Board

Executive Committee

Mr. John M. Duff, Jr. (Chairman)
Mr. Joseph Caracuel
Mr. Tony Culley-Foster
Ms. Candace Duncan
Ms. Edie Fraser
Mr. Patrick Gross (Co-Founder and Former Chairman)
Hon. Franklin D. Kramer (Former Chairman)
Mr. Richard J. Knop (Vice-Chairman)
Mr. Tobia Mercuro
Mr. Robert Pence
Mr. Thomas J. Reckford (Vice-Chairman)
Heidi Shoup, President (ex officio)

 

John M. Duff, Jr. (Chairman)

Before co-founding Duff Ackerman Goodrich and DAG Ventures, Mr. Duff spent nine years with Bechtel Investments where he served initially as Chief Counsel and then as Managing Principal responsible for private equity investments. Previously, Mr. Duff was Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President of the Export Import Bank where in the latter capacity he was responsible for overseeing the Bank's lending activities. He also was formerly a partner in the law firm of Reed Smith headquartered in Pittsburgh. Mr. Duff holds a BA from Princeton University and an LLB from Yale Law School.

Marc Albert

Marc Albert is a partner with Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP and his practice includes a mix of work, primarily in the bankruptcy area. Not only has he been a trustee in Bankruptcy for the District of Columbia for over 25 years, but he also handles a multitude of substantial asset bankruptcy cases from the U.S. Trustee's Office. Marc serves as a Chapter 11 trustee or examiner and represents Chapter 11 debtors-in-possession in bankruptcy, mainly centering on real estate owners and developer clients. Marc also serves as counsel in a variety of bankruptcy and non bankruptcy matters, including representing numerous taxpayers who have tax problems with the Internal Revenue Service or state tax authorities. Prior to joining Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, Marc was litigation counsel with the Tax Division of the Department of Justice. With three other attorneys, Marc and colleagues started a boutique bankruptcy law firm that grew to become one of the leading bankruptcy firms in Northern Virginia. Marc maintains an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Best Lawyers in America for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law.  Marc is the chairman of the firm's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Division.

The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch

The Honorable Julia Chang Bloch is President of the US-China Education Trust and became the first Asian American to hold the rank of U.S. Ambassador in 1989. Before this, The Honorable Bloch earned her BA in Communications and Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley in 1964, and an MA in Government and East Asia Regional Studies from Harvard University in 1967. In 1971 she served as a staffer for the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs and continued on to serve in several other civil service positions before being appointed as the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Nepal from 1989 to 1993. Following this, Ambassador Bloch worked for the Bank of America as the Group Executive Vice President from 1993 until 1996 during which time she was credited with the establishment and management of the Corporate Relations Department. However, from 1996 to 1998 she moved on to become the President and CEO of the US-Japan Foundation.

Roel Campos (International Affairs Committee Vice-Chair)

The Honorable Roel Campos is partner at Locke, Lord Bissell & Liddell.  Prior to joining the firm he was partner in charge of Cooley Godward Kronish's Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Campos was a Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2002-2007. He has participated in the crafting and adoption of all of the SEC's major regulatory initiatives, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Prior to being nominated to the Commission, Mr. Campos was a principal owner-executive of El Dorado Communications, a radio broadcasting company. After attending Harvard Law School, he worked in Los Angeles for major law firms as a corporate transactions/securities lawyer and litigator. Mr. Campos served as a federal prosecutor for five years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and has been recognized as one of the top Latino leaders in America. He is a founding member of the New America Alliance, a Latino initiative for raising awareness of investment opportunities in the Latino sector. Mr. Campos earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1979, his M.B.A. from UCLA in 1972, and in 1971 earned his B.S. from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Joseph Caracuel (Membership Committee Chair)

Joseph Caracuel is the Senior Vice President of the International Government Division of Bank of America. He is responsible for providing global treasury management and international banking services to multilateral organizations, international governments and international corporations. Mr. Caracuel has been working with Bank of America for 17 years and has been active with environmental and community development initiatives within the Bank. Mr. Caracuel is a guest speaker for The George Washington University's M.B.A. program and works with the International Programs from Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Mr. Caracuel received a Bachelors of Business Administration degree with an IB concentration from The George Washington University, a Graduate Certificate in International Finance from Georgetown University and a MBA from The George Washington University's School of Business and Public Management.

