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Letter from the President
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Dear Council Colleagues, Friends, and Supporters:
The World Affairs Councils of America’s National Board met last weekend and marked the beginning of a smooth leadership transition. We celebrated the accomplishments of Amb. Paula J. Dobriansky as WACA Chair and warmly welcomed Amb. Roman Popadiuk, who was announced as her successor a week ago.
I am pleased to introduce to you the FY2016 Executive Committee of the WACA National Board:
Ambassador Roman Popadiuk, Chair
Dixie Anderson, Vice Chair (Executive Director, WAC of Western Michigan)
Alex Lari, Vice Chair (Chairman, The Claremont Group)
Nigel Sutton, Treasurer (VP, Unmanned Air Systems International Business, AeroVironment, Inc.)
Richard Crepage, Secretary (Treasurer, WAC of Northwest Ohio)
Bill Clifford, President and CEO (Ex officio)
Neal Goins, At-Large (Director, International Government Relations, Exxon Mobil)
Noel Lateef, At-Large (President, Foreign Policy Association)
Sam Johnson, At-Large (Chairman and CEO, Johnson + Sterling)
Nancy Hamlin, Governance Committee Chair (Board Member, WAC Rochester, NY)
Martha Jones, Development Committee Chair (Co-owner, The Holmes Organisation Private Client Group)
It is a great privilege to work with these dedicated leaders, and indeed all the members of our talented, diverse, and engaged National Board.
The Board approved our FY2016-2018 Strategic Plan, the three main priorities of which are to strengthen WACA support and services to the Council network; to enhance the capacity of the National Office; and improve our engagement with the public and the media.
Vice Chair Dixie Anderson, who heads the new Membership Task Force, opened a vibrant discussion about the development of policies and procedures for admitting new member Councils. WACA has 95 member Councils, and the forthcoming approach to new members will take into account the strategic plan.
We applauded Board member Carlos Alvarez and his wife, Malu, for their unprecedented support of our Academic WorldQuest Endowment Fund. Our goal is $1 Million by next April’s AWQ National Competition – we are more than 60% of the way. Please donate here!
Last but not least, we have many volunteers to help with the 2015 WACA National Conference – save the dates: November 11-13. More details coming very soon!!
Yours,
 Bill Clifford
President and CEO
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June Cover to Cover
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WACA’s Cover to Cover Author Series features historian Walter Laqueur on his new book, Putinism: Russia and Its Future with the West. The call will be held Thursday, June 18, at 2:00 PM ET. Jackie Miller, President and CEO of WAC Seattle, will moderate the call.
 Author Walter Laqueur analyzes the mounting tensions between Putin and Western leaders, arguing that America’s tendency to see Russia as a Cold War relic is dangerous and premature. As the forced annexation of Crimea has demonstrated, Russia can and will challenge the West and it is in our best interest to figure out exactly who it is we are facing–and what they want–before it is too late.
 Walter Laqueur directed the Institute of Contemporary History in London for 30 years. Concurrently, he served as chairman of the International Research Council of CSIS in Washington, DC. He was also a professor at Georgetown University and has authored more than 25 books, including After the Fall and The Last Days of Europe.
Save the Dates
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1918 Society Conference Call
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The World Affairs Councils of America will host a 1918 Society Members Conference Call with Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Co-Chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition (CASEnergy Coalition), and former Governor of New Jersey and EPA Administrator, on Wednesday, June 24, at 3:30 PM ET. Ambassador Roman Popadiuk, WACA Chair-Elect, will moderate the call.
 Gov. Christine Todd Whitman served as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Jan. 2001-June 2003). She was the 50th Governor of the State of New Jersey, serving as its first woman governor (1994-2001). Gov. Whitman serves a number of non-profit organizations: she heads the Trustees’ Executive Committee of the Eisenhower Fellowships; co-chairs CASEnergy with Amb. Ron Kirk, and chairs the American Security Project. She serves on the boards of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Center for Sustainable Shale Development. Full Bio1918 Society Members, you are welcome to invite up to three guests to participate on the call. RSVP by replying to this email or write to Ian Byrne at [email protected] with you and your guests’ names.
Interested in joining the 1918 Society? Please contact Ian Byrne at 202-833-4557 or visit our website.
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Naples CWA Scholar Nominated for Peace Prize
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 Joel Davis, an alumnus of Port Charlotte High in Naples, FL and its Model UN Program, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Joel credits his experience in Model UN as providing the direction to form the group Youth to End Sexual Violence. In 2013, Joel was awarded the George Gotschall Memorial Scholarship by the Naples Council on World Affairs for his participation in Model UN.
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WAC Jacksonville Global Think Tank Internship
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 The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville’s new Global Think Tank Summer Internship is a small, selective internship program for university students and recent graduates interested in gaining first-hand experience in nonprofit administration, project management, and international affairs. Introducing the inaugural class of WAC Jacksonville’s Global Think Tank Summer Internship:
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The Rational Middle Energy Series
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 The World Affairs Councils of America’s newest national program series in partnership with The Rational Middle Energy Series is underway. With nearly 2 million views and counting, the 22-episode documentary film series has sparked a movement based on productive conversation around the current energy challenge and what it will take to achieve a cleaner energy future. Recent coverage:
The Charlotte Observer
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Global I.Q. Minute from WAC Dalass/Fort Worth
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 World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth President Jim Falk interviews recent Council headliners Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson and The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos.
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WAC Pittsburgh President & CEO Posting
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 The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh seeks a new President and CEO who has passion for the mission, a desire to operate the Council like an entrepreneurial, creative and value adding business, and with a tempo that captures the energy of the issues which the Council brings to the community. Partnerships need to be built and monetized; the revenue base needs to expand and diversify; and, the Council needs to be positioned with a compelling value proposition that resonates with multiple audiences and contributes meaningfully to the community. Click here for the full posting. Contact: [email protected].
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| Subscribe to PRISM |
 The Center for Complex Operations at the National Defense University is pleased to offer a free subscription of their quarterly journal, PRISM, to World Affairs Councils and their members. PRISM is a security studies journal chartered by the Department of Defense to inform policymakers, allies, and academics on complex and integrated national security operations; reconstruction and state-building; and developments in training and education. Each journal features academic and policy-driven articles, book reviews, commentaries, and lessons from the field. Recent contributors include former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, former U.S. Army General and CIA Director David Petraeus, former DIA Director Michael T. Flynn, and former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James F. Dobbins.
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Taiwan Leadership Mission
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 The World Affairs Councils of America is proud to announce the Leadership Delegation to Taiwan sponsored by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. The Leadership Mission will take place June 13-21, 2015. The delegation includes:
Mr. Bill Clifford – Head of Delegation
President & CEO, World Affairs Councils of America
James Allen
Chair, Colorado Springs World Affairs Council
Chad Bettes
Director & Past President, International Relations Council of Kansas City
Shelby Kardas
Vice President, Administration & Development, World Affairs Council of Oregon
Farah Killidar
CEO, World Affairs Council of Houston
Kimberly McLaughlin
Assistant Treasurer, World Affairs Council of Maine
Roger Naik
CEO, Hawaii Pharma
Member, World Affairs Council of Atlanta
Judy Rubinstein
Board Member, Naples Council on World Affairs
Alida Skold
Board Member, World Affairs Council of Seattle
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Weekly Highlights
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Monday, June 8
The World Affairs Council of Maine hosted “Closing Celebration: Immigrant Economic Integration.” DetailsThe World Affairs Council of Northern California hosted “China’s Rise: Has the U.S. Pivot to Asia Failed?” DetailsThe World Affairs Council of Monterey Bay hosted “Is There More to Life than the Middle East?” Details
Tuesday, June 9
The World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana hosts “Battle for Identity & Control: ISIS in the Middle East featuring Ambassador Ford.” Details
World Affairs Council – Washington, DC hosts its 2015 Global Education Gala. Details
The World Affairs Council of Rochester hosts “CIA: Current Issues.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Oregon hosts “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Northern California hosts “Vietnam: Past, Present, and Future” at its Sacramento chapter. Details
WorldDenver hosts “From Iran to Pakistan to North Korea: Nuclear Weapons Are Back.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Inland Southern California hosts “How the War on Drugs and the Growth of Central American Gangs Have Dramatically Increased Violence on America’s Doorstep.” Details
The Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council hosts “Afghan Realities and the Tragedy of U.S. Involvement in that Country.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Maine hosts a Member Coffee and Discussion Group on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Details
Wednesday, June 10
The World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts “Adventures in Dining: Spanish Cooking Class” as part of its Young Professionals program. Details
The World Affairs Council of Northern California hosts “America’s Opportunity Gap.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts “International Perspectives Series – Fiona Hill – How Should We Deal With Putin’s Russia?” Details
The World Affairs Council of Oregon hosts “From Field to Fork: Food Ethics for Everyone.” Details
The Pacific and Asian Affairs Council hosts its 2015 Scholarship Reception, recognizing PAAC’s outstanding academic and travel scholarship recipients. Details
Thursday, June 11
The World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts “Qatar and U.S. Interests in the Persian Gulf.” Details
The Columbus Council on World Affairs hosts “Shifting Sands in the Middle East: Implications for U.S. Policy.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads hosts “The Long War? Discerning Islam in the Rise of ISIL.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Northern California hosts “Women in Burma: Victims of Violence, Champions of Peace” at its Marin chapter. Details
The Foreign Policy Association hosts “Superpower: Three Choices for the Next America.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts “An Evening on the Katy Trail With the Council and the Consuls.” Details
The San Diego World Affairs Council hosts “Elections Rule or Election Rules: Butterfly Effects and European Security.” Details
WorldDenver hosts “Behind the Scenes: Major International Sporting Events.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts WorldQuest 2015. Details
The World Affairs Council of San Antonio hosts “Preparing Our Troops to Win in a Complex World.” Details
The Columbus Council on World Affairs hosts a Great Decisions discussion: “Iran Nuclear Negotiations.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Houston hosts a Young Professionals program on “Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Power of Oil.” Details
The World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts “End of Season Global Social: Sugar Creek Brewing Co.” as part of its Young Professionals program. Details
Friday, June 12
The World Affairs Council of Sonoma County hosts “New Light on World War II and the Orgins of the Cold War.” Details
Saturday, June 13
The Minnesota International Center hosts its Celebration of Germany Gala. Details
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Travel the World from WAC Philadelphia
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 Just Announced: Council Leaders to Lecture on Travel the World tours from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia!
Maria Wulff, President, World Affairs Council of Oregon, Coastal Life from the Adriatic to the Aegean, June 15-23, 2015.
Mimi Gregory, Vice President, Naples Council on World Affairs, Grand Danube: August 8-23, 2015.
Kay Maxwell, Executive Director, World Affairs Forum Stamford, Vietnam and Cambodia: October 12-27, 2015.
Dr. Carla Thorson, Senior Vice President of Programs, World Affairs Council of Northern California, Cuba: December 6–14, 2015.
Ambassador Mark Johnson, Board, Montana World Affairs Council, The Mediterranean Through the Centuries: October 14-25. 2015.
Dr. Jerry W. Leach, Former President, World Affairs Councils of America, Turquoise Coast Cruise, October 27-November 4, 2015.
Contact www.wacphila.org/travel or call 1-800-942-5004 x209 or x217.
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The World Affairs Councils of America
1200 18th St., NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036
Phone (202) 833-4557 Fax (202) 833-4555
Email [email protected] Website www.worldaffairscouncils.org
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