Category Archives: US Federal Agencies

SPECIAL EVENT – Thursday, October 16 from 6PM-8PM

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THE U.S. MILITARY AND ITS ROLE TODAY: WHAT’S GOING ON?

Brigadier General (Ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D. will join us on Thursday, October 16 for an off-the-record conversation.

  • What’s the role of the U.S. military today, and how is it changing since January 20?
  • What ethical issues face personnel?
  • How do changes under way affect U.S. foreign policy and life in the United States and abroad?
Dinner and the program will be held at The Literary Club, 500 East Fourth Street, America’s oldest continuously operating literary club. Doors open at 5:30PM, dinner at 6PM, event program from 6:30PM-7:15PM, Q&A session and networking from 7:15PM-8PM.

Seats are Limited – Registration and Reservations are Required!

OUR EVENT SPEAKER

Brigadier General (Ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D.

General Xenakis has advised the Joint Chief of Staff Chairman and Defense Department on care and support to service members and their families. A practicing psychiatrist, he writes, lectures, and appears regularly on national radio and television about military and security matters.

An Adjunct Professor at the Uniformed Services of Health Sciences of the Military Medical Department at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he is actively engaged with Physicians for Human Rights and Human Rights First. He is the only retired military general and physician to speak out publicly against torture and the involvement of healthcare practitioners in torture.

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he serves on the Executive Board of the Center for Ethics and Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the editorial board of the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law. 

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SPECIAL EVENT & GUEST SPEAKER –
Wednesday, October 1st from 7PM-8PM

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Lessons from the Edge:
A conversation with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Her Excellency Marie Yovanovitch

Ambassador Marie YovanovitchAmbassador Marie Yovanovitch will join the Foreign Policy Leadership Council by a special Zoom Conference Presentation from 7PM-8PM the evening of Wednesday, October 1st, 2025.

The Ambassador is author of a best-selling memoir, Lessons from the Edge, and is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as well as at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.

Board Member Mr. Joe Dehner, founding President of the Cincinnati Kharkiv Sister Cities Program, will lead the conversation about Ukraine, Russia, and other matters over her career as a Foreign Service Officer.

Former FPLC speaker Madeline Albright hailed Lessons from the Edge as “essential reading for current policymakers, aspiring public servants, and anyone who cares about America’s role in the world.” The memoir includes a report of her support for a Cincinnati Sister Cities delegation caught in the turmoil of recent years in Ukraine.

NOTE: This will be a Zoom only conference for attendance by FPLC members and guests. There is NO CHARGE, but advance registration is required. Zoom link access information will be sent to you upon completing the registration process.

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SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT SPECIAL DINNER EVENT – Thursday, September 11 from 6PM-8PM

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Hello Everyone,

After a longer-than-expected break, we’re thrilled to finally be back and happy to announce that our regular events programming is officially a go! We’ve missed connecting with all of you and are so excited to kick things off again with an event that promises to inspire and energize.

Mark your calendars for September 11, 2025, when we’ll be welcoming a truly remarkable speaker and guest, Dr. Richard J. Harknett. As we gather on this very significant date – one that forever changed our understanding of security and resilience – we confront a new frontier of threats that transcend borders and challenge the very foundations of global stability. His insights and expertise are sure to make this gathering one to remember, whether you’re a familiar face or joining us for the first time.

Stay tuned for all the details below. We can’t wait to see you there!

Cyber Persistence and Int’l Security: Insights from the Russo-Ukraine Conflict and Kettering Health

In today’s hyperconnected world, cyberspace is both our greatest asset and our greatest Achilles’ heel. Every transaction, every communication, every critical system we depend on is part of a vast, invisible network that never sleeps. Yet with this connectivity comes unprecedented risk. Nations are racing to strengthen their cyber defenses, deploying bold new strategies to protect critical infrastructure, prevent espionage, and neutralize threats before they strike.

Our special dinner event presentation takes you inside the evolving playbook of national cybersecurity, where cutting-edge technology, intelligence operations, and strategic planning converge. You’ll discover how the same principles that protect a country in times of war can be applied to stopping cybercrime in your own backyard, shielding businesses from catastrophic breaches, and safeguarding your personal digital footprint.