The Honorable William Courtney (International Affairs Committee Chair)

Ambassador William Courtney, an executive with Computer Sciences Corporation, is a retired American diplomat.  He served as Ambassador to Kazakhstan from 1992-1995, where he led negotiations to eliminate strategic nuclear weapons, and Ambassador to Georgia from 1995-1997.  Afterward he was Senior Director of the National Security Council staff for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, and he helped manage the integration of foreign affairs agencies.  Earlier he served as co-chair of the US delegation on safety, security and dismantlement of nuclear weapons, commissioner to the Bilateral Consultative Commission which implements the Threshold Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, deputy negotiator in the Defense and Space Talks in Geneva, NSC deputy executive secretary, special assistant to the Under Secretary of State for political affairs, and an officer at the American Embassies in Moscow and Brasilia. He was an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a member of the Council and of the American Academy of Diplomacy.  He earned a BA in economics in 1966 from West Virginia University and a PhD in economics in 1980 from Brown University.

Tony Culley-Foster (Global Communications Committee Chair)

Tony Culley-Foster brings 35 years of extensive top-level, international business, trade, strategic communications, entrepreneurship, marketing, sales and lobbying expertise, as well as a "can do" enthusiasm to his business activities. After immigrating from Ireland to the United States, Culley-Foster worked as Personal Assistant to W. Clement Stone. In November 1985, Culley-Foster established CFCO International, an international business consultancy specializing in business management, government relations, corporate communications, and support services to the senior management of European & Asian companies who seek to enter the American market. CFCO also works with the World Bank, IMF, IFC, USAID, and regional international finance institutions on international private public partnership, political risk guarantees & financing . Culley-Foster is profiled in Who's Who in the World; a Visiting Professor in Communications, University of Ulster & the recipient of numerous American & international commendations for voluntary leadership, corporate social responsibility & contributions to peace in Northern Ireland.

The Honorable Diana Lady Dougan

The Honorable Diana Lady Dougan has been a Director at Qualcomm Inc. since December 1998. Ambassador Dougan is Chairwoman of the Cyber Century Forum and Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Honorable Dougan has served in senior policy and management positions for more than three decades, including appointments by both Republican and Democratic presidents in senate-confirmed positions. From 1982 to 1988, as the first statutory U.S. coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, The Honorable Dougan spearheaded international negotiations and policies involving telecom, broadcast, and information technology services on behalf of 14 federal agencies, served as Assistant Secretary of State and currently holds the permanent rank of ambassador. Early in her career, The Honorable Dougan was the first CATV marketing director for Time, Inc. and an award-winning TV producer. In addition to earning undergraduate degrees in industrial psychology and English from the University of Maryland, her studies also include economics at the University of Utah and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

Candace H. Duncan (Finance/Audit Commitee Chair)

Candace “Candy” H. Duncan is Washington Metropolitan Area Managing Partner for KPMG, leading the firm’s quality growth priorities across its Audit, Tax, and Advisory functions. With more than 30 years of professional auditing experience, she serves on the firm’s board of directors and is chair of the Partnership & Employer of Choice Committee.  She has previously served on the firm’s Operations Committee and National Leadership Team for the Audit practice, as well as serving as managing partner and Audit partner for the Mid-Atlantic Area and the Virginia Business Unit, respectively.
Candy has served as lead Audit partner for major international and domestic companies and currently serves as account executive for many of the firm’s leading clients. Her extensive experience has been gained through assisting her clients to resolve all types of accounting and operational issues. She has assisted a number of clients in registering their initial public offerings, secondary offerings, and bond offerings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She has also helped publicly and privately held clients seize timely opportunities, including mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and consolidations.

