About the Lecture:

The current state of politics is divisive, and navigating this is no easy task. As we enter an election year, with over 15 years of non-profit, trade association, multi-client, corporate lobbying experience, and a current advisor to dozens of politicians, political candidates, and past presidential campaigns, Brian Johnson is a captivating speaker who will share with us his insights on lobbying and the current state of the political landscape.

About the Speaker:

Brian Johnson is an experienced government and public affairs executive with over 15 years of non-profit, advocacy, trade association, multi-client representation, political campaign/fundraising, and management experience. Throughout his career, Brian has developed and executed numerous strategic government and public affairs campaigns, drafted and had countless pieces of legislation introduced, secured tens of millions of dollars in targeted Appropriations, worked intimately on, and helped pass, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and was named to “The Hill’s Top Lobbyist 2020” list. Currently, Brian serves as the Vice President of Government & Public Affairs for Veterans Guardian, the largest veteran-owned and operated disability claims consulting company in the world, helping tens of thousands of veterans every year secure benefits they are legally, ethically, morally and medically entitled. In this capacity Brian manages all lobbying, public affairs campaigns, and political giving as head of the company's Washington, DC operations. Politically, Brian advises on dozens of political campaigns, serves on several elected officials’ Steering Committees, and is heavily involved in local politics. As a policy expert he has testified before Congress and his expert commentary has been featured on BBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, Fox Business News, PBS, Real Clear Politics, and many more.

The World of Lobbying and Current State of Politics on Capitol Hill

The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition.

**Please note that the views expressed by our guest lecturers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Institute of World Politics.**

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About the Lecture:

Glenn Corn will provide a ground-level perspective of the current situation in Ukraine and discuss why it's important for the U.S. to support the Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion.

About the Speaker:

Glenn Corn is a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Intelligence and Foreign Affairs communities. Prof. Corn served for over 20 years abroad, including tours in Russia, Turkey, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. He also held senior leadership positions within the Intelligence Community in the U.S. and is a graduate of multiple specialized training programs in the fields of Intelligence, Security, Adult Education and Training and Executive Leadership. He is a founding partner of the Strategic Advisory and Consulting firm “Varyag” and Expert contributor to the “Cipher Brief”.

He has a master’s degree in Russian Language and Literature from American University and a bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies from Hofstra University, and he is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Russian Institute. He speaks Russian and Turkish.

Ukraine’s Most Important Battle: Fighting for American Hearts and Minds

An Alexander Hamilton Society student roundtable discussion focusing on current affairs in East Asia, what would happen leading up to an invasion of Taiwan or conflict breaking out in the South China Sea, the policy implications behind it for the region, the United States, and the rest of the world, and then identify unique policy responses outside of what the current thinkers are considering.
 
About Michael Sobolik 

Michael Sobolik is a Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies for the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC). His work covers American and Chinese grand strategy, regional economic and security trends, America’s Asian alliance architecture, and human rights. Michael also serves as editor of AFPC’s Indo-Pacific Monitor e-bulletin, AFPC’s review of regional developments. His analysis has appeared in The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, The Hill, Jane's Defence Weekly, The National Interest, National Review, Newsweek, Providence, and RealClearDefense. Before joining AFPC, Michael served as a Legislative Assistant in the United States Senate from 2014 to 2019. While in the Senate, Michael drafted legislation on China, Russia, India, Taiwan, North Korea, and Cambodia, as well as strategic systems and missile defense. Michael is an undergraduate student at Texas A&M University, where he studied political philosophy. He also earned his Master of International Affairs degree in American grand strategy and U.S.-China relations at the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Countering the Dragon: Preparing for Potential Chinese Aggression

About the Debate:

In Nov 1945, the U.S. joined UNESCO, a new post-WWII organization designed to promote world peace and security.

In Dec 1984, President Reagan took the U.S. out of UNESCO citing corruption and mismanagement.

In Oct 2003, President George Bush rejoined UNESCO to advance human rights, tolerance, and learning.

In Dec 2018, President Trump took the U.S.out of UNESCO citing anti-Israel bias, and the U.S.’s mounting arrears to UNESCO resulting from Palestine’s election as a full member.

In July 2023, President Biden rejoined UNESCO for the third time to combat increasing Chinese influence at the organization.

Given the problematic relationship between the U.S. and UNESCO, and the organization’s history of controversial initiatives, was this a wise decision? What are the pros and cons for the U.S. of being a member of UNESCO once again?



About the Presenters:

Gerald C. Anderson served as Director of Administration and Finance at the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, DC, from March 2014 to July 2021. Prior to joining PAHO, Mr. Anderson served from 2011-2014 as Secretary for Administration and Finance at the Organization of American States in Washington DC.

