Event: Books & Brews

Because the publishing industry and the topic of focus demand attention, I’m pleased to announce the following.

Two weeks hence I’ll join a panel of very experienced members of the foreign affairs community to learn about their recent books and give some backstory about my own forthcoming work, Profiles in Service.

On the eve of Foreign Affairs Day, the event recognizes the dedicated service of America’s diplomatic corps in these difficult times for the entire foreign affairs community. What do we think of America’s role in the world today? Come and see.

The Panelists

Ted Osius served as a diplomat for thirty years, including from 2014 to 2017 as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam. Prior to that, he was posted as Deputy Chief of Mission in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Political Minister-Counselor in New Delhi, India. Osius also served as deputy director of the Office of Korean Affairs at the State Department, regional environment officer for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and senior advisor on Asia and trade to Vice President Al Gore.

Steve Herman is the chief national correspondent for the Voice of America. He is also a Council on Foreign Relations higher education ambassador and has served for eight years on the board of governors of the American Foreign Service Association.

J. Michael Cleverley spent over thirty years as an American Foreign Service officer with the Department of State. Now officially retired, he still takes temporary assignments with the State Department, teaches university political science and economics, and is a member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs. Mike served as Deputy U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. agencies in Rome and Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassies in Athens and Helsinki. He also worked at the American missions in Pretoria, London, Milan.

I’ll present views on the question at hand as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and the impact Peace Corps had on the careers of first-generation RPCVs who later served as ambassador.

Most sincere appreciation to fellow Virginia Writers Club member and events coordinator David Wessel for arranging and moderating this panel discussion. I also appreciate the Port City Brewery for opening up their space to us for this event. I’m down for a Monumental IPA.

Hope you can join us.

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