WACC National Security Series

October 28th, 2026: WACC National Security Series Lecture with Asha Castleberry-Hernandez, Former Senior Advisor, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Army Reserve, and Grand Strategist

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte is pleased to welcome Asha Castleberry-Hernandez, national security and foreign policy expert, Army Reserve officer and author of Why National Security Matters, for a conversation on America's next moves in the Middle East as the war in Iran stretches beyond six months. What does the Iran War tell us about the limits and future of American power? Castleberry-Hernandez will offer insight into lessons emerging from the war in Iran, from America's projection of power and deterrence, its alliance with Israel, threats to U.S. national security, and the broader implications of America's grand strategy in the Middle East.

October 28th, 2026: WACC National Security Series Lecture with Asha Castleberry-Hernandez, Former Senior Advisor, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Army Reserve, and Grand Strategist2026-09-28T16:44:40-04:00

September 10th, 2026: WACC National Security Series with Chris Inglis, Former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency and the First National Cyber Director

Chris Inglis served as Deputy Director of the National Security Agency under both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, spending decades across the NSA and Department of Defense before becoming the nation's first-ever National Cyber Director, a role created by Congress in 2021 to unify a fragmented federal cyber defense landscape. During his tenure, Inglis built an entirely new federal office from the ground up, helped launch the Counter Ransomware Initiative to coordinate a global response to ransomware attacks, and helped lay the foundation for the first National Cyber Strategy in five years. He took office just one month after the Colonial Pipeline attack that crippled fuel supplies along the East Coast and less than a year before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

September 10th, 2026: WACC National Security Series with Chris Inglis, Former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency and the First National Cyber Director2026-09-09T10:59:45-04:00

March 12th, 2026: WACC National Security Series with General (Ret.) Paul Nakasone, U.S. Army Four-Star General, Former Director of the National Security Agency, Founding Director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security, and Former 3rd Commander of the United States Cyber Command

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.

March 12th, 2026: WACC National Security Series with General (Ret.) Paul Nakasone, U.S. Army Four-Star General, Former Director of the National Security Agency, Founding Director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security, and Former 3rd Commander of the United States Cyber Command2026-03-05T14:25:07-05:00

November 12: WACC National Security Luncheon with Major General Windsor “Shane” Buzza, Chief of Staff U.S. Army Forces Command and Major General (Ret.) Garrett Yee, Vice President and General Manager at General Dynamics Information Technology. 

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte for an exclusive lunch discussion with MG Shane Buzza and MG (Ret) Garrett Yee as they take us around the world where the United States has forces deployed to support of our national security, discussing challenges that we face regionally and globally. They will discuss how technology impacts the battlefield and some of what the United States Military is doing to maintain a competitive advantage against the adversary.

November 12: WACC National Security Luncheon with Major General Windsor “Shane” Buzza, Chief of Staff U.S. Army Forces Command and Major General (Ret.) Garrett Yee, Vice President and General Manager at General Dynamics Information Technology. 2024-12-09T11:50:08-05:00

December 14, 2023: WACC National Security Series with Dr. Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution

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.

December 14, 2023: WACC National Security Series with Dr. Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution2025-04-29T10:57:12-04:00

May 19, 2022: WACC National Security Series with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former CIA Head of Clandestine Operations in Europe and Eurasia (In-Person Program)

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.

May 19, 2022: WACC National Security Series with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former CIA Head of Clandestine Operations in Europe and Eurasia (In-Person Program)2024-07-31T01:01:02-04:00

March 1, 2022: WACC National Security Series 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)

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. 

March 1, 2022: WACC National Security Series 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)2024-07-31T01:01:35-04:00

February 26: WACC National Security Series with Lieutenant General Michael Nagata, former Director at the National Counterterrorism Center

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. 

February 26: WACC National Security Series with Lieutenant General Michael Nagata, former Director at the National Counterterrorism Center2024-07-31T01:05:52-04:00
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