Speaker Series

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.

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.”

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.

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. 

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.

Join us as we talk to U.N. World Food Programme experts and private-sector partners about the cutting-edge technology they currently employ and the solutions currently under development at the Innovation Accelerator to resolve key humanitarian challenges.

Dr. Jay Bryson will present his annual analysis of financial markets and macroeconomic developments in the global economy. He will also provide a brief economic outlook for 2021 which will include forecasts of GDP growth rates, inflation rates, and interest rates in the major economies of the world.

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte as leading national experts discuss the US-China relationship! China's rapid development and Sino-American trade have a direct impact on the lives of nearly everyone in the United States.

Join us for a follow-up WACC Distinguished Speaker Series with Dr. David Callaway, Medical Director of Emergency Management at Atrium Health CMC-Main, Chief Medical Officer at Team Rubicon, and WACC Board of Directors member.