A. Edward Elmendorf (Global Education Committee Vice-Chair)

A. Edward Elmendorf is President of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and on the Advisory Council of the Textile Museum in Washington DC. Mr. Elmendorf joined the United States Foreign in 1963 and left in 1970 to join the World Bank, where he stayed for 30 years. Mr. Elmendorf worked on policy planning, loan programming and negotiation with North African countries, personnel management, country assistance strategy, lending, and macroeconomic policy in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan, and the Indian Ocean countries and became one of the founders of the World Bank Group Staff Association. He has worked and written on health strategy and policy in Africa. He was co-author of the book Better Health in Africa. Since retiring from the World Bank, he has taught at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and School of Public Health, and worked as consultant for several distinguished organizations such as the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Program. Elmendorf received his Masters in Economics from George Washington University.

Edie Fraser (Development Committee Chair)

Prior to joining Diversified, Mrs. Fraser was Founder and CEO of Diversity Best Practices (DBP). She was publisher of the CEO Magazine, The Diversity Primer and The Diversity Officer. Mrs. Fraser is also the founder of the Business Women's Network (BWN) and Best Practices in Corporate Communications (BPCC), and is former President of a PR agency, where she won the highest award possible in the field or communications, the Silver Anvil, for a specialized international campaign on US and Japan communications and trade promotion. She has won 38 major awards in Diversity and Women's Leadership. Mrs. Fraser sits on numerous boards and advisory boards which include: World Affairs Council of Washington; National board of SCORE; Enterprising Women Magazine. She was of the first women in the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame and is on the Advisory Board of Center for Citizen Diplomacy and the newly inducted Harvard Center for Public Diplomacy; board of LATINAStyle and the Ana Maria Arias. Mrs. Fraser started her career as a Desk Officer for Malawi at the Peace Corps.

Maryscott "Scotty" Greenwood

Maryscott "Scotty" Greenwood serves in McKenna Long & Aldridge's Washington, DC office as a senior managing director on the International Trade and Public Affairs Teams. Ms. Greenwood also serves as President of Strategic Management, LLC, the firm's consulting subsidiary and on the Board of the Directors of the MLA Foundation. She was recognized by The Hill Times in its listing of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Government and Politics in 2010.”  In addition to her other public policy portfolios, Ms. Greenwood is the Executive Director of the Canadian-American Business Council and a frequent commentator on US/Canadian relations. She serves on the International Advisory Board of the Institute for United States Policy Studies of the University of Alberta and was a member of the Credentials Committee of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  Before her current position, Scotty was appointed by President Clinton to serve as Chief of Staff of the United States Embassy in Canada. During her four-year diplomatic posting, she received the U.S. Department of State Meritorious Honor Award for her innovation of an outreach program to governors to foster cooperation on US/Canada issues.  

G. Christopher Griner

G. Christopher Griner is the Chair of the National Security/CFIUS Practice Group and Managing Partner of Kaye Scholer’s Washington, DC office. He is a recognized leader in the field of national security and played a key role in the development of the Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (“FOCI”) mitigation arrangements used by the federal government today. He has been named a leading lawyer by both Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, as “one of the most recognized names in the area of security clearance,” “level-headed and practical” and a “go-to lawyer to get deals done.” Mr. Griner is often quoted in prominent publications including, American Law Daily, The Daily Deal, and The Financial Times. Mr. Griner counsels and represents foreign and domestic clients regarding international transactions involving national security and other national security approval issues. He has significant experience representing clients before the intelligence community and the departments of Defense, Energy, and State in relation to industrial security and export compliance regulations, and in Exon-Florio reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). Mr. Griner counsels clients on proposed acquisitions, and mitigation arrangements for foreign-owned defense and national security contractors. He has represented numerous foreign and domestic companies in corporate reorganizations, acquisitions and joint ventures that impact national security, or that otherwise involve sensitive technologies or classified activities. Prior to joining Kaye Scholer, Mr. Griner served as attorney advisor, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Defense.

