The Current Impact of Today’s US Immigration System & Policies

Real World Ramifications for the TriState, Historical Context and Possible Solutions

An Evening with Dr. Bryan Wright,
Julie LeMaster, Esq. & Doug Halpert, Esq.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019
5:30 p.m. Reception/6:15 p.m. Dinner/7:00 p.m. Presentation

Dr. Bryan Wright

Dr. Bryan Wright

Dr. Bryan Wright is the Executive Director of Cincinnati Compass, a collaborative project of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, City of Cincinnati, and more than 65 community partners who believe that immigrants and refugees are key contributors to a strong regional economy and a diverse, vibrant community. Most of his career focuses on immigrant and refugee integration toward inclusive economic development.

Julie LeMaster

Julie LeMaster

Julie LeMaster, Esq. is Founder/Executive Director of the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center, which provides free legal services to low-income immigrant and refugee families through Community Learning Centers in Cincinnati Public Schools. Julie is a passionate human rights lawyer with extensive experience with these issues. She works locally, nationally and globally to advance human rights and gender equality, most recently in conflict affected countries, and has a deep understanding of issues facing these communities.

Doug Halpert

Doug Halpert

Douglas Halpert, Esq. is Partner of Hammond Law Group LLC with 31 years’ experience representing companies, universities, not-for-profits, students and professionals in navigating the work visa, permanent residence (green card) and naturalization process, and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for over a quarter century.

Dr. Wright and attorneys LeMaster and Halpert will discuss the immigration system and policies including their impact on TriState companies, universities, not-for-profits, and families with a focus on the latest regulatory and policy developments; legislative, regulatory and policy choices for Congress and the Administration; and perspective on the current dynamic in terms of U.S. immigration history and how other countries handle immigration.

Event sponsored by:

U.S. Image Abroad: The Ongoing Case for the U.S. Peace Corps

An evening with Steve Driehaus
Wednesday, April 17, 2019

5:30-7 p.m. – Reception & Dinner
7:00-8:30 p.m. – Presentation and Discussion

Schiff Conference Center
Cintas Center at Xavier University

Steve Driehaus is a former Member of Congress and four term State Representative from Cincinnati. In addition to serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal ’88-‘90, he spent six years as Country Director for Peace Corps in Swaziland and Morocco from 2011-2017.

Steve is currently the Executive Director of Cincinnati Compass, Cincinnati’s welcoming initiative for immigrants, and the Managing Partner of the Good Government Group.

Established in 1961, the Peace Corps has sent over 230,000 Volunteers to 141 countries around the world. There are currently 7,376 volunteers and trainees serving in 65 countries. While the foreign policy direction of the United States changes with each administration, Peace Corps remains a constant and integral presence in developing countries across the globe. Steve will discuss the relevance of the Peace Corps, 58 years in, and its ongoing contribution to US foreign policy.

Event Sponsored by:

World Affairs Council

Populism on the Rise

Populism on the Rise: What Does This Mean for Minority Communities in Germany and Europe?

Presented by Stefan Schlüter
Monday, October 22, 2018

11:45 am to noon – Check in
Noon – 1:30 pm – Lunch and Presentation

Schiff Conference Center, Cintas Center at Xavier University

Stefan Schlüter will speaking on Jewish life in Germany, Germany’s coming to terms with its past, German-Israeli relations, rising anti-Semitism and populism in Europe. In addition, the meetings will provide opportunities to discuss these and a wider range of topics, such as transatlantic relations, migration issues and refugee policy, developments in the EU, Brexit, and the Middle East conflict.

Mr. Schlüter has been engaged with the Jewish community for many years and strongly believes German diplomats have an obligation to reach out to Jewish communities due to the legacy of the Holocaust. After studying political science at the University of Hamburg, Mr. Schlüter went to Israel as a 23-year-old in 1975 and lived on Kibbutz Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem.

He joined the German Foreign Office in 1979, and was sent to Buenos Aires, where he met his wife, and then Algiers before moving to Tel Aviv as spokesman for the German Embassy. While in Tel Aviv from 1986 to 1990, his daughter was born. During diplomatic postings in Los Angeles (where is his son attended a synagogue preschool), New York as Deputy Consul General, and San Francisco as Consul General, Mr. Schlüter engaged in dialogue with Jewish organizations and at synagogues about Germany’s relationship with the Jewish people and organized several trips to Germany for rabbis. In the summer of 2017, he left the German Foreign Service and currently serves as a Program Director at the Foreign Officer’s Diplomatic Academy in Berlin.

Event sponsored by:

Business and Human Rights: Progress in addressing modern slavery in Asian supply chains

SEAN LEES, Business and Human Rights Specialist
July 10, 2018 from 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Reception @ 6:15 p.m.
Dinner – 7:00-8:30 p.m. followed by
Presentation and Discussion

Schiff Conference Center
Cintas Center at Xavier University
1624 Herald Avenue, Cincinnati OH 45207

There are more than 45 million victims of modern slavery today, working across agricultural, electronics, garment and other industries. Greater collaboration between businesses, government and communities is leading to change in Asia, though the threat of divestment campaigns, consumer boycotts, lawsuits, and associated reputational risks remain. What are the structural and political forces driving these abuses, and what more can business leaders, lawyers, and consumers do to put them to an end?

Sean Lees is the Business and Human Rights Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) covering Asia-Pacific. He has worked on human rights and justice issues for the United Nations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Fiji, Sudan, Thailand and Uzbekistan, among other places. Prior to this, he worked as a lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. He is a Cincinnati native.

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