Speaker Series

June 3: WACC Distinguished Speaker Panel with Zoran Krneta, Sporting Director of Charlotte FC and Nick Kelly, President of Charlotte FC

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte as we host Zoran Krneta, Sporting Director of Charlotte FC and Nick Kelly, President of Charlotte FC on Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 2:00 ET.

May 13: WACC Distinguished Speaker with Jake Wood, Co-Founder of Team Rubicon and Author of Take Command: Lessons in Leadership: How to Be a First Responder in Business

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte as we host Jake Wood, Co-Founder of Team Rubicon and Author of Take Command: Lessons in Leadership: How to Be a First Responder in Business on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

May 6: WACC Distinguished Speaker Panel with Rodney Murray and Tom Tollerton

In an age when global cyber-attacks are increasingly prevalent, addressing security risks can be critical to a successful business or safe personal digital presence. We’ve all heard stories of international scams, hacks, breaches, and fraud involving computers and technology, but how much should you worry, and what should you do about it? Join WACC and DHG to find out.

April 15: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Rick Steves, Guidebook Author and Travel TV Host

In times of crisis and challenge, we ask ourselves: What is the true value of travel? Mr. Steves will offer his insightful opinion on traveling in the post-pandemic world and what this means for the exchange of ideas and culture. 

April 6: WACC “HUNGER WARD” Documentary Screening & Discussion with Nicholas Kristof & Skye Fitzgerald

Join WACC for an exclusive documentary screening of Oscar® nominated HUNGER WARD followed by a conversation between Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof and Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Skye Fitzgerald. This unflinching look at the human-caused famine in Yemen follows health care workers in therapeutic feeding centers against the backdrop of a forgotten war.

April 1: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Sarah Dawn Petrin, Analyst at the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Humanitarian, and Author

Sarah Dawn Petrin is a humanitarian and an educator from Maine. Born in an African village during a season of drought, Sarah has helped refugees since she was 15 years old. From responding to an active shooter in the Capitol of Washington, DC to being held hostage by a warlord in the Sahara Desert, she has borne witness to the radical acts of ordinary heroism that lead to global change.

March 18: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Ambassador Robert Pearson, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Director General of the Foreign Service

Ambassador Robert Pearson thinks the challenge for the next generation of diplomats will be to reconcile anti-intellectual trends in society. “In today’s world, as we know, all science is also politics,” he said. “Knowing what is right to do is not enough to solve a problem. It’s knowing how to take what is right to do and convince a public, a government, a citizenry that this is what they would like to do. That is the challenge.”

Feb. 25: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Michael Marsicano, President & CEO of Foundation For The Carolinas

With in-depth experience as a regional leader, Dr. Marsicano will share his perspective on how COVID-19 has impacted the philanthropic and grantmaking communities, as well as our business community and the city. He will also offer insights on civic engagement and leadership during this time and his thoughts on the post-pandemic future of our region.

Feb. 18: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Mohit Joshi, President of Infosys

Mr. Joshi will offer his insight into the future of technology in the banking industry, insurance companies, and stock exchanges that permit the exchange of funds and the critical nature of technological platforms that will also promote economic growth and ongoing recovery. 

Feb. 16: WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Elaine Sciolino, former Paris Bureau Chief for The New York Times and NYT Bestselling Author

Join WACC for a Parisian book talk with Elaine Sciolino! Braiding memoir, travelogue, and history through the Seine’s winding route, Ms. Sciolino offers a love letter to Paris and the river at its heart and invites readers to explore its magic.

X