2023
HIGHLIGHTS
PROGRAMS
The Council hosts world-renowned expert speakers, thought-leaders, and acclaimed authors for lectures, panel discussions, luncheons, film screenings and networking events.
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
2023 FEATURED SPEAKERS
Peter Baker
New York Times Chief White House Correspondent
John Coates Deputy Dean for Finance and Strategic Initiatives at Harvard Law School
Ioan Grillo Narco expert journalist & author
Juan Guaido Former Interim President of Venezuela
Stephen Hadley 20th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Yonah Jeremy Bob
Senior Military and Intelligence Analyst
Robert Kaplan 13th President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Thomas Kasza Green Beret, Combat Veteran & Founder of the 1208 Foundation
Justice Malala Political Commentator & Author
Michael McKinley Former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Afghanistan
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
Mevlut Cavusoglu Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Christopher Combs Former Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Division
Anna Fisher Former NASA Astronaut
Loren Grush Space Reporter and author
Richard Haass President of the Council on Foreign Relations
Gil Hoffman Executive Director of HonestReporting
Kenneth Juster 25th U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of India
Evgenia Kara-Murza Russian Human Rights Activist & Wife of Political Prisoner
Douglas Lute 21st U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO
Mary McCord Former Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security
Francisco Monaldi Director of the Latin America Energy Program at the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University
Bethany McLean Editor and Writer for Vanity Fair
Shannon K. O’Neil
James Olson Former Chief of Counterintelligence at the CIA
VP & Deputy Director of Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
Nancy Pelosi
Mike Pence 48th Vice President of the United States
52nd Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Lt. General Sami Sadat Final commander of Afghan Special Operations
David Satterfield Former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey & Jordan, Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs
Hilde Jane Skorpen Consul General of Norway in Houston
Mike Pompeo 70th U.S. Secretary of State & 6th CIA Director
Lt. General Khoshal Sadat
Former Deputy Minister of the Interior of Afghanistan
Richard Sindelar Nonresident Scholar in Global Diplomacy at the Baker Institute & Former U.S. Foreign Service Officer
Vitalii Tarasiuk Consul General of Ukraine in Houston
Jeremi Suri
American Historian & Professor at University of Texas
Michael Vickers Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & CIA Special Operations Officer
Jorge Toledo Former VP of Supply and Marketing at Citgo
General Tod Wolters
Jianli Yang Chinese dissident, Human Rights Activist & Tiananmen Square Survivor
Commander, U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe
2023 SPEAKERS
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION
EDUCATION The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston focuses on preparing future professionals for international careers by prioritizing interactive cultural experiences, global knowledge, professional networking opportunities and academic excellence.
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
2023 ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST
ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST 2023 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMPETITION
1st Place
Carnegie Vanguard High School
The winning team travelled to Washington D.C. to participate in the national competition.
2nd Place Winners!
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
GLOBAL SCHOLARS ACADEMY Summer enrichment program for High School students An exclusive and unique opportunity for young people to learn about international affairs and prepare themselves for an international future.
HOUSTON
HOUSTON
SUGAR LAND
MERIT BADGE PROGRAM BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston provided Merit Badge classes designed to improve civic engagement, arm Scouts with global awareness, and create well-rounded Eagle Scouts!
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
GLOBAL TRAVEL Guided by the Council’s mission and by engaging in people-to-people, in-country exchanges, Council travelers receive greater global understanding and create deep personal relationships around the world.
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
GLOBAL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Our purpose is to engage with early career professionals in peer-driven learning and dialogue on leading international affairs issues. An excellent networking opportunity.
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
25
th
annual jesse H. Jones Awards luncheon a global conversation with 43rd President of the United States of America President George W. Bush
2023 honorees Global Education and Institutional Leadership honoree
Renu Khator President of the University of Houston Chancellor of the University of Houston System
2023 International Citizen of the Year
Linda DuCharme President of ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
Outstanding International Philanthropist Award
Syed Javaid Anwar Owner and President of Midland Energy, Inc
the 2023
Global leaders ofInfluence The Jones Awards Luncheon recognizes Global Leaders for their international impact, exceptional leadership, and outstanding contributions to Houston’s international spirit.
Hady Abdulhady thyssenkrupp Uhde USA
Aida Araissi Bilateral Chamber of Commerce
Elaine Balagia Liberty Energy
Filipe Barbosa McKinsey & Company
Michael Carrasco Alvarez and Marsal
Jorge Franz Houston First Corporation
Ellen I. Goldberg Sister Cities of Houston
Soha Haque SH Strategies
Nomaan K. Husain Husain Law
Kat Khosrowyar Texas International Education Consortium
Jeff Miers Amazon Web Services
Alissa Nixon Siemens Digital Industries
Alexander W. Obregon Comcast
Rick Pal Zuhnë
Amb. Michael Pelletier University of Houston
Mariela Poleo Simon Bolivar Foundation
Luis Ruiz The International Parliament of Education
Laura Schilling TechnipFMC
Sanjiv Shah Piper Sandler
Dalia Sherif Lone Star College
Diana Strassmann
Terry Stringer
Walter Ulrich
Hector Villareal
Matt Wilks
Rice University
Hewlett Packard
Medical Bridges, Inc.
Lucho
ProFrac Services
ANNUAL
INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN'S DAY SYMPOSIUM
LEADERSHIP. EMPOWERMENT. ACHIEVEMENT. DIVERSITY L.E.A.D. is a thoughtfully curated professional development afternoon featuring a pinnacle lineup of presenters offering impactful dialogue followed by a champagne reception in an atmosphere advantageous to meaningful networking and building long lasting relationships.
Uniting Women Locally and Globally to #LEADWithPurpose
2023 LINEUP
MAJOR KATIE COOK
US Marine Corp Reserve
DR. LESIA CRUMPTON-YOUNG
ANA DENENA
SOHA HAQUE
Texas Southern University
RSM
SH Strategies
PAULA HARRIS
GEORGANNE HODGES
JENNIFER HOOPER
AURAGNI JEANSON
Astros Foundation
Energy Executive and Board Member
Siemens Energy
SLB
SLGI C. JOLISSAINT
REGINA MAYOR
MARIA MONCADA ALAOUI
DR. LAURA MURILLO
Hewlett Packard
KPMG
BMW of West Houston
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
RANI PURANIK
DR. LARA SHEKERDEMIAN
LISA SHUMATE
PAMELA SKAUFEL
World Oilfield Machine
Texas Children’s Hospital Houston Public Media
ExxonMobil
NINA STOFBERG
MAEGAN TOUPS
MICHAELA VAN SCHALKWYK
VANESSA WYCHE
Sasol
Airswift
Baker Hughes
NASA's Johnson Space Center
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF GREATER HOUSTON | 2023
2023
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CHAIR
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
Vivek Chidambaram Accenture
Antony Dsouza DNV
Arthur Kaplun EY LLP
TREASURER
SECRETARY
Paula Ann Miller P.A. Miller Consulting, Inc
Elizabeth Matthews Bristow Group Inc.
Saba Abashawl
Cyndi Hunter
Kevin Pasha
David Adams
Agustin Izquierdo
Daron Peschel
Mark Anderson
Arthur Kaplun
Revati Puranik
Mamadou Beye
Christine LaFollette
T.J. Raguso
Anne Boss
Laura Logan
Brad Ringleb
Vivek Chidambaram
Beth Madison
Eddie Robinson
Alan Crain
Will Marsh
Martha Rocks
Heather Cykoski
Elizabeth Mathews
Andrew Slentz
Suzan Deison
Sid McClendon
Jennifer Smith
Phil DeLozier
David Michels
Soma Somasundaram
Antony D'Souza
Paula Ann Miller
Nick Tran
Michol Ecklund
Pat Moran
Ken Tubman
William Foreman
Sallie Morian
Jesse Tutor
Lyle Ganske
Maureen O'Driscoll-Levy
Rupesh Vadapalli
Charles Gengler
Kevin O'Gorman
Jose Valera
Diane Gendel
Bret Oliver
Michaela van Schalkwyk
Zachary Hodges
Susan Osterberg
Stuart Vogt
J.J. Hollie
Chukwuemeka Oyolu
Joe Watkins
Lynn Hughes
World Affairs Council of Greater Houston 1235 North Loop West Suite 1025 Houston, Texas 77008 (713) 522-7811 wachouston.org