Washington Insider, author, U.S.-Middle East policy expert David Makovsky is one of America’s leading commentators with deep knowledge about this region developed over decades. He delivers informative presentations on topics concerning today’s news, scholarship, and geopolitics in the Mideast. 

Makovsky is currently a distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. Makovsky previously served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations in the Office of Secretary of State. He is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He brings his experience as a senior adviser as well as his keen analysis of the current situation to accessible, engaging conversations about the past, present, and future of U.S. policy in the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli peace process, shedding light on challenges and opportunities.

Makovsky is a sought-after commentator. He has spoken about Israel and the Mideast across over 175 American campus visits. Many have seen him on the PBS Newshour for decades. He is often quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and other leading publications. His op-ed commentary has appeared in those and other key media outlets. A veteran journalist, Makovsky previously served as the Executive Editor of the Jerusalem Post. He was also the diplomatic correspondent for Ha’aretz, as well as contributing editor to U.S. News and World Report. He was awarded the National Press Club’s Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence.

Makovsky’s experience speaking nationally on the hardest topics of today positions him to thoughtfully address any audience. The Wilsher Boulevard Temple says, “David was dynamite! His energy, his intelligence and his humor all fill the room as he covers the tough subjects of the Middle East peace process… He responded thoughtfully and warmly to challenging questions.”

Civil liberties lawyer, law professor, and bestselling author Alan Dershowitz has been called one of the “most distinguished defenders of individual rights,” “the best-known criminal lawyer in the world,” and “the top lawyer of last resort.” Dershowitz, a graduate of Brooklyn College and Yale Law School, joined the Harvard Law School faculty at age 25 – the youngest in the school’s history -- and became an Emeritus professor after 50 years of teaching and 10K students. Dershowitz continues to represent numerous defendants and takes half of his cases pro bono. In his speeches, he challenges audiences with thought-provoking perspectives on today’s foremost social, legal, and ethical issues.

Dershowitz is a vocal defender of civil liberties and the constitution. He is the author of many fiction and non-fiction books, including seven bestsellers. Dershowitz’s widely circulated column for The Hill, as well as his frequent appearances on major news outlets including the New York Times, Forbes, FOX News, and CNN, reflect his position as a leading voice on civil liberties and make him an in-demand speaker. His voice has been sought by Purdue University, Elon University, the Center of the American Experiment, the Institute for Policy Innovation, and Jewish Federations around the world, among countless others.

Natan Sharansky is a former Soviet dissident, political prisoner and a symbol of human rights who has spent his life championing democracy and freedom. As a member of the Knesset, he has served in different Israeli governments and various Cabinet positions, including Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.

Natan Sharansky was the Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel from 2009 through 2018. He was awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has continued to lead human rights efforts both through his writings as well as public activities. His memoir, Fear No Evil, has been translated into nine languages. His New York Times bestseller, The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Freedom and Terror, attracted widespread attention. After reading the book, President George W. Bush was quoted saying: “If you want to understand my political DNA, read this book.”

U.S. foreign policy expert and highly awarded columnist Bret Stephens is renowned for his “incisive columns on American foreign policy and domestic politics, often enlivened by a contrarian twist.” Bret is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times after a long career with The Wall Street Journal, where he served as deputy editorial page editor and wrote the “Global View” foreign affairs column – for which he was awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. He is the author of America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and Coming Global Disorder and is currently working on a book about the future of the free world. Audiences value Bret’s timely insights and “breath of fresh air” delivery, and he has been in-demand with groups including the American Technion Society, the Chief Executives Organization, the Jewish Federations of Northeastern New York and Chicago, Community Advocates, Inc., and many more.

In addition to his work at The Times, Bret serves as Editor-in-Chief of Sapir – a Jewish quarterly published by the Maimonides Fund which offers ideas for a thriving Jewish future. Previously, he was Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post. Bret is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including three honorary doctorates and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In 2022, the government of Russia banned him for life from visiting that country. He sits on numerous academic advisory boards and was a co-Founder of the Renew Democracy Initiative – an organization dedicated to advancing democratic principles throughout the world. Bret consistently receives rave reviews for speaking engagements, such as: “Bret was TERRIFIC last night. We had a large crowd, his talk was superb, and he was a pleasure to deal with. It couldn't have gone more smoothly. You have a lot of happy customers in LA.” (Community Advocates, Inc.)

U.S. foreign policy expert and White House insider Elliott Abrams holds unique insight into the impact of American foreign policy decisions on both organizations and individuals. Abrams has served in major foreign policy positions for three Republican U.S. Presidents: George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump. He has served as Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations (2001–2002), Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Near East and North African Affairs (2002–2005), Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy (2005-2009), and most recently as the U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela at the Department of State (2020-2021). He was also nominated to Biden’s Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Abrams’ deep experience in policymaking equips him to discuss the potential impacts of upcoming policy and elections.  

Abrams is a currently Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. He is also Chairman of the Vandenberg Coalition, Chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and a board member of the Jewish People Policy Institute and the Israel Democracy Institute. He has also served as a member of the Board of the National Endowment for Democracy (2011-2023) and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council (2009-2016). Abrams has been sought out as a speaker by Housatonic Partners, countless Jewish Federations, and many secular organizations. Abrams is well-respected for his nuanced discussions of the most pressing geopolitical issues on the minds of individuals today.   

