Global I.Q. Podcast

ABOUT THE PANELISTS: Sam Brownback currently serves as co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit, is a senior fellow at Global Christian Relief, and is chairman of the National Committee for Religious Freedom. While serving as ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom under the Trump Administration from 2018 until 2021, Brownback focused on highlighting cases of religious discrimination in various countries such as China and Iran and worked with organizations and coalitions promoting international competence. He began his career in Kansas in 1986 and became the youngest Secretary of Agriculture in that state’s history. Brownback won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995 and was elected to the U.S. Senate a year later, where he continued to work on international relations concerning religion while involved in the Senate Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Brownback was elected governor of Kansas in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Rabbi David Saperstein was the Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, having been appointed in December 2014 until 2017 by President Obama. Acting as a key advisor to President Obama and Secretary Kerry, he played a pivotal role in shaping policies on international religious freedom. His dedication to promoting the importance of religious freedom worldwide is evidenced by his role as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Ambassador Saperstein served for 40 years as director of the Religious Action Center segment of American Jewry. He also worked as a rabbi and an attorney for 35 years, teaching seminars in First Amendment church-state law and Jewish law at Georgetown University Law Center. Saperstein has also served on many boards including the NAACP and Common Cause and he was named the most influential rabbi by Newsweek in 2009. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Cornell University, a master of Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and a juris doctor from American University. Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett serves as president of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice which she upholds in honor of her father, the late Congressmen Tom Lantos. Lantos Swett is the former chair and vice-chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and now teaches human rights and American foreign policy at Tufts University. She was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit from the Republic of Hungary for continuing her father’s efforts on behalf of the ethnic minorities in Hungary. She earned a political science degree from Yale University, a juris doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Southern Denmark. ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Dr. Bob Roberts is the founder of GlocalNet, co-founder of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network, and president of the Institute of Global Engagement. Roberts has garnered admiration and acknowledgment from the United Nations, the United States Department of State, and the World Economic Forum. In addition to his extensive background in peacemaking concerning religious freedom, Roberts was awarded the prestigious Uniter Award in 2022 for his efforts to build bridges among diverse faith communities across the U.S. He has led Northwood Church for over 30 years, where he currently presides as the founding global pastor. Roberts has published six books and is the host of the Bold Love Podcast. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and holds a doctorate of ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary.

The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit just a few weeks ago revealed the ever-growing presence of nonwestern nations arraying themselves against NATO and the West. The BRICS nations share one common concern: U.S. sanctions on global trade and investment. New alliances and old enemies make understanding U.S. foreign policy a requirement rather than an elective. The world is smaller and faster in this communications age. Not only do relations with China, the Middle East, climate change, terrorism, and global health matter, but understanding how the world views our exporting of our own ethics and values through foreign policy is an important reason to engage in your future and our country’s future. Join postdoctoral fellows Augusta Dell’Omo, Ashlyn Hand, and Jonathan Ng in the 2023 Gail Koppman History Lecture to gain a deeper insight into the forces that are shaping our world and the current state of U.S. foreign policy. Moderated by Jeff Engel. About the Lecture: Gail Koppman was a passionate educator, voracious reader and lifelong learner. Born in Philadelphia, Gail graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964. She began teaching in the Terrell and Richardson school districts and later taught economics at Richland Junior College. After raising her children, Gail taught social studies for more than 20 years at Good Shepherd Episcopal School. In addition to teaching her students study skills and instilling a work ethic that would benefit them throughout their lives, Gail hoped to spark a lifelong curiosity about history, current events and the world. Her dedication to education was recognized over the years in the countless letters and emails that she received and treasured from former students and their parents. Gail valued the educational contributions of the Council to the DFW community. Not only did she enjoy attending programs, she also appreciated bringing her students to various events and introducing them to different views and ideas. In honor and remembrance of Gail and her lifelong dedication to education, her husband, Ed, and daughter, Katherine, have established the endowed Gail Koppman History Lecture. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR His Excellency, Jean-Arthur Regibeau, Belgian Ambassador to the United States The Ambassador represents His Majesty The King of the Belgians and Belgium’s federal government in the United States of America and in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. He is responsible for the direction and work of the Embassy and its Consulates, including bilateral political and economic relations, visa and consular services. ABOUT THE MODERATOR Tara M. Lause serves as the Director for Global Pursuits Northern Europe at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. In this role, she acts as the senior company advisor for the Northern European Command (EUCOM) region, overseeing key customer relationships for Aeronautics products, including the F-35, F-16, and C-130. Lause, with over 20 years of experience at Lockheed Martin, has previously worked as a Capture Manager for the UK, Denmark, and Ireland, identifying new business opportunities. She began her career with Lockheed Martin in 2002 as a software engineer on the F-35 program and has led significant initiatives, including the F-35 Engineering organizational redesign in 2014. Lause holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science in Project Management from George Washington University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

. . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Kevin Cassidy is currently the director and representative to the Bretton Woods and Multilateral Organizations for the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for the U.S. Prior to his appointment, Cassidy served as the senior communications and economic and social affairs officer for 11 years in the ILO office for the United Nations with additional responsibility for partnerships in North America. Cassidy worked with member states to organize heads of state/government and ministerial level events highlighting decent work as well as introducing policy language on key development issues into the resolutions and outcomes documents of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee and the Commissions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Before his assignments in New York, Cassidy was Chief Technical Adviser for the ILO’s Global Campaign on Promoting Fundamental Rights at Work. Prior to joining the ILO, he worked for the Aga Khan Foundation in London as the operations, communications, and partnership director. Throughout his career Cassidy has working in several UN offices including the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) on the issue of landmines, the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (Boutros Boutros-Ghali and Ban Ki-moon), the UN Department of Public Information and the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS), New York. David Evans is the Managing Partner of Sentiero Ventures, an early-stage venture fund that invests in artificial intelligence enabled software businesses. He is a serial entrepreneur & technologist who started coding at 14, launched his first company at 19, and has exited multiple times as a founder and investor, including a national digital signage network that was sold to CBS and an Inc 500 eCommerce company that was sold to a strategic buyer. He’s also an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Dallas and sits on the Mentor Committee of the United Way Social Innovation Accelerator. David C Williams is the assistance vice president of hyper-automation at AT&T. He began his career with AT&T in the Network Technology Organization and has been featured on D CEO, NBC, Fox, ABC, EBONY, Black Enterprise and more. He has held a number of roles and assignments from Training, Data Center management, Enterprise support, Customer Experience, and Chief of Staff. In his current role Williams is responsible for hyper-automation to transform customer/employee experiences and cost structure for his organization. He is recipient of 2023 D CEO Corporate Innovator, 2022 & 2023 Tech Team of the Year Stevie Award, 2022 NSBE Outstanding Technical Contribution Award, 2021 Legacy Award recipient at Black Engineer of the Year STEM Global Conference, 2x Dream in Black winner, 2x AT&T Champion of Diversity Award winner, a proud mentor of multiple Employee Groups, & Diversity Ambassador. Margot Carter is President of Living Mountain Capital and Co-Founder of https://www.cien.ai/, an artificial intelligence company for improving sales productivity. She previously served on the Board of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and was past president of AJC North Texas and currently serves on the Board of Governors of AJC. Most recently, Carter was named a Most Influential Director by Women Inc, 2020 Outstanding Director by the DBJ and 2020 Top 50 Future Innovator and Disruptor by D Magazine. She was also placed on D CEO’s 2021 and 2022 D500 “Most Powerful Business Leaders in North Texas” list. Carter holds a B.A. from Binghamton University, a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and a certificate in AI from MIT’s Sloan School.

