Biden and Ukraine: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Biden and Belarus: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Ukraine’s internally displaced persons hold a key to peace (Atlantic Council, 2017), and a contributor to Does democracy matter? (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).
Haring has worked for Eurasia Foundation, Freedom House, and the National Democratic Institute, where she managed democracy assistance programs in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds an MA in Government with a certificate in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies.
Haring is the vice-chair of the board of East Europe Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, a member of the supervisory board of Right to Protection in Kyiv, Ukraine, and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. She is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Expo Community Conversation
2022-06-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us for this Expo Community Conversation event brought to you in partnership with the World Affairs Council – Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, Global Ties, the U.S. Department of State and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Join us for a discussion on how we bring Expos back to the United States and do so in a more inclusive way that highlights our country’s diversity as a strength of our democracy. Expos, also known as World’s Fairs, are the world’s oldest and largest mega event, held every three-five years in host cities around the world since their inception in 1851 in London. Similar to the Olympics, which are world festivals of sports, Expos are festivals of culture, technology, innovation, design, and human excellence. Past Expos have seen a multitude of countries showcase innovations such as the mobile phone, the X-Ray Machine, and the ice cream cone.
Though Expos have not captured many U.S. citizens’ imaginations, for those who experienced the events within the United States and overseas the last sixty years, the experiences impacted simultaneously their worldviews and views of their communities.
The physical legacies of Expos in New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, and Seattle—four of the last ones hosted inside the United States, between 1960-1984—are well established. But the “felt” legacies are underexplored and powerful. With geopolitics rapidly shifting, these soft power platforms are critical to illuminating U.S. values to international audiences. We also have an opportunity to rethink how we bring Expos back to the United States and do so in a more inclusive way that highlights our country’s diversity as a strength of our democracy.
Join us for a conversation on a groundbreaking oral history project to explore the future of International Expositions and the United States’ role in them. The event will also feature Oral Historian, Anna F. Kaplan, PhD, and Paul Kruchoski, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of the Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy.

Society and Cyberthreats: Risks to National Security in a Global Economy
2022-10-19 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us for a Virtual Event on Wednesday, October 19th at 6:30 PM via Zoom Webinar, Society and Cyberthreats: Risks to National Security in a Global Economy.
Today, we transact vast amounts of data through smart-devices for work, home life, and everything in between. Data is the ‘new oil’ and cybersecurity has evolved into a primary focus for malicious actors—some of whom are foreign State actors and often very well organized, coordinated, with the objective of achieving strategic outcomes. To better understand this landscape of cyberthreats, we bring together this panel discussion on Society and Cyberthreats to examine our country’s cyber strategies.
We are joined by Dr. Harknett and Ms. Guider to start by asking some simple questions to better understand Cyberthreats in our daily lives beyond our mere distant awareness about coercion, militarized crisis, and war:

Is cybersecurity more of a technology or people problem?
How have the nature of cybersecurity threats changed in the recent decade(s)?
How has the training/education curriculum evolved in response to the changing global cybersecurity threats?

Guest Panelists:
Kathy Guider, Vice President Veracity IIR, retired FBI Special Agent
Richard Harknett, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Professor & Director, School of Public and International Affairs (SPIC), Co-Director, Ohio Cyber Range Institute(OCRI), Chair, Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy (CCSP)
