U.S. Speaker Program

Meet U.S. Speaker Judi Greenwald! Ms. Greenwald is the Executive Director of the @Nuclear Innovation Alliance and has over 35 years of energy and environmental policy leadership experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, including the U.S. Congress, the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During her career she worked with stakeholders to advance both economic and environmental goals. She has focused on the interplay of public policy, technology innovation, human behavior, and markets. She also served at US DOE's Energy Policy and Systems Analysis Office and as fellow at Princeton University's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. Recently Ms. Greenwald spoke with audiences virtually in Malaysia on Protecting Natural Resources-Nuclear Energy. Congratulations on your successful program! #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

Meet U.S. Speaker, Warren Leon, the Executive Director of CESA, spoke on energy transition in Vienna and Graz as part of the third "Citizen Dialogue on Global Challenges" Speaker Program with the Austrian MFA. The program promoted transatlantic dialogue on decentralized energy policies with a focus on U.S. energy strategies, grid modernization, and financing models. It featured a range of activities, including keynote lectures, roundtable discussions, a media interview, and a visit to a company at the forefront of energy innovation. Congratulations on your successful program! #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

Meet U.S. Speaker Sam Vincent, men's basketball head coach and director of basketball operations at Beacon College, a school for students with learning differences. A former NBA player and world champion for the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Orlando Magic, Vincent transitioned to NBA and international coaching, including leading Nigeria's women's basketball team to the first ever victory by an African nation in an Olympic women's basketball game. Recently, he participated in a virtual program with audiences in Qatar, discussing sports and special needs training for volunteers. Sources: https://lnkd.in/esXWkNjE #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

U.S. Speaker Dr. Tom Markusic, American rocket scientist and founder of Firefly Aerospace, visited Kuwait from November 29 to December 4 as part of the U.S. Speaker Program. Markusic met with Kuwaiti scientists, engineers, and business leaders to discuss opportunities for the emerging space industry. His visit focused on how space technology could diversify Kuwait’s economy and create 21st century job opportunities for youth. On December 2, he delivered an inspiring talk at Kuwait University’s School of Engineering, sharing his journey from NASA scientist to space entrepreneur. Markusic also engaged with the newly established National Space Research Center at Kuwait University, learning about their plans to develop Kuwait SAT-2 with the help of student researchers. On December 3, he participated in interviews on Superstation 99.7 FM's "The Breakfast Show" and KTV2’s "Hala Kuwait." Markusic discussed his impressions of Kuwait, the purpose of his visit, and shared insights on space entrepreneurship, encouraging aspiring engineers and innovators to embrace perseverance, creativity, and collaboration. #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

Meet U.S. Speaker Hannah Cooper Klein, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Cooper/Smith, an organization that supports African governments to manage healthcare programs with limited resources. Prior to founding Cooper/Smith, she served as Team Lead for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Quality at the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), U.S. Department of State, where she developed the program’s first Evaluation Standards of Practice and streamlined global health metrics to reduce reporting burdens and improve data use. Hannah’s earlier experience includes work as a Results Specialist at the World Bank and leading strategic planning efforts at Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs. Hannah is a board member of the Global Health Council, an affiliate of multiple global health research centers, and a published author on topics such as AI, technology, and development, including contributions to The New York Times. Recently, U.S. Speaker Hannah Cooper Klein participated in a virtual program with audiences in Central African Republic to speak about security, global health, and advancing global health security. Sources: https://lnkd.in/et3HNBbm #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

On December 4, U.S. Speaker and Executive Director of Nuclear Innovation Alliance Judi Greenwald engaged in a lively virtual discussion with Malaysian industry leaders, policymakers, and technical experts, in partnership with U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur and Climate Governance Malaysia. In the first of a two-part series, Greenwald discussed the role of nuclear power in the energy transition and how it can help reduce carbon emissions. The series will continue in January 2025 with a discussion of practical applications for nuclear energy. Watch the program recording here: https://lnkd.in/eHkrvsdn Judi Greenwald brings over 35 years of energy and environmental policy leadership, spanning roles in the U.S. Congress, the White House, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and nonprofits like the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). She played key roles in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, co-founded the Carbon Capture Coalition, and advised on state greenhouse gas initiatives. An expert in deep decarbonization, she served as Deputy Director for Climate at DOE and is a Princeton fellow. #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

Meet U.S. Speaker Dr. KC Santosh, the Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Founding Director of Applied AI LAB at the University of South Dakota(USD). He is a highly accomplished AI expert. He has worked as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and as a postdoctoral researcher at LORIA, Université de Lorraine, collaborating with ITESOFT in France. With funding exceeding $8 million from sources like DOD, DOE, NSF, ED, and SDBOR, Dr. Santosh has authored 10 books and more than 250 peer-reviewed research articles, including IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (TPAMI). He serves as an associate editor for esteemed journals such as IEEE Transactions on AI, Int. J of Machine Learning & Cybernetics, and Int. J of Pattern Recognition & Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Santosh has won numerous awards such as the Visionary Leadership Award (University of Derby - UK, 2023), the Cutler Award for Teaching and Research Excellence (USD, 2021), the President's Research Excellence Award (USD, 2019), and the Ignite Award from the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS, 2014). In a couple of days, U.S. Speaker Dr. KC Santosh will participate in a virtual program with Kazakh professionals on the emerging trends in STEM education and strategies to engage youth in these critical fields. Source: https://kc-santosh.org/ #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld

Proud to be part of the U.S. Speaker Program fostering dialogue and building bridges across borders. Grateful for opportunity to pay forward what you have invested in me into the lives of strong entrepreneurs succeeding against all odds in the #Raparin area of Kurdistan, Iraq. We are forming fast friendships and memories already. Still two days to go! #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld Kurdistan Regional Government

U.S. Speaker Victor Calise, PLY, former U.S. Paralympian and the director of Walmart’s Accessibility Center of Excellence, traveled to Uzbekistan in early October to share his expertise on disability employment. Working with the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Victor met with representatives from disability rights organizations, government agencies, business owners, and young athletes with disabilities. The program continued the embassy's long-term engagement on this important issue with the goal of empowering and improving the lives of many Uzbeks. The embassy team remarked that "Victor is now a celebrity in Uzbekistan" and Victor noted that it was "an amazing trip with all the right balance of advocates, business, government and young people." #USSpeakerProgram #ExchangeOurWorld