Alaska World Affairs Council has been operating in Anchorage longer than Alaska has been a state. WACA is pleased to recognize Alaska World Affairs Co uncil as our Council of the Month as they celebrate their milestone 60th Anniversary w ith the theme of "Bringing the World to Alaska."

With President & CEO Lise Falskow at the Council's helm for the past 11 years, and a dynamite team of staff, board members, and volunteers, Alaska WAC has grown significantly from the days of only one full-time employee.

Through regular lunch programs, coffee chats, VIP dinners, school visits, evening programs, trivia night, speed mentoring, and Academic WorldQuest, the Council reaches almost 4,000 Alaskans directly, 1,600 students, and 40,000 people indirectly when their lunch and evening programs were rebroadcast through their NPR affiliate. Social media outreach touches over 15,000 people each month.

Additionally, we wish a fond farewell to Alaska WAC Deputy Director Alyssa Bish , who will attend grad school in the fall, and a warm welcome to her successor, Rachel Williams !

Dr. Nina Ansary , Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) Centre for Women, Peace and Security, and one of six UN Women Champions for Innovation

Ray Rothrock, Chairman and CEO of  RedSeal, a Sunnyvale, CA-based provider of network security solutions, and author of Digital Resilience

Further announcements on National Conference speakers and other program details will be made in the coming weeks.

The Conference Registration website will launch next week. Book your room at our special group rate now!

The  World Affairs Councils of America 2018 National Conference will be held November 7-9 at the Mayflower Hotel  in Washington, DC. 

We have secured a special group rate: 1 Bedroom Suite / Standard Room :  $259 per night  (Single/Double Occupancy) plus tax. Click here to reserve your room!

A generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall, d emonstrations have broken out from Belgium to Brazil led by angry citizens demanding a greater say in their political and economic future, better education, healthcare, and living standards. The bottom line of this outrage is the same: people are demanding their governments to do more to improve their lives faster.

In her new book,  Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth - and How to Fix It , Dambisa Moyo sets out the specific, radical solutions needed to resolve these issues and reignite global growth.

Join our  Cover to Cover  con ference call with Moyo on  Tuesday, July 10, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET .

WACA is pleased to partner with the editors of PRISM , a quarterly journal published by the Center for Complex Operations at National Defense University (NDU).

Council staff and members may contact the WACA National Office to receive a complimentary subscription to PRISM. The journal aims to illuminate and provoke debate on whole-of-government efforts to conduct reconstruction, stabilization, counterinsurgency, and irregular warfare operations. The current issue focuses on countering weapons of mass destruction.

As one of many benefits t o our members, WACA offers discounts on some of the world's most renowned publications. Get reduced rates on The Economist , Foreign Affairs , Foreign Policy , and more!

The World Affairs Forum has appointed Stamford, Connecticut resident Wendy Skratt as Executive Director effective July 1, 2018. Formerly Director of Communications & Events at the Forum, Wendy says her top priorities will be expanding membership and enhancing public awareness of world affairs programs. For those of you who were not able to meet her at the WACA Spring Leadership Meeting in San Antonio, please extend a warm welcome to Wendy.

 

Kay J. Maxwell , Executive Director since 2007, announced her retirement effective June 30. “Kay’s dedication and conscientious leadership helped the World Affairs Forum navigate the Great Recession and transformed it into a more accessible and sustainable membership organization,” said Board Chairman Bas Nabulsi .

Luke Navratil graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Government and Politics from University of Maryland in May 2018. He also completed minors in Global Terrorism Studies and International Development /Conflict Management. During his time at UMD, he interned for START, a terrorism analysis think tank, and assisted professors on the FORGE project, researching foundations of rebel group emergence. 

Welcome, Luke! Glad to have you join us.

The posting for WACA's Fall 2018 Internships is now live. We seek two enthusiastic, hard-working college students (or recent graduates) who are interested in programs and outreach - and of course, foreign policy! Visit our website for details on how to apply.

Travel with  Council Leaders - hear them lecture on Travel the World tours from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia!