2020
John Cruickshank, Consul General of Canada in Chicago
Captain Beverley Bass, American Airlines’ first female captain
Lieutenant General Eric “Rick” Findley, RCAF, NORAD’s Director of Operations on September 11
Topic: Closing North American Skies – The People and Stories Behind Come From Away
Dr. Paul Salem, president, Middle East Institute
Topic: U.S. Interests and Policy in a Turbulent Middle East
Dr. Rex Archer, MD, MPH, Director of Health, City of Kansas City, Missouri
Andrew Azan, vice president, Health Care Practice, Aon
Dr. Michael Stellern, professor, Helzberg School of Management, Rockhurst University
Mary Sanchez, nationally syndicated columnist, moderator
Topic: The Emerging Impacts of the Coronavirus
Dr. Faisal Khan, CEO, Samuel U. Rodgers Health
Raj Bhala, Brenneisen Distinguished Professor, University of Kansas Law School
Cody Wood, associate, Dentons Law Firm
Mary Sanchez, nationally syndicated columnist, moderator
Topic: Supplying and Sustaining a Prepared Public Health Infrastructure
Dr. Sarah Kessler, associate professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
Michael Tabman, former FBI Special Agent in Charge
Topic: Balancing Public Health and Privacy Concerns During a Pandemic Response
Marc Chandler, Chief Market Strategist, Bannockburn Global Forex
Topic: The Global Economy: What Can We Reasonably Expect?
Sam Brannen, senior fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Daniel R. Mahanty, U.S. Program Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict
Lora Vogt, curator, Education, National WWI Museum and Memorial
Topic: International Cooperation in Responding to Crisis
Tamanna Salikuddin, director, South Asia programs, U.S. Institute of Peace
Topic: Conflict and Competition in South Asia
Geoffrey Gertz, fellow, Global Economy and Development program, Brookings Institution
Topic: Balancing Globalization and Self-Sufficiency Post-Covid
Karl Matthias Klause, head, Economic Section, German Embassy in Washington
Topic: Innovating Cooperation: Covid, Germany, and the U.S.
Michael Kimmage, professor of History, Catholic University of America
Vince Houghton, historian and curator, International Spy Museum
Jeffrey Gedmin, editor in chief, The American Interest
Topic: What Happened to the West? An Evolving Idea in American Foreign Policy
Ambassador Ron Kirk, former U.S. Trade Representative
Topic: Choices: Tariffs and Trade
Erik Brattberg, director, Europe Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Topic: Choices: The Transatlantic Relationship
Ambassador Frank G. Wisner, former U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, Egypt, the Philippines, and India
Topic: Choices: Peace in the Middle East
Melanie Nakagawa, head of climate initiative, Princeville Global
Topic: Choices: Energy, Environment, & Climate Change
Melissa Dalton, senior fellow and deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program (ISP), director of the Cooperative Defense Project
Topic: Choices: Military & Diplomacy
Richard Fontaine, CEO, Center for a New American Security
Topic: Choices: Great Power Competition: China, Russia, & the U.S.
Suzanne DiMaggio, senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Topic: Choices: Iran, North Korea, and Nuclear Proliferation
Oona A. Hathaway, Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law, Yale Law School
Topic: Choices: American Leadership & Multilateralism
2021
Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the United States
Topic: The Middle East from Kurdistan’s Perspective
Jeffrey Brown, head of technology policy, Bertelsmann Foundation
Topic: Covid, Technology, and the Future of Work
Jomana Qaddour, nonresident senior fellow with the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council
Topic: The Ripples of Syria
Secretary Chuck Hagel, 24th United States Secretary of Defense and former Nebraska senator
Topic: The Global Rebalance of Power
Gary Sick, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Middle East Institute
Topic: Persian Gulf Security Issues
Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment
Topic: Polarization in Democracy: A 2021 Global Landscape
Dr. Charlie Bankart, associate vice provost for international affairs, University of Kansas
Consul Alfonso Navarro Bernachi, head consul, Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City
Fang Shen, partner, Husch Blackwell
Carolyn Watley, vice president of community engagement, CBIZ
Topic: The World Is Here: International in Kansas City
Anita Dixon and Jake Wagner, authors of Kansas City’s UNESCO Creative City of Music application
Topic: Music and Diplomacy
J. Samuel Valenzuela, professor of sociology, University of Notre Dame
Topic: South America’s Political Patchwork
Daniel S. Hamilton, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Distinguished Fellow, director of the Global Europe Program, Wilson Center
Topic: Brexit and the European Union
Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa, National Democratic Institute
Topic: Africa: The Road To and Through Democracy
Heather A. Conley, senior vice president for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS
Topic: Struggles Over the Melting Arctic
Florindo Chivucute, founder and executive director, Friends of Angola (FoA)
Lina Benabdallah, assistant professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University
Topic: China’s Role in Africa
Dr. Jennifer D. Sciubba, Stanley J. Buckman Professor of International Studies and department chair, Rhodes College
Dr. Kanta Kumari Rigaud, lead adaptation specialist, World Bank
Lisa Palmer, National Geographic Professor of Science Communication, School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University
Topic: Toward 10.9 Billion: Challenges of Global Population Growth
Yaya J. Fanusie, adjunct senior fellow, Center for a New American Security
Topic: The Growing Influence of Cryptocurrency
Chung Min Lee, senior fellow, Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Jenny Town, senior fellow and director, 38 North Program, Stimson Center
Topic: The Korean Peninsula
Dr. Ken Burton, National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Coordinator
Topic: Nuancing National Security: Biological & Agricultural Security
HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the U.S.
Topic: From Saudi Arabia’s Perspective
Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, adjunct professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service
Topic: Nuancing National Security: The 21st Century Military
Christopher Rendo, deputy consul general, U.S. Consulate in Belfast
Topic: A Kansas City Diplomat: Updates from Belfast
Mona Yacoubian, senior advisor on Syria, the Middle East and North Africa, United States Institute of Peace
Topic: Nuancing National Security: Diplomacy’s Role in National Security
Andrea Kendall-Taylor, senior fellow and director, Transatlantic Security Program, Center for a New American Security
Topic: Nuancing National Security: Transnational Security Issues
George A. Lopez, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Professor Emeritus of Peace Studies, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
Topic: The Effectiveness of Economic Sanctions
Bob Kolasky, director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) National Risk Management Center
Topic: Nuancing National Security: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Resilience
Bob Cekuta, Ambassador, Republic of Azerbaijan
Topic: Nuancing National Security: Energy Security
David Dollar, Senior Fellow, John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings Institution
Topic: Great Decisions Lecture Series: The End of Globalization?
Brian Tronic, Counsel, Perseus Strategies
Topic: International Career Series: Human Rights Law
Dr. Andrea Hendricks, Senior Executive Director & Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Cerner
Kristina Perkin Davison, Founder, iEurope, New Europe Capital Partners LLC
Beth Ward, Senior Vice President- Supply Chain and Corporate officer, Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: International Business
Dr. Karen Britt, Assistant Professor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Northwest Missouri State University
Topic: International Career Series: Art & Archeology
Cristina Ávila-Zesatti, Founder, Corresponsal de Paz
Daisy Sindelar, Vice President & Editor in Chief, RFE/RL
Vanessa Bassil, Founder/CEO, Media Association for Peace, Lebanon
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: Journalism
Deborah Sandler, General Director, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Min Jung Kim, Director, St. Louis Art Museum
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: The Arts
Vedika Bhandarkar, CEO, Water.org
Maria Teresa “Teddy” Naluwu, Coordinator of Community Development, leads efforts of Unbound Kampala
Nithyasri Sharma, Manager of Strategy, Women’s World Banking
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: International NGO’s
Esther George, CEO, KC Fed
Allison Berey, Kansas City Consultant, Corporate Leadership
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: Finance & Economics
Guillermo Malpica Soto, Undersecretary of Industry & Commerce, Government of Puebla
Topic: Great Decisions Lecture Series: Global Supply Chains and National Security
Nicole Aandahl, Director of CSIS’s Diversity & Leadership in International Affairs Program
Anne- Louise Colgan, Director of Public Education at U.S. Institute of Peace
Sarah Staton, Ph.D – Deputy Director for the Science & Technology Cooperation, U.S. Department of State
Topic: Women in Global Leadership: Foreign Policy
Dr. Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General, Impact
Topic: Great Decisions Lecture Series: The Role of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic
Stavros Lambrinidis, Ambassador, European Union to the United States
Topic: Amb. Lambrinidis: From the European Union’s Perspective
2022
Jay Kim, Founder, DataLocker
Michael Volz, Associate Teaching Professor of Chinese, Missouri University
Tamara Medakov, Language Arts Student, University of Findlay
Topic: Is English the World’s Language
Frank J. Klimas, U.S. Air Force Officer, Assistant Professor, Department of Joint, Interagency, & Multinational Operations in U.S. Army
Topic: What’s Happening in Syria
Pritha Hariharan, International Program Director Asia & Africa, Unbound
Topic: International Career Series: NGO’s and Nonprofits
Janis Garisons, State Secretary, Latvian Ministry of Defense
Topic: Eastern Europe from Latvia’s Perspective: A Conversation with State Secretary Garisons of the Latvian Defense Ministry
Christopher Hum, Diplomatic Ambassador, Master of Gonville & Caius College Cambridge
Topic: Will China Rule the World?
Dr. Karenbeth Zacharias, Chair of Division of Humanities and Liberal Arts, Director of Lawrence D. Starr Center for Peace & Justice, University of Saint Mary
Topic: What’s Happening in Ethiopia?
Dr. Jiakun Jack Zhang, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Director of KU Trade War, Kansas University
Topic: What’s happening in the South China Sea?
José Antonio Dos Santos , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Republic of Paraguay
Counselor Sebastian Ortiz, Head of Trade and Economic Affairs office, Embassy of Paraguay to United States
Topic: Doing Business with Paraguay: A Business Roundtable with the Paraguayan Ambassador to the United States
Gary Espinas, Senior Lecturer & Regional Program Lead, Institute for Security Governance DSCA
Topic: What’s Happening in Ukraine
Alyson Schroer, Corporate Compliance & Consulting Manager, The Scarbrough Group
Topic: International Career Series: Transportation and Logistics
Adriana Boersner-Herrera, PhD, Assistant Professor Political Science, University of South Carolina Aiken
Topic: What’s Happening in Venezuela?
Luis Guillermo Solís, 47th President of The Republic of Costa Rica
Yuan Wang, Fellow, Columbia-Harvard China
Robert S. Ross, Professor Political Science, Boston College
Min Ye, Associate Professor International Relations, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University
Topic: The Regional Impacts of China’s Belt and Road Initiative Symposium
Amir Hamja, Photographer, NYT, WSJ, Bloomberg news, etc.
Topic: Global Horizons- International Career Series: Photography
Seungkwon You, Director, Global Leadership Program and Asian Scholars Program, Asian Affairs Center
Topic: Global Horizons- Lexicon: Korean
Jennifer Owen, Artistic Director, Owen/Cox Dance Group
Heather Lowenstein, Founder, StoneLion Puppet
Topic: Global Horizons- Global Bridges Through Performing Arts
Mike Wuthrich, Associate Professor of Political Science and Associate Director, Center for Global and International Studies
Topic: What’s Happening in Turkey?
Spandita Malik, Visual Artist from India, Focus on global socio-political state of Affairs
Topic: International Career Series: Visual Arts
Amb. William B. Taylor, Vice President of Russia & Europe, U.S. Institute of Peace
Topic: What’s Happening in Russia?
Amb. Ebrahim Rasool, Former Distinguished Scholar, Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School for Foreign Services
Topic: What’s Happening in South Africa?
Emily Schultheis, Freelance Journalist and Fellow, Institute of Current World Affairs
Topic: What’s Happening in Germany?
Tamara Demuria, Head of Humanitarian Assistance, Corus International
Topic: The Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine
Amb. John C. Kornblum, Diplomat, U.S. and Europe
Topic: War in Europe: The European Perspective
Jay Sjerven, President emeritus, United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City
Topic: What’s Happening at the United Nations?
Hilary Renner, Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications on Cuba, U.S. Department of States
Topic: The Evolution of U.S Policy Toward Cuba
Thomas Alan Schwartz, Historian, Foreign Relations of the United States
Topic: War in Europe: The Old & New Cold Wars
Dr. Michael Makara, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Central Missouri
Topic: What’s Happening in Yemen?
Dr. Velikova, International Business & Economics Professor, Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business
Topic: War in Europe: The Russian Domestic & Economic Perspective
2023
Jake Okechukwu Effoduh, Partner, Praxis and Gnosis
Topic: What’s Happening in Nigeria?
Amb. John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine
Topic: Russia’s Full-Scale War on Ukraine – One Year In
Mona Yacoubian, Vice President, Middle East and North Africa Center at USIP
Topic: What Ever Happened to ISIS?
Minister Xu Xueyuan, Official Delegate, Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C.
Topic: Bilateral Relationship between the United States and China ahead of the 2023 U.S.-China Agricultural Summit
Sharon Valasek, Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic in Kansas City
Topic: What’s Happening in the Czech Republic
Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, Assistant Professor, United States Air Force Academy
Topic: International Perspectives of Women in the Military
Shay Foster, Co-Director, Love Haiti
Topic: What’s Happening in Haiti?
Noah Ross, Deputy Regional Security Officer for Protective Operations, U.S. Embassy in Baghdad
Topic: What’s Happening in Iraq?
Zac Jarrard, Jarrard Consulting LLC
Topic: The Power of Games to Unleash Collaboration and Creativity at Work
Dr. Andrew Lownie, Professor, Ulster University
Topic: Stalin’s Englishman: Guy Burgess, the Cold War, and the Cambridge Spy Ring
Fahad Nazer, Official Spokesperson of the Saudi Arabian Embassy
Topic: What’s Happening in Saudi Arabia?
Steven Youngblood, Director, Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University
Topic: What’s Happening in Moldova?
Pedro Cabazes, Coordinator, The Central America Alliance Against Mining,
Karilyn Vides, El Salvador National Director, Companion Community Development Alternatives
Vicente Cuchillas, Professor, University of El Salvador
Topic: What’s Happening in El Salvador
Amb. David Young, U.S. Ambassador to Malawi
Topic: Diplomacy & Development: Insights on Malawi and Zambia