Each year, The Economist publishes “The World Ahead” series: an informed prediction of the major themes that will dominate the coming year. Spanning topics from politics to technology to sociology and more, this series edited by Tom Standage is as ambitious as it is awe-inspiring. On December 8, Standage rejoins the Council to discuss his publication’s analysis for 2024. “The World Ahead” is one of the most prestigious launches in The Economist’s annual publishing calendar. This future-gazing publication prepares audiences for the year to come with mind-stretching insights and expert-level analysis. Written by The Economist correspondents and editors alongside globally recognized public figures, it is regarded as essential reading by individuals, professionals, and policymakers alike. It circulates in more than 90 countries, in 24 languages, to a world audience in excess of 2.8 million people. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Tom Standage is deputy editor of The Economist and editor of its future-gazing annual, “The World Ahead.” Standage directs the newspaper’s digital strategy and the development of new digital products and is the author of seven history books, including “Writing on the Wall” (2013), “The Victorian Internet” (1998) and “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” (2005). He studied engineering and computing at Oxford University and has written for other publications including the New York Times, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Wired. ABOUT THE MODERATOR Jim Falk, president emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, retired in March 2021 after serving as the organization’s president since 2001. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico he is member of the Board of Global Santa Fe where he chairs the program committee. Additionally, Jim co-hosts The McCuistion Program, a public affairs program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and honorary consul of Morocco. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Boston College Professor of History Heather Cox Richardson supplies her 1.2 million Substack subscribers with her interpretation of history and current events in her daily newsletter called Letters from an American. In her new book Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, Richardson argues that “America is at a crossroads. A country that once stood as the global symbol of democracy has been teetering on the brink of authoritarianism.” Still, Richardson remains optimistic about the country’s future. Kirkus Reviews said the book “show(s) her readers how history and the present are in constant conversation.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of history at Boston College. She has written about the Civil War, reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the American west in award-winning books whose subjects stretch from the European settlement of the North American continent to the history of the Republican Party through the Trump administration. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and The Guardian, among other outlets. She is the cohost of the Vox Media podcast, Now &Then. ABOUT THE MODERATOR Jeffrey A. Engel is founding director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University and professor in the Clements Department of History. He graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University. Engel also studied at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in American history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He taught American history, international relations, and grand strategy at the University of Wisconsin, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Haverford College. At Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government & Public Service he was a professor and director of programming for the Scowcroft Institute for International Affairs. Engel has authored or edited twelve books on American foreign policy. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Soft power – the ability to shape the preferences and behaviors of others through attraction and persuasion, rather than coercion, holds a significant place in today’s global landscape. Through a seemingly innocuous sport, the U.S. and China were able to thaw icy relations in the 1970s - “ping-pong diplomacy” - showcasing how cultural exchanges can bridge political divides. Korea has captured international attention through the global phenomenon of K-pop groups BTS and BlackPink, to Netflix’s most streamed show Squid Game, to the adaptation of Korean skincare. These show that soft power fosters understanding and appreciation and facilitates dialogue that can shape global perception in our interconnected world. About the Speakers: Jenna Gibson is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago, specializing in International Relations. Her research interests include diplomatic rhetoric, public and cultural diplomacy, soft power, South Korean politics and social issues, and U.S.-Korea relations. Gibson was a regular contributor to the Korea column for The Diplomat for three years and has also written about Korean social issues for other outlets including Foreign Policy, NPR, and the Carnegie Endowment. She was director of communications at the Korea Economic Institute of America. Previously, she lived in Korea as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. She holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from Georgetown University in 2015, and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2011. Suk-Young Kim is a professor of theater and performance studies and the associate dean of faculty and students at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television. Her focus is on unearthing the historical roots of today’s popular culture. She is the author of many books, including Utopia: Theater, Film, and Everyday Performance in North Korea, DMZ Crossing: Performing Emotional Citizenship Along the Korean Border, K-pop Live: Fans, Idols, and Multimedia Performance, and Way Ahead of Squid Game. She also co-authored Long Road Home: Testimony of a North Korean Camp Survivor and edited Cambridge Companion to K-Pop. Kim currently serves as a member of the Hong Kong Research Council and co-edits the Columbia University Press’ new book series Critical Voices from East Asia. Her commentary on Korean politics has been featured on major media outlets, such as: Billboard, CNN, NPR, NYP, WSJ, LA Times, and NBC. About the Moderator: Karl Ho, Ph.D. is Professor of Instruction and Director of Graduate Studies of Political Science in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. His research and teaching areas cover elections, public policy and political economy with a regional focus on East Asia and data science methods including survey data collection and analytics, big data collection and production, text mining and machine learning models. He is the co-Principal Investigator of the Hong Kong Election Study project, collecting election survey data since 2015. He is the author or co-author of various Asian focused articles in journals. His recent works were published in the books The Taiwan Voter (University of Michigan Press) and Taiwan's Political Re-Alignment and Diplomatic Challenges (Lynne Riener). He is co-editor of the 2021 book Taiwan: Environmental, Political and Social Issues (Nova Science). Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

“To deeply know and understand others is a way of life,” observes New York Times bestselling author David Brooks in his upcoming book, How to Know a Person. Drawing on insights from psychology, neuroscience, theater, philosophy, history, and education, Brooks presents a comprehensive approach to fostering meaningful human connections that prioritize empathy and understanding. USA Today said, “Original and eye-opening… Brooks is a normative version of Malcolm Gladwell, culling from a wide array of scientists and thinkers to weave an idea bigger than the sum of its parts.” The Council welcomes Brooks to Fort Worth for a discussion moderated by Talmage Boston. David Brooks is one of the nation’s leading writers and commentators. He is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, a writer for The Atlantic, and appears regularly on PBS Newshour. He is the bestselling author of The Second Mountain, The Road to Character, The Social Animal, Bobos in Paradise, and On Paradise Drive. ABOUT THE MODERATOR Talmage Boston is a partner at the Shackelford Law Firm in Dallas. He is a historian, author, speaker, and interviewer. Boston has spoken at the National Archives, six presidential libraries, 12 World Affairs Councils, and many universities. He is a former Council board member and is part of the Mallon Circle, an honorary body of members who have served the Council with distinction. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Congressman Colin Allred is currently serving his third term as the U.S. Representative for Texas’ 32nd Congressional District. Allred was born and raised in North Dallas where he was class president of Hillcrest High School and earned a full-ride football scholarship to Baylor University. He deferred his acceptance to law school to play in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, where he was a linebacker for five seasons before sustaining a career-ending injury. This opened the door for him to become a civil rights attorney. He served in the General Counsel’s office and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development before returning to Dallas. His congressional priorities include lowering health care costs, protecting Medicare and Social Security, and creating an economy that works for all Americans. About the Moderator: Christopher Connelly is a reporter covering issues related to financial instability and poverty for KERA’s One Crisis Away series. In 2015, he joined KERA to report on Fort Worth and Tarrant County. From Fort Worth, he also focused on politics and criminal justice stories. Before coming to Texas, Connelly covered the Maryland legislature for the NPR member station in Baltimore. He also worked at NPR as a Joan B. Kroc Fellow – one of three post-graduates who spend a year working as a reporter, show producer and digital producer at network HQ in Washington, DC. Connelly is a graduate of Antioch College in Ohio and he earned a master’s in journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate