WACC National Security Series

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte is honored to welcome General Paul M. Nakasone, a retired U.S. Army four-star general and one of the nation’s foremost leaders in cybersecurity and national defense, as a featured speaker in the WACC National Security Series on March 12, 2026. From 2018 to 2024, he led U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, overseeing national cyber defense, global intelligence operations, and the protection of critical infrastructure during a period of escalating cyber threats. Drawing on more than 30 years of military leadership, including combat deployments, General Nakasone will examine the global cyber threat landscape, the role of artificial intelligence and state-sponsored attacks, vulnerabilities facing governments and the private sector, and how cyber operations are reshaping modern conflict and national security. Now the Founding Director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security, he brings unparalleled insight into the future of cyber defense and global security.

Step into the world of international affairs and gain invaluable insights at the World Affairs Council of Charlotte's highly anticipated event on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Join us for a captivating WACC Speaker Series luncheon featuring the esteemed Dr. Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Former Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on the National Security Council. Dr. Fiona Hill's expertise in U.S. foreign policy, Russia, national security, and ongoing geopolitical challenges from Russia's invasion into Ukraine makes her an exceptional voice to guide us through the complexities of international affairs. Her unique insights and experiences shed light on the intricate dynamics shaping the global landscape.

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte on Thursday, May 19, 2022 with Marc Polymeropoulos, highly decorated, recently retired 26-year operations officer and former head of counterintelligence in Europe and Eurasia for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for this unique conversation on the importance of the intelligence community to our global efforts to combat threats worldwide.

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte and The NC Zeitgeist Foundation on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 with LTG (R) Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) as he shares his expert insight into NATO's role in Europe, national security and defense from a European perspective, and America's defense and military role in the world. 

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte for a WACC National Security Series luncheon with Lieutenant General Michael Nagata, US Army, Ret. and former Director at the National Counterterrorism Center on February 26.