Ambassador Dan Gillerman is Chairman of Blackstone Israel, Senior Advisor to the Blackstone Group, and a Member of Blackstone’s International Advisory Board. He is the Chairman and CEO of Gillerman Global, a Global Strategic Consulting firm. He served as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations from 2003-2008 and was elected Vice President of the General Assembly in 2005.

Award-winning author Daniel Gordis is a revered scholar and commentator on matters pertaining to Israel. Gordis is the author of twelve books, including Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn – which received the 2016 National Jewish Book Award as “Book of the Year.” Of his book We Stand Divided, Ambassador Michael Oren wrote, “Impassioned, brilliant, and riveting… the essential book for understanding American Jewish-Israel relations.” Gordis’ newest book, Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled its Founders’ Dreams? is due out in April of 2023. In his writing as he does in his talks, Gordis offers a balanced perspective and a deft and multifaceted assessment of Israel. Leonard Fein has written that Gordis is “perhaps the single most popular speaker on Israel to American Jewish audiences.”

Alan Dershowitz has called Gordis “one of Israel’s most thoughtful observers,” and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New Republic, New York Times Magazine, Azure, Commentary, and Foreign Affairs, while his books have received numerous awards. Gordis is a sought-after speaker who consistently receives rave reviews for his speaking engagements, such as: "Dr. Gordis was over the top fabulous. Warm, friendly, and brilliant. Roundtable, cocktail receptions, and program… he nailed every tier of our event. Articulate, knowledgeable and passionate. You could hear a pin drop during his keynote address. Our audience was completely engaged." (Tampa Jewish Federation)

David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel, the Jerusalem-based current affairs website that launched in February 2012.  The Times of Israel, which provides independent coverage of Israel, the region and the Jewish world, is the fastest-growing news site in the Jewish world, and now also publishes in French, Arabic and Persian.

Horovitz was previously editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post (2004-2011). Before that, he was editor and publisher of the award-winning news magazine The Jerusalem Report.

He has written from Israel for newspapers around the world, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Irish Times and (London) Independent, and is a frequent interviewee on CNN, the BBC, Sky, Fox News, NPR and other TV and radio stations.

Horovitz lectures widely in Israel, the United States and Europe on Israeli current affairs, regularly giving the introductory briefing on Israel to Congressional delegations brought to Israel under the aegis of AIPAC.

Public policy and diplomacy expert Daniel Kurtzer is a uniquely qualified speaker on the Middle East, offering a distinct perspective on geopolitics formed through firsthand experience. In over three decades in the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Kurtzer served as the United States Ambassador to Israel (2001-2005) and as the United States Ambassador to Egypt (1997-2001). After retiring from the State Department, he served as a member of Secretary of State John Kerry’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board and as an advisor to the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Ambassador Kurtzer’s hands-on experience with diplomacy and clear, engaging breakdown of the major regional issues leads to informative talks with practical takeaways.

Ambassador Kurtzer currently teaches diplomacy and conflict resolution at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. He is also the co-author of Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: American Leadership in the Middle East; co-author of The Peace Puzzle: America’s Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace, 1989-2011; and editor of Pathways to Peace: America and the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Ambassador Kurtzer’s well-researched opinions, history-first understandings, and experience speaking on the Middle East ensure a nuanced conversation that leaves audiences feeling more connected to the issues of discussion.

Bestselling author, prize-winning journalist, and researcher Laura Blumenfeld has dedicated her life to analyzing conflict in the Middle East.

Blumenfeld previously served in the U.S. State Department as senior policy advisor for the Middle East Peace Process. She spent two decades as a reporter for the Washington Post covering the Middle East, national security, and presidential politics. She has also been a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund and a public policy fellow at the Wilson Center, where she worked on the project of “U.S. Responsibility to Lead.” Blumenfeld’s memoir, Revenge: a Story of Hope, recounts her global travels in search of the terrorist who shot her father in cold blood. She is currently a Middle East analyst at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Blumenfeld has written on peace in the Middle East for The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Her perspectives on politics and conflict in the region have been sought by AIPAC and AJC, alongside JCCs and Jewish Federations across the country.  

Ian Bremmer is a political scientist who helps business leaders, policymakers, and the general public make sense of the world around them. He is the president and founder of Eurasia Group, the leading geopolitical risk advisory firm, and GZERO Media, a company providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. Ian is an independent voice on critical issues around the globe, offering clearheaded insights through speeches, written commentary, and even satirical puppets (really!). A prolific writer, Ian is the author of eleven books, including the New York Times bestsellers, “Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism,” which examines the rise of populism across the world, and his latest book, “The Power of Crisis: How Three Threats—and Our Response—Will Change the World,” which covers a trio of looming global crises (health emergencies, climate change, and technological revolution) and outlines their potential to create global prosperity and opportunity.

Ian serves as rapporteur of the UN High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence and is the foreign affairs columnist and editor-at-large for Time magazine. He is the host of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, a global affairs program that airs weekly on US public television. Ian is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and many other news outlets globally.

Ian teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University.

Find him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and regularly posting from @IanBremmer.

