Our Keystone Speaker Series is not to be missed.
Established in 2015, the Keystone Speaker series is an annual FPA event featuring an internationally known diplomat or an expert in foreign policy. The event draws a very large audience and has contributed to the growth of the organization. Here are our current and past Keystone Speakers:
2025 – March 20
Daniel C. Kurtzer
Daniel C. Kurtzer is the S. Daniel Abraham Professor of Middle East Policy Studies at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. He began his 29-year career in the State Department serving as a junior officer in the U.S. Embassy in Cairo when President Sadat was assassinated in 1981. Ambassador Kurtzer went on to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to both Israel and Egypt. He was also a speechwriter for and member of Secretary of State George Shultz’s Policy Planning Staff; and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs and as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Research.
Topic: Israel-Palestine and the Future of the Middle East
FOR REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE
2024 – March 21
Marie Yovanovitch
Senior Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and nonresident fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2016-19 when President Zelensky first came to power. Later removed from per position, she was called to testify before the House Intelligence Committee in November, 2019. With the Midtown Bookstore, we will be having a book signing at our venue for her recently published book, Lessons from The Edge, A Memoir.
Topic: The Future of War in Europe and Ukraine
2022 – October 27
Jill Dougherty
Centennial Fellow at Georgetown University
Global Fellow and Russian and Soviet Union Expert at the Wilson Center’s Keenan Institute
Thirty five year career with CNN as a White House Correspondent, Foreign Affairs Correspondent for the US State Department, US Affairs Editor for CNN Asia Pacific, and CNN Moscow Bureau Chief.
Topic: The Future of the U.S. – Russia Relationship
2019 – October
Christine Wormuth
United States Secretary of the Army since 2021
Director of Rand Corporation’s International Security and Defense Policy Center
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Topic: National Security Issues in the 2020 Election
2018 – Philip Mudd
Former Deputy Director of the CIA Counterterrorism Center
Former Deputy Director of the FBI National Security Branch
CNN Counterterrorism Analyst
Topic: Terrorism, Counterterrorism and the West
2017 – Ambassador Alexander Vershbow
Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Russia, and South Korea
Topic: How to Improve East – West Relations
2016 – General Michael Hayden
Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency
Topic: American Intelligence Community Since 9/11
2015 – Ambassador William Burns
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency since 2021
17th United States Deputy Secretary of State
Former Acting United States Secretary of State
Topic: U.S. Foreign Policy in the 21st Century