Patrick Gross (Co-Founder and Former Chairman, Global Education Gala Committee Chair)

Patrick Gross is Chairman of The Lovell Group, a business and technology advisory and investment firm. Previously, he spent three decades as principal executive officer of American Management Systems, Inc. He founded AMS in 190 with four colleagues from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and built it to a $ 1 billion company with 8,000 professionals throughout North America and Europe. He is currently a director of three NYSE companies: Capital One Financial Corporation, Waste Management, Inc, and Rosetta Stone and three NASDAQ companies: Career Education Corporation, Taleo Corporation, and Liquidity Services, Inc. He is also an investor and director of numerous private, venture funded technology based firms. His other leadership positions include Trustee and Cochairman of the Policy and Impact Committee of the Committee for Economic Development, Trustee of the Aspen Institute, Director of the Jamestown Foundation and the Foreign Policy Association. He is a Trustee of the Federal City Council and a Director of DC Preparatory Academy, a charter school system. He is an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Washington Institute for Foreign Affairs, and the Economic Club of Washington DC.

Beverly Kirk

Beverly Kirk is CEO of Bevkirk International, LLC, a media consulting and professional services company. Previously, she anchored Live Tonight, Federal News Tonight, and the Latenight Report for NewsChannel 8. Prior to joining NewsChannel 8, Beverly anchored hourly newsbriefs produced by National Public Radio for PBS stations around the country. She also spent six years as a correspondent for NBC News Channel, the affiliate division of NBC News, covering national stories including September 11th and the War on Terrorism, the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2000 Presidential Election, the Clinton Impeachment, and other breaking news events for all NBC stations. In addition, she contributed occasional feature stories to the Weekend Edition of the NBC Nightly News. Before joining NBC in 1997, Kirk served as an anchor and local government reporter for WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, where she also produced and hosted the station's monthly minority public affairs program. Kirk began her television news career at WBKO-TV in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She holds a Master of Arts degree in International Politics from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky. She also is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Western Kentucky University with degrees in History and Broadcasting.

The Honorable Franklin D. Kramer (Former Chairman, Global Advisory Council Chair)

The Honorable Franklin D. Kramer is a national security and international affairs expert, and has multiple appointments, including as chairman of the board of the World Affairs Council. Mr. Kramer has been a senior political appointee in two administrations, including as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs for President Clinton, Secretary Perry and Secretary Cohen; and, previously, as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. In the non-profit world, in addition to being WAC-DC chairman, he is a Distinguished Fellow at CNA which operates the Center for Naval Analysis and the Institute for Public Research, is a Vice Chairman of the Atlantic Council board of directors and a member of the Strategic Advisors Group; is a Capstone Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, and has been a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy of the National Defense University. In the private sector, Mr. Kramer is a director and consultant and has been a partner at the law firm of Shea and Gardner. Among his current activities, Mr. Kramer is the principal editor and has written several chapters for the book "Cyberpower and National Security," is the principal editor and chapter author of the book "Civil Power in Irregular Conflict," and is the co-author and was co-project director of "Transatlantic Cooperation for Sustainable Energy Security." At George Washington University, he teaches a course on "The Department of Defense and Winning Modern War." He has written numerous articles on international affairs, including "Cyber Security: An Integrated Governmental Strategy for Progress," "NATO Initiatives in an Era of Global Competition," and "Recasting the Euro-Atlantic Partnership." Mr. Kramer received a JD magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and a BA cum laude from Yale University.

J. Richard Knop (Vice-Chairman)

Mr. Knop is a Managing Member at FedCap Partners LLC. Mr. Knop co-founded Windsor Group, LLC in 1992, which was later acquired by BB&T Capital Markets in January 2005. With over twenty years of investment banking experience, Mr. Knop has closed more than 100 defense and government contractor mergers in the past twenty years. In 2004, Mr. Knop was selected as the recipient of both the Greater Washington Technology's Financier of the Year and the Association for Corporate Growth's Dealmaker of the Year awards. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from the George Washington University and was named Technology Executive of the Year by the Boy Scouts of America. He is the former President for the National Capital Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and a member of the George Washington University's Law School Board of Advisors. He holds a Juris Doctorate with honors from The George Washington University Law School.

Theresa Loar

Theresa Loar is Senior Vice President, International Programs for CH2M HILL a Fortune 500 global engineering and infrastructure firm.  She joined CH2M HILL in 2005 and represents the firm’s international business interests to government officials, clients, stakeholders, and industry partners in Washington, DC and in countries around the world. Ms. Loar has a particular focus on CH2M HILL’s sustainability practice at the nexus of water, energy and the environment. She works with clients on the political and economic issues related to the development of future energy and water resources. 
 
Ms. Loar has more than 25 years of international experience in the public and private sectors. During the Clinton Administration, she worked at the highest levels of the U.S. government to promote and protect women’s human rights, including executive level positions in the White House and the U.S. Department of State. Ms. Loar was a co- founder and founding president of the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an organization which invests in emerging women leaders working for progress in countries around the world.   

During her tenure as a Foreign Service Officer, Ms. Loar served overseas on diplomatic assignments to Mexico and South Korea and in Washington as special assistant to the Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs handling refugees, counterterrorism and counternarcotics.

Prior to her diplomatic career, Ms. Loar was an entrepreneur and advertising executive in New York City, working on such award-winning campaigns as “Where’s the Beef?” for Wendy’s International. Ms. Loar is an Adjunct Professor at the Women & Politics Institute of American University in Washington, DC and a member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group and the World Affairs Council - Washington, DC.  She serves on the Advisory Board of the Northern Ireland Bureau and the Tahirih Justice Center. She is a graduate of Rutgers College in New Jersey and lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and grown sons.

Ado A. Machida

Ado Machida is Vice President, Government Relations, BAE Systems, Inc. Prior to joining BAE Systems, Ado was President and Founding Principal at The Kaizen Strategy Group, LLC. He previously worked as the principal Partner in charge of Administration and Executive Branch representation at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, in Washington, D.C. Starting in 2002, he spent two years at The White House as Deputy Assistant to Vice President Cheney for Domestic Policy and as the Acting Director of the Office of Domestic Policy, Office of the Vice President. He was also the principal liaison for the White House and the President's Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. Mr. Machida has remained active in Republican politics, having also served as Economic Policy Advisor to the 1996 presidential campaign of Sen. Bob Dole, and as an Assistant to the Senate Republican Leader under Sen. Dole from 1992 to 1995, specializing in taxation, banking and finance issues. He was a senior policy advisor to Senator Fred D. Thompson for the 2008 Presidential Campaign. Previously, he was the General Manager in charge of corporate and strategic planning for the Larson Company in Arizona and an investment banker in the New York and Tokyo Offices of Goldman, Sachs & Co. specializing in cross-border transactions. Mr. Machida received his LL.B. from Kyoto University in Japan in 1986, attended Harvard Business School from 1989 to 1990, and received his LL.M. in taxation from the New York University School of Law in 1997.

Michael Maibach

Michael C. Maibach is President & CEO of the European-American Business Council.  He was the 1st American elected under 21 years of age when he was elected to the Dekalb County Board in his native state of Illinois. Mr. Maibach was active in various political roles while completing his BS & MA degrees in Political Science from Northern Illinois University. Early in his career he was instrumental in forming the Governmental Affairs Office at Caterpillar Tractor Co, and he earned a BS in American and Latin American History at California State University during his time there. In the early 80’s, Mr. Maibach moved to the Intel Corporation to establish their Government Affairs Department and served as an assistant to and Intel Co-Founder.  Named as Vice President in 1996 he was an industry leader in the attainment of the US Semiconductor Chip Protection Act, the R&D Tax Credit, and the US-Japan Semiconductor Agreement. He opened Intel Government Affairs Offices in Washington, Brussels and Beijing, and grew that department to 90 professionals.  He is the only Intel employee to receive 3 Intel Individual Achievement Awards. Mr. Maibach came to be a leading spokesman for America’s ICT industry on trade and technology policy. He has served on several boards including, Boards of the Peoria Jaycees, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Electronics Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, and the RFID Technology Council.

Tobia Mercuro (Global Education Committee Chair)

Tobia Mercuro is a former entrepreneur/CEO who recently sold his construction materials mining and manufacturing company. During his business career, he served in leadership roles in many civic, political and industry organizations, managed several political campaigns, and created an industry lobbying coalition on an environmental issue. He is currently on the Boards of the Meridian International Center, World Affairs Council,DC, and the United Nations Association,DC where he Co-chairs a UN Strengthening and Reform Committee, and on the Advisory Council for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Kennedy Center's International Committee and its Washington Committee on the Arts. He is a Director of Riverton Properties Management, and a past Trustee of the Corcoran Museum of Art & College of Art+Design.

Richard P. Merski

Richard Merski is Senior Vice President and Head of Federal Affairs of Zurich Financial Services Group, where he counsels Zurich's senior management on executive and legislative branch developments. Prior to joining Zurich, Mr. Merski worked with American International Group as Vice President and Counsel in their Washington office and served as Legislative Director and Counsel to Congressman Richard T. Schulze (R-PA). Mr. Merski holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, a Master's in International Relations from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University with Bachelor's degrees in Economics and Political Science. He is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia; Commonwealth of Virginia; District of Columbia Court of Appeals; U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit; U.S. District Court, District of Columbia; and U.S. Court of International Trade. Mr. Merski is a past-Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council. He also served on the Board of the Congressional Economic Leadership Institute and is a Senior Advisor to the United States-Asia Foundation.

Gueta Mezzetti

Gueta Mezzetti is an energy security and technology applications strategist who has specialized in bringing energy, environment and space technologies to markets, and team building, for 27 years for the private sector, DOD, DOE, NASA, and Congress. She is a member of the Energy Grid Security Executive Council in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD-HD) and the Senior Strategic Advisor for Energy Security to the Army Chief of Staff (G357.) Ms. Mezzetti also advises the Navy and various other organizations on electric grid security and electricity islanding projects in Hawaii and other states. She is a Consultant to the Chairman of the Defense Science Board in OSD where she advises former Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Energy James Schlesinger on matters of DOD’s electricity reliability. Ms. Mezzetti also Co-Chairs the Policy Panel on the Defense Science Board Energy Security Task Force, with focus on DOD’s electricity and grid related vulnerabilities. Prior to that she was Counselor on Energy to the U.S. Air Force/ILE, representing all of the military Services in negotiations on energy legislation, and was Program Manager for the Department of Defense Renewable Energy Plan which assessed and initiated the development of renewable energy on military lands and developed procurement methods for purchasing renewable energy at DOD. For this work, Ms. Mezzetti received the 2004 Presidential Award for Leadership in Federal Energy Management.

Sol H. Pelavin (Development Committee Vice-Chair)

Sol H. Pelavin is the Chief Executive Office, President, and former Director of American Institutes for Research (AIR). Mr. Pelavin initially joined AIR in 1994, serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In 1982 he founded Pelavin Associates, Inc., where he served as President and CEO while building one of the nations's leading education-related research firms. From 1978-1982, Mr. Pelavin served as an Executive Officer and Vice President for Social Science Research as the NTS Research Corporation where he oversaw all research activities and directed numerous projects, including the Education Policy Development Center. From 1973-1974 he served as a senior research analyst at the Rand Corporation before conducting studies of federal education policies at SRI International from 1974-1978. Mr. Pelavin has been honored as a Cuneo Fellow at Stanford University and as a National Science Foundation Fellow at the University of Chicago. He is a member of The American Association for the Advancement of Science, The American Educational Research Association, The American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. Mr. Pelavin earned a BA in mathematics and an MA in teaching from the University of Chicago, and an MS in statistics and PhD in mathematical methods of education from Stanford.

Robert F. Pence

Robert Frank Pence, a lifelong resident of the Washington D.C. area, has developed, through Pence-Friedel Developers, Inc., thirty-five shopping centers totaling over 5,800,000 square feet of retail space. Mr. Pence is a principal owner of the Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly, VA and Grand Duke Hotels, the operator of multiple hotels in the Washington metropolitan area. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he earned J.D. and M.A. degrees (Renaissance Literature and Art) from American University and a M.Phil. (Italian) from Yale University where he is completing his Ph.D. dissertation. He has taught at both Yale and Georgetown. A past member of the boards of American University, McLean Youth, and the Langley School, his current memberships include the District of Columbia Bar, Congressional Country Club, the Yale University Capital Campaign, the Wolf Trap Foundation. Appointed by President George W. Bush to the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts, Mr. Pence and his wife Suzy are members of the International Committee of the Kennedy Center. Bob and Suzy have funded study in Italy for over 50 college students. They endowed the naming gift of American University's law library and received American University President's Award in 2007. They are proud sponsors of the 2005 USO Christmas dinner and Beach Boys Concert at WRAMC, the 2006 Beach Boys Thanksgiving concert at Ramstein AFB, Germany, and the 2007 Beach Boys and 2007/2008 Gary Sinise/Lt. Dan Band WRAMC concerts. The Pences have three sons, Stephen, Geoffrey and Brian with whom they have created a scholarship at Virginia Tech to benefit the children of police officers, firefighters and members of armed forces who have been killed in the line of duty.

Thomas J. Reckford (Vice-Chairman)

Thomas J. Reckford is Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council - Washington, D.C. and a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is also the regional director for East Asia at the National Leadership Forum on Global Challenges. Mr. Reckford has been a senior international analyst with the Eaton Corporation, a vice president of InterMatrix Incorporated, a senior advisor to the Government Research Corporation, and an expert consultant to the Department of Commerce. Before entering business, Mr. Reckford served in the Office of National Estimates at the Central Intelligence Agency, in the Commission on the Organization of the Government for the Conduct of Foreign Policy, and in U.S. Army Intelligence in France and Germany. A Harvard graduate (magna cum laude in history), Mr. Reckford has taught political risk analysis at Georgetown University. A former director of the Council on International Business Risk Management, he currently serves on the advisory committee of the Asia Society's Washington Center. He is co-author of Building ASEAN: 20 Years of Southeast Asian Cooperation (Praeger, 1987).

Raymond S. Sczudlo (Nominations and Governance Committee Chair)

Raymond S. Sczudlo is Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Children's National Medical Center. Prior to joining Children's National Medical Center, Mr. Sczudlo was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of EYECAST Corporation from 2000-2001. In addition, Mr. Sczudlo was a partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Mr. Sczudlo was also an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Law Center from 1991-2000, where he taught banking and finance. He has authored numerous articles on banking, technology, investment, capital markets, regulatory and policy issues, and has been a frequent lecturer on such topics. Mr. Sczudlo is a member of the Federal City Council, the Economic Club of Washington, DC, the District of Columbia Bar, the American Health Lawyers Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel, and the Corporate Counsel Institute Advisory Board of the Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit.

Nigel Sutton

Nigel Sutton spent over 23 years in the US Navy before serving as Director/Staff Executive to the CEO of the Raytheon Company. Sutton is involved in the aircraft survivability technical committee at the American Institute of Aerospace and Aeronautics (AIAA), a senior member of the Society of Flight Tests Engineers (SFTE), and a member of the board of directors for the Precision Strike Association (PSA). In addition, he is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Business Executives for National Security Forum, the Baltimore Council of Foreign Relations and the Foreign Policy Association. He holds an M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from US Naval Postgraduate School, an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Aviation Systems from University of Tennessee, a B.S. in Computer Science from Park College, and a Flight Test Certification from the United States Navy test Pilot School

Dr. Hillary Thomas-Lake

Dr. Hillary Thomas-Lake is the Managing Director and co-founder of the international development consulting firm LTL Strategies. She is an Africa and conflict management specialist who speaks 8 languages, including French, Spanish, and Portuguese. She has also lectured on US foreign policy, African affairs, and conflict management at universities in the US and abroad. Previously, Thomas-Lake worked at the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs as an Assistant Coordinator for Democracy, Human Rights, and Special Projects. At the Africa-America Institute, she was the Senior Program Coordinator for the emerging democracies electoral assistance program, known as the Africa Regional Electoral Assistance Fund.
Thomas-Lake holds a BSFS from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, a Master's in International Public Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, and is a PhD candidate in International Relations focusing on Conflict Management/African Studies at SAIS.

John M. Ward

John M. Ward is vice president – Corporate Strategy and Business Development Plans and Operations of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. . He has the responsibility for resourcing and coordinating the offices and activities of the Corporation’s world-wide business development activities and subsidiaries. He is also responsible for policy development, training and adherence to the corporation’s Capturing New Business process. From 2003 to 2010, Mr. Ward was vice president for International Business Development for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.  In that role, he had responsibility for finding, qualifying and developing international new business for the Missiles and Fire Control division, totaling $2 billion annually. Prior to joining the Lockheed Martin in 1997, , Mr. Ward had a distinguished 28-year career in the United States Army, serving in numerous command and staff positions in the United States and abroad, including  Commander, 2d Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and as Commander, Aviation Brigade 1st Infantry Division. Mr. Ward also served at Headquarters, Department of the Army, and on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Mr. Ward’s military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star. Mr. Ward is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and the National Defense University. He holds a B.A. in History from Auburn University and an MSBA from Boston University.

Mary Webster

Mary Webster is an attorney in the Washington DC office of Winston & Strawn. She concentrates her practice in international arbitration and litigation, representing Latin American and Middle Eastern sovereign nations in investor-state arbitration. Prior to attending law school, she worked for the NGO, Child Family Health International, which places health science students on global health education programs around the world. She also led high school students on a summer volunteer and travel program to Mexico through the Experiment in International Living. Ms. Webster earned both her LL.M. in Law, Development and Governance from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 2008. She also holds a B.A. in History and Latin American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Honorable Togo D. West, Jr.

Togo D. West, Jr. served under President Gerald R. Ford as Associate Deputy Attorney General in the U. S. Department of Justice. In the Administration of President Jimmy Carter, he was General Counsel of the Navy, later, the Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, and, thereafter, General Counsel of the Department of Defense. He served in President Clinton's Administration as Secretary of the Army. In the second Clinton Administration he was Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a member of President Clinton's Cabinet from 1998 to 2000. He served on active military duty in the Army's Judge Advocate General Corps and for his service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal, and for his public service, he has received decorations for distinguished service from the Departments of Defense, Army, Air Force, Navy, and Veterans Affairs. Secretary West is the Chair-elect of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Washington Hospital Center. He is an Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm, he has been named Distinguished Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award for his national contributions to America's youth. Currently, he is the President of the National Capital Area Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.

Howard Woolley

Howard Woolley is Senior Vice President of Public Policy for Verizon Wireless. Woolley develops and manages company strategy and initiatives in the Congress, Executive Branch, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and state governments. Previously, he served as Vice President of Wireless and International Relations for Bell Atlantic Corporation and was a member of the State Department Communications and Information Policy Advisory Committee. Prior to joining Bell Atlantic, Woolley was vice president of Regulatory Affairs at the National Association of Broadcasters, where he directed association initiatives at the FCC. He holds a BA in TV and Radio from Syracuse University and a MA in management from Johns Hopkins University.

The Honorable R. James Woolsey

The Honorable R. James Woolsey joined Booz Allen Hamilton's McLean, Virginia, office in 2002 as a Vice President working with the firm's Global Resilience clients and currently holds positions on a vast number of related committees and boards. In 2003, Consulting Magazine named Mr. Woolsey to its list of Top 25 Consultants in the United States. He was previously a partner at the law firm of Shea & Gardner in Washington, DC, where he practiced for 22 years in the fields of civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution. During his 12 years of government service, Mr. Woolsey was Director of Central Intelligence from 1993 to 1995; Ambassador to the Negotiation on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), Vienna, from 1989 to 1991; Under Secretary of the Navy from 1977 to 1979; and General Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services from 1970 to 1973. Mr. Woolsey received his B.A. degree from Stanford University (1963, With Great Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa), an M.A. from Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar 1963–1965), and an LL.B from Yale Law School (1968, Managing Editor of the Yale Law Journal).