Four expert diplomats will join the Texas Tech University campus to speak on complex issues facing our nation.
Texas Tech University's Office of International Affairs and The American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD) will host “The Future of Global Diplomacy: Actors and Factors,” the seventh annual Ambassadors' Forum on Thursday (March 10) at 5:30 p.m. in the International Cultural Center's auditorium. The panel will be comprised of senior diplomats who will address questions from the audience concerning transnational problems such as climate change, human migration patterns, pandemics, crime, security threats and technological advances.
“We are delighted to invite a dynamic panel of four distinguished, high-ranking, former U.S. diplomats representing the American Academy of Diplomacy to our campus,” said Sukant Misra, vice provost of International Affairs. “This is our seventh year hosting the Ambassador's Forum, an intellectually stimulating event for our faculty, staff, students and community. This year's forum provides the opportunity to engage in dialogue regarding the future of global diplomacy.”
Panelist are:
- Ronald Neumann, the former deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the current board president of the AAD. Neumann served as a U.S. ambassador to Algeria, Bahrain and Afghanistan. During his extensive career, he also served as a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the Coalition Provisional Authority; liaison with the U.S. Embassy in Iraq; director of the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs for Iran and Iraq; deputy chief of mission in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen; principal officer in Iran; economic/commercial officer in Senegal; Jordan desk officer; staff assistant in the Middle East (NEA) Bureau; and political officer in the Office of Southern European Affairs.
- Kenneth C. Brill, the past president of The Fund for Peace with over 34 years of experience in the U.S. Foreign Service. He has served as ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.N. Office in Vienna and the Republic of Cyprus; acting-ambassador and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in India; political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan; acting-assistant secretary and principal deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; executive secretary of the Department of State; special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State; and director of the Office of Egyptian Affairs.
- Deborah McCarthy, an expert on U.S. foreign and national security policy with over 30 years of diplomatic experience. Currently, she is a member of the Atlantic Council and American College of National Security Leaders, a fellow at Harvard University in the Advanced Leadership Initiative, the host/producer of the National Security Podcast series “The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation” and serves on the board of the Academy of Diplomacy, the Command and General Staff College Foundation, and the Advisory Council for the master's program in Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Her previous positions include the U.S. ambassador to Lithuania, deputy ambassador at the U.S. Embassies in Greece and Nicaragua, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, deputy assistant secretary for narcotics and law enforcement, senior adviser for counterterrorism and special coordinator for Venezuela.
- Molly Williamson, a retired Foreign Service officer who has achieved the rank of Career Minister.
She is currently a scholar with the Middle East Institute and the National Council
on U.S.-Arab Relations; a consultant and frequent guest lecturer at Johns Hopkins
University, the Defense Institute of Security Cooperation and the National Joint Staff
College; member of Georgetown University's master of foreign service oral boards;
and a director on various corporate and nonprofit boards. Williamson's past roles
include senior foreign policy adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, deputy assistant
secretary of commerce and deputy assistant secretary of defense. As a result of her
hard work and dedication, Williamson has been recognized with two Presidential Meritorious
Service Awards, the Secretary of Energy's Exceptional Service Award, the Secretary
of Commerce Performance Award, the Secretary of Defense's Service Award and 14 awards
from the U.S. Department of State.
This event is free and open to the public.