Daniel Hoffman is a former Senior Executive Clandestine Service Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. His combined 30 years of distinguished government service included high-level positions not only within the CIA, but also with the U.S. military, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Department of Commerce. Assignments included tours of duty in the former Soviet Union, Europe, and war zones in both the Middle East and South Asia. During this time, Mr. Hoffman developed extensive, substantive expertise on geopolitical and transnational issues related to the Middle East, South Asia, Russia, counterterrorism, and cyber and counter-intelligence. Now in the private sector, Mr. Hoffman remains highly regarded for his policy experience and his work with foreign officials in the regions where he served. He has been a Fox News contributor since April 2018, and serves on the advisory board of the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation.

Katty Kay is an award-winning journalist whose instinctively global perspective on American politics and global affairs comes from having lived and worked in the Middle East, South Africa, Japan, Europe, and the U.S. throughout her career.

Now Washington-based, Katty has been with the BBC for nearly 30 years as a reporter and lead anchor, reporting on six U.S. presidential elections, Washington politics, financial crashes, world trouble spots, sex scandals, global affairs, and much more. She is currently U.S. special correspondent for BBC Studios – where she hosts TV documentaries from both the U.S. and Europe, presents her own podcast series, and writes a weekly column. Katty is a regular contributor and substitute host of Morning Joe on MSNBC and also writes on the art and science of self-assurance in women and girls. She is co-author, with Claire Shipman, of four New York Times’ bestselling books: Womenomics, The Confidence Code, The Confidence Code for Girls, and Living the Confidence Code. Their new book The Power Code explores the nature of women's power — in the workplace, in politics, and at home — explaining how a new model, one designed by and for women, will not only make it possible for women to become their most powerful selves but will benefit everyone.

Katty is an engaging keynote speaker on a wide range of topics as well as a brilliant moderator, interviewer, and event host.

John McLaughlin served the last two Presidents as Deputy Director of the CIA, capping a three decade-long career at the Agency. During that time, he held pivotal positions at moments of enormous historical significance and possesses insights on foreign affairs, intelligence operations, and crisis management that come from operating at the highest levels of the government. Frequently sought-out for his sharp insights, McLaughlin is currently a National Security Analyst for MSNBC. 

Martha Raddatz was named Senior Foreign Affairs correspondent for ABC News in November 2008, after serving as chief White House correspondent during the last term of President George W. Bush's administration. She has received Peabody and Emmy awards for her coverage of presidential campaigns and the Sept. 11 attacks. In 2006, Ms. Raddatz broke the story on the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. She is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family.

Bob Woodward gained international attention when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973. Since then, he’s worked to shine a light on the inner-workings of secret government. Woodward’s factual, non-partisan revelations to readers and speech audiences provide a view of Washington they’ll never get elsewhere. Woodward has written about the last ten U.S. presidents and chronicled how the power of the presidency has evolved. He is author of 23 bestselling books – 17 went to #1 – more than any contemporary nonfiction writer.

In his speeches, Woodward looks at the expanding powers of the presidency and the important lessons that can be learned from the presidents he’s covered. He can also assess the role of the media and how well it is (or isn’t) doing its job. Audiences will be awe-struck by insights from this living journalistic legend. Currently associate editor for The Washington Post where he’s worked since 1971, Bob Woodward has won nearly every American journalism award including two Pulitzers.

A highly visible and acclaimed news journalist, Anderson Cooper is never lacking in provocative, strong opinions, always asking the questions that the public wants answered. A charming, insightful speaker, Mr. Cooper offers his insiders perspective of the news today.

General (Ret.) Mark A. Milley served as the 20^th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council. He retired Sept. 29^th, 2023. Prior to becoming Chairman on October 1^st, 2019, General Milley served as the 39^th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. General Milley is currently a distinguished fellow in residence with the Security Studies Program in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a Charles and Marie Robertson visiting professor and visiting lecturer at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). 

In addition to his degree in Political Science from Princeton University, General Milley has multiple master’s degrees – in International Relations from Columbia University and in National Security & Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He is also a graduate of the MIT Seminar XXI National Security Studies Program. In the past more than four decades, General Milley has had multiple command and staff positions in six divisions as well as Special Forces. General Milley’s substantive experience in leadership provides impressive and enlightening insight for every audience who engages with him.

General Milley’s depth of knowledge and discernment of today’s geopolitical issues gives shape and meaning to the shifting power centers in the global operational environment. His perspective is invaluable for audiences looking to understand the impact of current conflicts and managing risks on boards of directors and leadership teams who are responsible for making strategic decisions and identifying vulnerabilities. More than a lesson in history or current events, General Milley helps audiences understand the significance of this moment in time as a potential turning point in history.

Peabody and Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Amna Nawaz currently serves as co-anchor & co-managing editor of PBS NewsHour. Her diligent reporting and skillful moderation have shaped coverage of some of the most important events in recent history. Amna’s portfolio is broad, delving into politics, foreign affairs, education, climate change, culture, and sports to great acclaim, with her NBC News Special ‘Inside the Obama Whitehouse’ earning her an Emmy Award. From her distinguished position as NBC’s Islamabad Bureau Chief & Correspondent to her Peabody Award-winning work, Amna’s signature thoughtful and thorough analysis establish her as one of the foremost voices in journalism today.

Leading notable panels such as the Aspen Ideas Festival and the RespectAbility #ADA30 Summit 2020, Amna’s insightful moderation elevates conversations. In a ground-breaking moment, she co-moderated a 2019 Democratic Primary Debate, becoming the first Asian American and first Muslim American to do so. Amna has interviewed international newsmakers, influential voices in the arts, and travelled from border towns to Appalachia covering vital issues and enriching national and international dialogue.

Amna’s work has appeared on ABC News, Nightline, NBC News, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Dateline NBC, MSNBC, and MSNBC.com. Nawaz was a Fall 2021 Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service and she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Asian American Journalists Association, the South Asian Journalists Association, and the Inter-American Dialogue. Amna consistently receives rave reviews for her speaking engagements, such as: “Amna was outstanding! Gracious, delightful, simply perfect. The tone of her speech hit the spot. Everyone loved it.” (Greenwich Academy)

Jack Lew is a distinguished attorney, diplomat, and policymaker with a remarkable career spanning both public service and the private sector. As the 76th Secretary of the Treasury (2013–2017) and United States Ambassador to Israel, Lew played a pivotal role in shaping global economic policy and U.S. foreign relations. He also served as White House Chief of Staff (2012–2013) and Director of the Office of Management and Budget under both the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Lew’s extensive experience extends beyond government service. Prior to 2010, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer for two different Citigroup business units. Lew was tapped by Citigroup for his work as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of New York​ University, where he was responsible for budget, finance, and operations, and served as a professor of public administration. From 2004 through 2008, Lew served on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service and chaired its Management, Administration, and Governance Committee. As Special Assistant to President Clinton from 1993 to 1994, Mr. Lew helped design Americorps, the national service program.

Lew began his career in Washington in 1973 as a legislative aide. From 1979 to 1987, he was a principal domestic policy advisor to House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr, when he served the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee as Assistant Director and then Executive Director. He was the Speaker's liaison to the Greenspan Commission, which negotiated a bipartisan solution to extend the solvency of Social Security in 1983, and he was responsible for domestic and economic issues, including Medicare, budget, tax, trade, appropriations, and energy issues. With deep expertise in public finance, policy, and international relations, Lew offers invaluable insights into leadership, economic strategy, and governance, making him an ideal speaker for audiences seeking perspectives on global economics and public service.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/post-next/interactive/2025/#kim-ghattasAward-winning journalist, author, and strategic advisor on geopolitics Kim Ghattas is an esteemed analyst with more than twenty years of experience covering the Middle East, international affairs, and U.S. foreign policy. Growing up in Lebanon during the civil war, Ghattas decided to become a journalist to make sense of the world and explain it to others. A renowned expert on the region, she covered the Middle East for the BBC and Financial Times, and was part of the Emmy Award-winning BBC team that covered the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Ghattas helped establish a news bureau in her home city of Beirut for the BBC in 2006 and ran news operations, in addition to leading her family business through Lebanon’s recent economic crisis, giving her a unique understanding of the intersections of business, crisis management, and global affairs. The former State Department correspondent is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of Power and Black Wave – a New York Times “Top 100 Notable Book” of 2020 – which has become a reference for universities and diplomats on the Saudi-Iran rivalry. Building on her first-hand knowledge of the Arab world and unique access to key players and decision makers in the region as well as the U.S., Ghattas provides incisive takeaways on international affairs, helping audiences connect the dots between global events and their impacts.

Ghattas is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, a contributing editor at the Financial Times, and a regular commentator on CNN, NPR, among others, and is a Distinguished Carnegie Inaugural Fellow, Columbia University. Ghattas was selected to Washington Post's 2025 list of "Next 50 Thought Leaders" for her groundbreaking work. She serves on the board of Trustees of the American University of Beirut, and chairs the board of directors of the organization of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism. Ghattas is leading voice on Middle Eastern affairs, her expertise on risk and opportunities in regional and geopolitical trends is sought after by policy makers and institutions in the region and in the U.S., and as an in-demand speaker she offers impactful keynotes to audiences of all kinds.

Career diplomat and eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has spent his eminent career in public service inspiring international cooperation and advocating for human rights and sustainable development. Prior to taking on what has been called “the most impossible job on this earth” at the helm of the UN, Ban served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of South Korea. In his memoir, Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World, Ban chronicles his decade at the helm of the UN mobilizing world leaders around a new set of global challenges. He is the Founder of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, a non-profit whose mission is to empower women and youth to live in a peaceful and prosperous world. Among the most respected and well-known statesmen of his generation, Ban is sought-after for his gift of transforming his tremendous experience into an inspiring call to action for audiences of all kinds.

Ban has been named a “Top 100 Global Thinker” by Foreign Policy for his achievement of making the Paris Agreement a legally binding treaty less than a year after it was adopted. He has also been named to Forbes list of “The World’s Most Powerful People,” and is a recipient of France’s Legion of Honour. Ban serves as President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute, and chairs the Global Commission on Adaptation as well as the International Olympic Ethics Commission. At events worldwide with groups like the World Economic Forum, The Barclays Asia Forum, WE Day, and more, Ban’s sought-after perspective on our most pressing global issues inspires leaders, lawmakers, and global citizens to take action for a healthier, more peaceful, and more equitable world.

Former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Lute has dedicated her career to preventing terrorism, enhancing global stability and security, and helping those in crisis. She currently serves on the boards of Shell, the global energy and petrochemical company; Union Pacific, the largest railroad in the United States, and Marsh McLennan, the leading global risk, insurance, and consulting company. Ms. Lute also serves on the boards of the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan U.S.-based think tank focused on international affairs, and the Center for Internet Security (CIS), a nonprofit leader in establishing and advancing domestic and international cybersecurity standards and practices. Lute has contributed significantly to cybersecurity culture around the globe, and her deep understanding of national security, international relations, and organizational leadership can provide unique perspectives on global and domestic issues.