Mr. Anderson served the United States Foreign Service from 1980 - 2010, completing his serviced as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Organizations. Mr. Anderson also served in Foreign Service posts in Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Jerusalem, and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Anderson served in the United States Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa, and in the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mr. Anderson holds a Master of Arts degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, (1980) and a Bachelor of Arts from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois (1976).



Stephen Engelken is a veteran of 38 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. Notably, he was Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to UNESCO in 2007-2010, serving as Charge’ d’Affaires for seven months in this period. Engelken went on from there to serve as Deputy Chief of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (2010-2011). Prior to those senior assignments, he served postings abroad in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy; France, and Australia and at the State Department in Washington as Director of Pakistan/Bangladesh Affairs, Director of the Office of Proliferation Threat Reduction, Deputy Director of the office of Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations, and Deputy Director of Arabian Peninsula Affairs. Since his retirement in 2012 while Principal Officer in Peshawar, Pakistan, Mr. Engelken has taught at Foreign Service Institute, the State Department’s training center.

Mr. Engelken is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a resident of Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in France. Mr. Engelken speaks French, Italian, and Arabic.

UNESCO 3.0

This lecture is part of the Student Speaker Series

About the Lecture:

China's advancements in space technology and orbital operations are second only to the U.S. Historically assisted by the Soviet Union, China's space program has set an impressive timeline of space launch milestones, meeting every spacefaring goal for the past 30 years. Under the guise of scientific research, PLA documentation and dual-use technology has demonstrated that even commercial space activities serve military interests.

As investment in launch capabilities increases and China's presence in cislunar space becomes more of a concern, what are the intentions, plans, and capabilities behind China's interest and activities in space? With tensions rising in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, will China start utilizing space operations to support terrestrial military activity? Does China's capacity to operate in space match its strategic interests? How does China's advancing capabilities create more risk for U.S. space interests?

This lecture will discuss a brief history of China's accomplishments in space and highlight PLA ambitions and operations in three areas: counterspace weapons in orbit, a permanent lunar presence, and interest in the future space economy. The lecture will also discuss the risk these three areas pose to U.S. interests and the proposed strategies for deterrence in what the DoD, NATO, and the PLA define as a new "warfighting domain."



About the Speaker:

Carlos Alatorre is an M.A. candidate for Statecraft and National Security Affairs at IWP with a specialization in Defense. Prior to joining IWP, he was a middle school teacher who spent five years teaching English in South Korea and China before deciding to make a transition to the national security and intelligence field. He brings his experience of Chinese political culture and East Asian geography (as well as his Mandarin skills) to complement his studies in Chinese military and geopolitical affairs in the Indo-Pacific. His research focuses on China's usage of emerging technologies, specifically the PLA's research in and implementation of AI, space/cislunar operations, and hypersonic missiles. Originally from Southern California, he earned his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

China's Space Operations: Assessing PLA Capabilities for U.S. Strategy

***This lecture is sponsored by the IAFIE Washington DC Chapter and the IWP IAFIE Alpha Student Chapter***

About the Lecture:

For a long time, the Australian Signals intelligence (or Sigint) story has been kept secret. Until now…

Why does Australia have a national signals intelligence agency? What does it do and why is it controversial? And how significant are its ties with key partners, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, to this arrangement?

Revealing Secrets is a compelling account of Australian Signals intelligence, its efforts at revealing the secrets of other nations, and keeping ours safe. It brings to light those clever Australians whose efforts were for so long entirely unknown or overlooked. Blaxland and Birgin traverse the royal commissions and reviews that shaped Australia’s intelligence community in the 20th century and consider the advent and the impact of cyber. In unearthing this integral, if hidden and little understood, part of Australian statecraft, this book increases our understanding of the past, present and what lies ahead.

About the Speakers:

John Blaxland is Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC), Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University (ANU). He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He was also formerly a military intelligence officer, Head of SDSC and Director of the ANU Southeast Asia Institute. He is the author and editor of several publications on military history, intelligence and international security affairs.

Clare Birgin’s career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spanned 30 years, with a focus on national security and intelligence. She had postings in Warsaw, Moscow, Geneva, and Washington DC as the Liaison Officer of the Office of National Assessments, followed by postings as Ambassador in Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Subsequently she was a Visiting Fellow at the ANU before joining John Blaxland’s history writing team. She has been awarded the Polish Government’s Knight’s Cross Medal and the Bene Merito Medal by the former Polish Foreign Minister.

The World of Lobbying and Current State of Politics on Capitol Hill

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