Cybersecurity is no longer a distant government concern, it’s the modern battlefield, and we are all part of this confrontation.   

The question is: Can we and WILL we be ready?

***

The event will be held at The Literary Club, 500 East Fourth Street (across from Lytle Park), America’s oldest continuously operating literary club. Doors open at 5:30PM, dinner at 6PM, event program from 6:30PM-7:15PM, Q&A session and networking  from 7:15PM-8PM.

Seats are Limited – Registration and Reservations are Required!

OUR EVENT SPEAKER

Richard J. Harknett, PhDRichard J. Harknett, PhD is Professor and Director of the Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy at the University of Cincinnati, where he also co-directs the Ohio Cyber Range Institute, a state-wide organization supporting cyber education, workforce, economic, and research development. He is Board Member and Faculty Liaison for the Portman Center for Policy Solutions.

He served as Scholar-in-Residence at US Cyber Command and continues in a support role. He has presented both policy briefings and academic research in 15 countries, on Capitol Hill, and to various US Federal and State government agencies. Professor Harknett has held two Fulbright Scholar appointments: in Cyber Studies at Oxford University in the UK, and in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, Austria, where he continues to hold a non-resident professor appointment.

He has authored over 60 publications including the co-authored book Cyber Persistence Theory: Redefining National Security in Cyberspace (Oxford Univ. Press, 2022) and has contributed to raising over $60 million in institutional and research grant and philanthropic financial support.

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09-11

 

Disarray & Disaster in the Taliban’s Afghanistan

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Please join us for a special, exclusive event featuring Lt. Tom Schram, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer, who specializes in the study and reporting on national security and political-economic events in China, the Western Pacific, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.

Thursday, November 18 at 6:30PM EST (Zoom)

The disaster and chaos in Afghanistan just keep getting worse. With the government unable to pay its bills, the infrastructure crumbling, the ruthless treatment of remaining Afghans who could not escape during the U.S./NATO airlift, the ruling Taliban are finding it complex and difficult to govern and manage as they change from fighting a war to state building, all in a failing economy with no workable financial system in place.

The Taliban’s approach to government has been and continues to be a strict Sharia law under a vicious theocracy. Their merciless approach to those not conforming exactly to these beliefs knows no mercy for those left behind following the U.S. departure. Women’s rights are almost non-existent.

Our evening presentation will touch on the history of the region, previous conquests, topographic challenges, war after 9/11, the evacuation debacle and the poor planning decisions by National Command Authority. Last but not least, our speaker will discuss the strategic implications for the U.S. and the world going forward.

Tom SchramOur Presenting Guest Speaker

Tom Schram holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1969. Tom also has an MBA degree in marketing and finance from the Shidler School of Business, University of Hawaii. He was commissioned in the Navy’s Restricted Line and served 7.5 years as a special intelligence officer in the Naval Security Group. He was stationed in both Japan and Okinawa while serving on multiple deployments. In 1973, he was assigned to NSGA Anchorage, AK as Executive Officer. He resigned his commission in late 1976.

His specialty was electronic intelligence collection while serving in the Naval Security Group. He played a role in the Saigon evacuation in 1975. After leaving the Navy, he had an eclectic career starting with Procter & Gamble where he worked in manufacturing, research & development, advertising brand management, and sales. He was a co-owner of an advertising agency that he helped grow from $2M/year in revenue to $12M over five years. He ran a ballistics research firm for eight years, helped start a microbrewery and led an Internet security firm who had developed an unbreakable firewall.

Tom’s innovative approach in each of his endeavors led to patents and unique business opportunities. However, he never lost his interest in discovering and publishing about world events. For the past twenty years, he has been deeply involved in studying and reporting on geopolitical events around the world with special focus on the Middle East, Afghanistan, and China. His resurgence in learning about all things geopolitical began on 9/11/2001 when he lost his very close friend and USNA classmate in the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the attack on America. Most recently, Tom played a direct role in assisting 757 Afghan refugees flee in the recent aftermath of the Taliban takeover and is now currently assisting another group of refugees who desperately need to evacuate Afghanistan.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO OF THE PRESENTATION