Ms. Lute has held significant leadership roles in the private and public sectors, cybersecurity, and international diplomacy and post-conflict peace building. She was the CEO of SICPA, North America, a Swiss-based provider of currency, identity, brand, and other security solutions. She is a retired U.S. Army officer with a PhD from Stanford University and a JD from Georgetown.  

Former Homeland Security Advisor to two presidents, Tom Bossert has been a leading voice on U.S. cybersecurity operations and policy for over a decade. During his time in the Trump Administration, Bossert was the Chief Advisor on global health security, cybersecurity, homeland security, and counterterrorism. In his 2017 talk at the Aspen Security Conference titled "The Next Pandemic," he offered a prescient warning to the world about the coronavirus, urging the administration and the global health community to invest in coordinated pandemic response. Prior to his role in the Trump Administration, Bossert served as Deputy Homeland Security Advisor under President George W. Bush and worked as a lawyer and risk management consultant in private practice. Bossert is now the president of Trinity Cyber, a fast growing, disruptive cybersecurity company, and sought after by businesses and global leaders alike for his insider's perspective on politics – both on domestic issues and America's place in the world – and the ways businesses can guard against foreign influence in their own networks.

Bossert is a National Security Analyst to ABC News, and his analysis has made headlines in virtually every major media outlet, including The Washington Post, Axios, and The New York Times, among others. He is a Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy at the U.S. Atlantic Council, and was named one of The Washingtonian’s “500 Most Influential People” in D.C. Bossert has been an invaluable counselor to the likes of Disney Chairman Bob Iger, dozens of Fortune 500 companies, several of the nation’s largest university systems, and countless government entities and officials. Audiences are delighted by Bossert’s refreshing candor, and he is an engaging, well-armed speaker who leaves audiences with balanced and detailed understanding of what's ahead in politics, national security, and cybersecurity.

A passionate champion of America’s founding principles, Senator Rick Santorum's impressive presidential campaign positioned him as a leading voice of the Republican Party. Senator Santorum began his first presidential campaign as a dark-horse candidate, but with a victory in the Iowa caucuses, he became a center-stage challenger who went on to win another ten states, over 3 million votes, and claim the mantle of conservative alternative to the front-runner. In four years in the U.S. House of Representatives, 12 as U. S. Senator, Rick Santorum earned a reputation as a passionate fighter for conservative values and a vocal advocate for smaller government, cutting wasteful spending, a strong national defense, and a return to our country’s founding principles.

Marc Polymeropoulos worked for 26 years at the CIA before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers who served in multiple field assignments for the U.S. government. He specialized in counterterrorism, the Middle East and South Asia, including extensive time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to his retirement, Marc served at CIA headquarters and was in charge of CIA’s clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. He frequently comments on international events in the US media, to include the Washington Post, The New York Times, GQ, Yahoo, CNN, and MSNBC. He also writes a weekly column on intelligence as a Washington Examiner contributor.  

Marc has honed a unique leadership style based on nine core principles which he terms “Finding Clarity in the Shadows.” Each principle builds on the next and is designed for real world applicability, where one often operates under time constraints and with a lack of complete situational awareness. Marc describes how one must not fear but instead wildly embrace this ambiguity. His unique leadership style is based on years of hard time on the streets of the third world vice learning leadership from university lectures or books. The “Glue Guy,” “Winning an Oscar,” and “Adversity is the PED to Success” are just some of the principles that his clients will immediately relate to. Marc will provide real work vignettes from the world of intelligence and paramilitary operations, yet also stress that his principles can be used across the private sector in any profession. He also will provide a checklist for clients to immediately utilize and put his principles into practice. Marc also expounds on these principles in his book, Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA, published by Harper Collins in June 2021.

Joseph McMonigle is a leading authority on energy, international business and politics. He is the former Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF), the largest international organization of energy ministers from 72 producing and consuming countries representing 90 percent of the global energy market.

In his role as IEF Secretary General, McMonigle has advised world leaders and energy ministers on how to manage severe shocks to the energy system. In addition, he has been a keynote speaker and moderator at dozens of leading energy conferences to provide guidance on energy markets and transitions.

He is credited with raising the IEF’s visibility on the global stage and helping to promote a more sensible and realistic discussion about energy security, access and affordability in the Global South, climate progress and transitions.

McMonigle also served as the former Vice Chairman of the International Energy Agency (IEA) based in Paris as well as the former Chief of Staff at US Department of Energy (Bush 43).

Today he is the President and CEO of the Global Center for Energy Analysis, an independent organization providing original research and analysis on global energy markets and issues. McMonigle is also Chairman & CEO of Alula Advisors, a management consulting firm headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he has lived for the last four years.

As a global energy leader, Mr. McMonigle is a frequent speaker at international energy events as well as a commentator for BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Financial Times, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets.

McMonigle provides audiences with key insights on global energy markets and policies, lessons learned from the energy transition, insider views of OPEC priorities and actions as well as energy geopolitics. He also has enjoyed a front-row seat to profound economic and cultural changes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and provides audiences with real-time analysis of the modern Saudi Arabia that breaks common misperceptions about the country and region.

Aaron Keyak served as the Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the U.S. Department of State from 2021-2025. In helping to have led this office, he worked to advance U.S. foreign policy to counter antisemitism throughout the world.

Currently, he leads the firm he founded, Capitol K Consulting, in which Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt (ret.) serves and an adviser. 

Former Deputy Special Envoy Keyak is an experienced leader and interfaith coalition builder who has previously held senior roles advising members of Congress, the Obama Administration, the Biden-Harris Administration transition team, and the Biden-Harris Presidential campaign for president as the Jewish Engagement Director and a member of the National Finance Committee. 

Prior to that, he founded Bluelight Strategies, a full-service messaging, marketing, and media outreach and relations committed to issues of significant social importance. In 2020, he was named as one of the top 50 “influencers” by The Jerusalem Post. 

As an accomplished foreign policy hand and publicist, he has counseled various members of Congress and served as the top Middle East adviser and Communications Director for Representatives Jerry Nadler and Steve Rothman. 

Keyak serves as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and was selected to participate in the President’s Leadership Workshop by the White House in 2024. He graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis.

Mark T. Esper, PhD has led a distinguished career as a visionary leader, innovator, reformer, and change agent with a proven record of accomplishment in a wide range of roles and organizations. He attributes his success to the importance he places on character and values, coupled with boundless energy and a can-do spirit that puts the organization and its people first, and treating everyone with dignity and respect. Dr. Esper became the 27th Secretary of Defense in July 2019 when he was confirmed in an overwhelming 90-8 vote by the U.S. Senate in rare bipartisan fashion. Esper went on to successfully lead the Defense Department through an unprecedented time in the nation’s history, while driving R&D on Artificial Intelligence, directed energy, robotics, and hypersonics, and launching the biggest initiative in decades to improve diversity and inclusion in the armed forces. Esper’s memoir A Sacred Oath is a New York Times bestseller, chronicling this turbulent and critical period of modern American history.

Dr. Esper is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Strategy Group, and the Atlantic Council, among others, and is a frequent commentator on CNN, FOX, Bloomberg, and other news outlets. He is the Distinguished Chair of the Modern War Institute at his alma mater, West Point. Secretary Esper also serves on a number of private equity and venture capital portfolio company boards and is a partner in the venture capital firm Red Cell Partners, where he also serves as the chairman of its national security practice.

Mark T. Esper offers audiences an array of insights, ideas, forecasts, and strategies based on relevant experience, fostering the success of both individuals and teams.

Fred Burton is a former police officer, special agent, and New York Times bestselling author. He's served on the front lines of high-profile investigations like the hunt for and arrest of Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the first World Trade Center bombing; the 1988 plane crash of PAK-1 that killed U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel and Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq; and the search for Americans kidnapped by Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.

His bestselling books include his personal memoir GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent,  Chasing Shadows: A Special Agent's Lifelong Hunt to Bring a Cold War Assassin to Justice, Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi, and his fourth book, Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah’s War Against America.

Burton also consults with Fortune 500 companies on security developments and how to keep their personnel and business safe as the Executive Director of the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence. Burton was selected by Security Magazine as one of the Most Influential People in Security in 2021.

Former undercover FBI operative and New York Times bestselling author Tamer Elnoury is known for infiltrating and bringing down a terror cell in North America. There have only been a handful of people in our nation’s history that have done counter-terrorism work in this capacity or at this level, and no one has ever infiltrated Al Qaeda as deeply as Tamer has. In his New York Times bestselling book, American Radical: Inside the World of an Undercover Muslim FBI Agent, he shares his story – the explosive memoir of a Muslim American FBI agent fighting terror from the inside. In sought-after talks, Tamer offers unparalleled insights on building human connection for companies and organizations.

Tamer spent nearly two decades infiltrating and thwarting terror cells across the globe, and currently serves in an executive management position in law enforcement. His experience made him a master in the art of building and maintaining interpersonal trust – even with some of the most dangerous people on the planet. Today, he speaks to audiences about what it takes to build relationships founded on trust in a complicated and changing world.

Experienced senior U.S. diplomat, former criminal prosecutor, and decorated military officer Elan Carr is an influential voice on today’s key policy issues affecting the U.S. and the world. While serving as the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, his office negotiated groundbreaking agreements with foreign governments and significantly broadened the global definition of antisemitism, receiving the rank of Ambassador for the wide-reaching impacts of his work. Prior to his appointment, Carr served as a Deputy District Attorney for LA County for over a decade, following two decades of decorated military service. While deployed in Iraq, he led a joint anti-terrorism team and helped establish an independent Iraqi judiciary system. Leveraging his significant expertise, Carr provides vital analysis on foreign policy with a focus on the U.S.-Israel alliance, an insider perspective on the Abraham Accords and the future of peace in the Middle East, and the effects of hyper-partisanship and how we can find unity.

Mr. Carr serves as a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a teaching fellow at the University of Southern California, and a member of several boards of directors. He served as the 71^st international president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a voting member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and a member of the National Council of AIPAC. He is the son of Jewish refugees from Iraq, and while he was deployed on military service there he met with the remaining Jewish community, worked with them to preserve communal property, and regularly led Jewish services in the former presidential palace of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. A sought-after keynote speaker, Mr. Carr shares impactful takeaways from his decades of service and vision for how we can create a more peaceful world.

Renowned anchor Bob Woodruff joined ABC News in 1996 and has covered major stories throughout the country and around the world for the network. He succeeded Peter Jennings as anchor of ABC World News Tonight in December 2005. On January 29, 2006, while reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that struck his vehicle near Taji, Iraq.

In February 2007, just 13 months after being wounded, Woodruff returned to ABC News with his first on-air report, “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports.” The hour-long, prime-time documentary chronicled his traumatic brain injury (TBI), his painstaking recovery and the plight of thousands of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with similar injuries.

Since returning to the air, Woodruff has reported from around the globe. He has traveled to North Korea eight times, investigating the growing nuclear threats in the hands of Kim Jong Il and then his son Kim Jong Un. Since 2015, Woodruff has been ABC’s primary correspondent throughout Asia, especially China, reporting on topics ranging from the controversial treatment of Muslims in the Xinjiang province to the United States’ presence in the South China Sea. In 2008, ABC News aired his critically acclaimed documentary “China Inside Out,” which examined how China’s global rise impacts what’s being called the “Chinese Century.” On the streets of Manila, he has seen the rising violence and murders following President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug policies. He traveled to Japan in the wake of the devastating natural disasters to report on the stabilization of nuclear reactors in the country.

Woodruff and his wife, Lee, co-wrote a bestselling memoir, In an Instant, chronicling his injuries in Iraq and how their family persevered through a time of intense trauma and uncertainty. The Woodruff family established the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) to raise money to assist injured service members, veterans and their families.

Statesman, historian, and parliamentarian, Ambassador Michael Oren has devoted his life to serving Israel and the Jewish people around the world.

As a Member of Knesset and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, he interacted with foreign leaders and defended Israel in the media. He spearheaded efforts to strengthen Israel-Diaspora relations, to develop the Golan Heights, and to fight BDS. As Chairman of a classified subcommittee, he dealt with some of Israel’s most sensitive security issues.

Prior to that, for nearly five years, Oren served as Israel's Ambassador to the United States. He was instrumental in obtaining US defense aid, especially for the Iron Dome system, and American loan guarantees for Israel's economy. He built bridges with diverse communities across the nation, wrote dozens of op-eds and conducted hundreds of media interviews, fortifying the U.S.-Israel alliance.

A graduate of Princeton and Columbia, Dr. Oren was a visiting professor at Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown. He holds four honorary doctorates and was awarded the Statesman of the Year Medal by the Washington Institute for Near East and the Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy Prize for International Service. His last three books—Six Days of War; Power, Faith, and Fantasy, and Ally: My Journal Across the American-Israel Divide—were all New York Times bestsellers. He received the Los Angeles Times History Book of the Year Award, a National Humanities prize, and the Jewish Book Award.

Frequently interviewed by the U.S. and international press, he has had appeared on the Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher shows, 60 Minutes, and the View. He was the Middle East analyst for CBS and CNN.

Raised in New Jersey, Michael Oren made aliya in the 1970s, was an emissary to Jewish refuseniks in the Soviet Union and won two gold medals in the Maccabiah Games. In the Israel Defense Forces, he served as a Lone Soldier in the paratroopers and as an IDF Spokesman, participating in several wars and reaching the rank of major. He established the Lone Soldier caucus in the Knesset.

Michael Oren was named by Politico as one of the fifty most influential thinkers in America, by the Forward as one of the five most influential Jews in America, and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the ten most influential Jews worldwide. 

Souad Mekhennet is an award-winning journalist and book author who defies simple characterization. Her significant contributions to public discourse and global understanding are uniquely forged through a combination of her professional acumen and pathbreaking determination as a German woman of Moroccan and Turkish parentage. Souad’s immense cultural fluency sheds light on the evils of our time, but also support justice. Her dangerous encounters read like scenes from an action thriller, but also portray unparalleled humanity. Whether in the remote tribal regions of Pakistan, attending global gatherings in Dubai or Switzerland, on the streets of European capitals, or visiting mosques and synagogues across the United States, Souad’s reporting consistently challenges assumptions and breaks down barriers between people.

Based in Washington and Frankfurt, Souad Mekhennet is a national security Staff writer for The Washington Post where she was part of the reporting team recognized as Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2019. Souad first reported for The Post in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, delving into the background of the Hamburg cell and writing on the threat al-Qaeda posed in Europe, North Africa and the Gulf. She was part of The Post’s coverage of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In 2004, she began a long interlude at The New York Times where she produced some of the most defining insights into the Bush administration’s war on terrorism, most notably the CIA’s botched rendition of Khalid el-Masri, a German citizen. Souad returned to The Post in 2014 and helped unmask the identity of terrorist Jihadi John. Known for closely monitoring activity within terror networks, she has many times been the first to break news and publish front page stories, such as reporting the death of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the leader of the group behind the 2015 Paris attacks, 15 hours before government confirmation and other media.

In her deeply reported memoir, I Was Told to Come Alone: My Journey Behind the Lines of Jihad, Souad recounts how she went to jihadi strongholds to interview the leaders of and the converts to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and the Islamic State. A product and champion of liberal democracy who is culturally and linguistically at home across the Arab world, Mekhennet is fair-minded and fearless as she seeks to find out who these people are and what motivates them. The book provides offers unique access and insight across countries.

Michele Rigby Assad began her career in the government relations department of an international relief and development organization in Washington, DC, in 1995. She joined the CIA in January 2002 to work as an intelligence officer in the Directorate of Operations, the covert arm of the agency. Specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence issues, Michele worked in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. After a decade of government service, Michele left the undercover life to serve as a public speaker, author, trainer, and international security consultant focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.

Her book, Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For, released in 2018, is currently in production to be made into a major motion picture.

Michele holds a master's degree in contemporary Arab studies from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a political science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Michele credits student-led mission trips to Egypt, Russia, and Ukraine and a study abroad program in Egypt, Israel, and the West Bank as being the catalysts for her passion for foreign cultures and international travel. The year she spent studying in the Middle East changed the course of her life, taking her from rural central Florida to the front lines of the war on terror.

Michele is motivated to use her unique platform to educate and inspire, showing how critical courage is to live a life of impact and purpose. Michele writes about her many passions at her website, where she features articles on counterterrorism, personal security, the Middle East, faith, and inspiration.

A foreign policy columnist for National Review, domestic policy columnist for Opportunity Lives, and a book reviewer for The Washington Free Beacon, Tom is a Washington D.C. based analysis journalist.

At just 30 years-old, he was the youngest panelist in the history of the multi-award winning television debate show, The McLaughlin Group.

Tom has written multiple times on many different topics for media outlets including The Telegraph, The Guardian, CNN, The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, Fox News, The Weekly Standard, Reuters, USA Today, The Washington Times and The Washington Post. 

He has also been a repeat guest for the BBC, Fox News, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and Al Jazeera. Tom Rogan now hosts The McLaughlin Group.

Izzy Ezagui, a decorated squad commander in the Israel Defense Forces, is the only soldier in the world who lost an arm in combat and returned to the battlefield.

In 2011, former President Shimon Peres awarded him one of Israel's highest military honors. While he continues to serve in an elite unit in the reserves, Izzy delivers inspirational talks across the United States and internationally.

He has appeared on Huffington Post Live, Al Jazeera America, and Fox News.

The Algemeiner chose Izzy as one of 100 people positively influencing Jewish life. He also raises millions of dollars for hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and other charities, such as the Birthright Foundation.

He has worked with amputee organizations, schools, colleges, universities, hedge funds, and corporate events for companies such as Nike and Apple. 

Widely considered the most powerful woman in Israel since Golda Meir, Tzipi Livni is a former Foreign Minister of Israel, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Leader of the Opposition. A politician, diplomat and lawyer, she is known for her efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Livni has served in eight different cabinet positions throughout her career, setting the record for most government roles held by an Israeli woman. Consequently, she has achieved a number of milestones in Israeli government, as the first female Vice Prime Minister, Justice Minister, Agriculture Minister, Immigration and Absorption Minister, and Housing Minister.

Named one of "150 Women Who Shake the World" by Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and included in the "Time 100" and Forbes' "100 Most Powerful Women," Livni has been sought-out to speak everywhere from The World Economic Forum to Fortune's "Most Powerful Women" Summit.

Ambassador Itamar Rabinovich is Israel's former Ambassador to the United States and former Chief Negotiator with Syria in the mid 1990's. He is professor emeritus of Middle Eastern history at Tel Aviv University and distinguished global professor at NYU. He has recently completed an eight-year term as president of Tel Aviv University.

Ms. Soderberg brings her to the table her breadth of experience in the formation of US foreign policy, including promoting peace in Northern Ireland, participating in a United Nations mission to Indonesia and East Timor, negotiating key United Nations resolutions regarding the Middle East and Africa, conducting shuttle diplomacy in Latin America, assisting in the development of the Clinton Administration’s policy of political economic normalization with Vietnam and advising President Clinton on policies regarding China, Japan, Russia, Angola, the Balkans, Haiti, as well as several conflicts in Africa. With nearly twenty years of experience in the formation of U.S. foreign policy, Nancy Soderberg has been involved in most of the conflicts around the world and speaks and writes regularly on national security issues. Ms. Soderberg is highly qualified to discuss today’s crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, Africa and the Middle East and what effects peacekeeping, terrorism, nonproliferation, and the United Nations can have on the outcomes.

Daniel Jonah Goldhagen is the bestselling author of the #1 international bestseller Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust. His latest book is The Devil That Never Dies: The Rise and Threat of Global Antisemitism.

Credited with generating more international discussion than any book in recent history, Dr. Goldhagen is a spellbinding, natural speaker who conveys complex thoughts and answers questions with clarity, authority and directness.

With a wealth of experience and an unparalleled depth of research into the macroeconomic and the geopolitical landscape of the MENA region, Florence Eid-Oakden is highly sought-after by audiences eager to benefit from her considerable expertise. An accomplished speaker, Eid-Oakden's presentations are seamlessly put together. Her messages are powerful and effective, delivered in her personal and highly professional style. She presents in English, Arabic, French and Spanish 

Rosenblatt's weekly column in The Jewish Week, "Between The Lines" has won first-place awards from the New York State Press Association, and is syndicated each week by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency to Jewish newspapers throughout the country. Rosenblatt has been a contributor to the Los Angeles Times Op Ed page and has served on the boards of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Student Press Service. He is also a founder of the Gralla Fellows Program at Brandeis University for Journalists in the Jewish Press, and is chairman of the Fund for Jewish Investigative Journalism.