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. She boasts an extensive career in international affairs including positions as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malaysia as well as the US Agency for International Development as Assistant Administrator for Food for Peace and Voluntary Assistance and as Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East—positions appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. 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. Ms. Bloch also serves as the Ambassador-in-Residence at the University of Maryland-College Park Institute for Global Chinese Affairs, and the Starr Senior Fellow for US-China Relations at Peking University in Beijing and Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

The Honorable Roel Campos

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)

William Courtney is director of strategy and development for CSC, formerly Computer Sciences Corporation.  He was senior vice president for national security programs at DynCorp from 2000 until CSC acquired it in 2003.  A career foreign service officer in the US Department of State from 1972 through 1999, he co-chaired the US delegation to the review conference which prepared for the 1999 OSCE summit in Istanbul.  Earlier he was an adviser on reorganizing foreign affairs agencies, special assistant to the president for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, ambassador to Georgia, Kazakhstan, and the US-Soviet implementation commission of the threshold test ban treaty, deputy negotiator in US-Soviet defense and space talks in Geneva, and an officer at US 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 board of directors of the American Academy of Diplomacy.  He graduated from West Virginia University with a BA and Brown University with a PhD in economics.

Tony Culley-Foster (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 emigrating from Ireland to the United States, Culley-Foster worked as Personal Assistant to W. Clement Stone, Chairman and Founder of Combined Insurance Company of America, now AON Corporation. 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. He is the founding Chairman of Northern Ireland Partnership—USA and the Northern Ireland-United States Chamber of Commerce Inc., as well as the former Founding Director and Chief Executive of the Congressional Award. Culley-Foster has been involved in EU-US senior executives in business management, government relations and corporate communications on strategic matters related to international commercial priorities in North America. He 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.

Leo A. Daly III

Leo A. Daly III is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leo A. Daly & Associates, an internationally renowned architecture, planning, engineering, interior design, and program management firm. Founded in 1915, under Mr. Daly's leadership the firm has expanded its reputation and global presence by developing an international client roster and expanding its portfolio to include projects for client in an array of industries. In addition, he has enlarged the firm in the US and abroad, establishing new offices in Berlin, Madrid, Tokyo, Atlanta, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Dubai. Mr. Daly holds professional registration as an architect in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Australia, Guam, the United Kingdom, and the city of Berlin. He received his architectural degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. In 1991, he was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), and in 2010 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (FRAIA). In addition, he is a Knight of Malta and a member of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George.

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 (CSIS) as well as Co-Chair of the Governing Board of The Center for Information Infrastructure and Economic Development (CIIED) under the auspices of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). 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. She serves on a number of boards and commissions dealing with diverse aspects of public policy or technology and founded the Global Information Infrastructure Commission in cooperation with the World Bank. 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.

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.

Candace H. Duncan (Treasurer)

Candace H. Duncan is the Midatlantic Area Managing Partner - Audit, KPMG LLP. Candy provides leadership and direction to Midatlantic Business Unit partners in charge, office managing partners, and audit partners. In addition, Candy is the partner in charge of the Virginia Business Unit Audit practice, overseeing the unit's operations of the Virginia Business Unit. Candy has spent more than 30 years as an audit professional with KPMG. Her extensive experience includes serving clients within the consumer and industrial products arena, including manufacturing, retailing, and distribution. Candy is a member of the AICPA and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. She holds a BS degree in accounting from Kansas State University. She works to advance mentoring relationships within the firm and is a strong supporter of KPMG's Network of Women.

A. Edward Elmendorf

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 (Vice-Chairman, Development Committee Chair)

Edie Fraser is the CEO of STEMconnector Senior Consultant to Diversified Search Odgers Berndtson (DSOB). 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.

John D. Greenwald

John D. Greenwald is a Partner at CLK Cassidy Levy Kent, and has a general international practice, with particular emphasis on international trade matters, including antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. He represents clients in matters arising under trade laws of the United States, the European Union and other foreign jurisdictions. In a survey of in-house counsel and practitioners, Mr. Greenwald was voted one of the top five trade lawyers in Washington. Early in his legal career Mr. Greenwald became an attorney in the Office of Special Representative for Trade Negotiations and was Deputy General Counsel when the office became the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTRA). After the Tokyo Round concluded, he became the first head of the Import Administration of the Department of Commerce, where he was responsible for the administration of the US antidumping and countervailing duty laws. Mr. Greenwald earned a JD from Columbia Law School and a BA from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to law school, Mr. Greenwald observed two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

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 LLP’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 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.

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.

Dr. Steven Knapp

Dr. Steven Knapp became the sixteenth president of the George Washington University in August 2007. His priorities include enhancing the university's partnerships with neighboring institutions, expanding the scope of its research, strengthening its worldwide community of alumni, enlarging its students' opportunities for public service, and leading its transformation into a model of urban sustainability. A proponent of fostering close community ties, Dr. Knapp serves on the board of directors of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Washington Urban League, the board of trustees of the Washington National Cathedral Foundation and Al Akhawayan University in Ifrane, Morocco, and the senior advisory board of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. He is a member of the executive committee of the Council on Competitiveness, the education committee of the Federal City Council, and the higher education working group on global issues of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a member of the Economic Club of Washington. A specialist in Romanticism, literary theory, and the relation of literature to philosophy and religion, Dr. Knapp taught English literature at the University of California, Berkeley before serving as dean of arts and sciences and then provost of the Johns Hopkins University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Modern Language Association. He earned his PhD and Master’s degrees from Cornell University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University.

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.

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.   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.  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.

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.

Thomas J. Reckford (Vice-Chairman)

Thomas J. Reckford is Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council - Washington, D.C., President of the Malaysia-America Society, 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 (Audit and Governance Committee)

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.

Mei Xu

Mei Xu is the creator and Chief Executive Officer of Blissliving Home, and Co-Founder and President of Chesapeake Bay Candle.  A visionary for modern living with global inspirations,   Ms. Xu has developed Blissliving Home to become a premium interior lifestyle brand. In addition to fulfilling her business functions, Mei is actively involved in supporting numerous social causes. Her passion and training in diplomacy has led her to work with the U.S. State Department on initiatives such as the Partnership for Global Development program and the Diplomats, Leaders and the Next Generation of Women Leaders project. Mei is also a member of the US-China Business Council, the Young Presidents Organization, C200 (an invitation-only membership organization of the world’s most successful women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders), and the Society of Fellows at the Aspen Institute. Mei’s entrepreneurial achievements have repeatedly been recognized by prominent organizations.  Ms. Xu is the recipient of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from the Asian Women in Business organization, and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism Distinguished Alumnus Award from her alma mater, the University of Maryland.