Online Lecture and Discussion: "What defines leadership in global crises. Lessons learned from COVID19"

The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the USA presents an exclusive online lecture and discussion about: "What Defines Leadership in Global Crises: Lessons Learned from COVID19".

WHEN: May 20th, 2020 at 12 PM EDT.

Where: Online. To request RSVP, please fill out the form below.

Keynote speakers

Jeh Johnson is the former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. He served in that position from December 2013 to January 2017. Johnson now practices law again in New York City at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP. Johnson has been affiliated with Paul, Weiss off and on since 1984, and he was elected the firm’s first African American partner in 1993. In private life Johnson is also a regular commentator on NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, FOX, FOX Business and Bloomberg News. He is on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin, U.S. Steel, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Center for a New American Security and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. Prior to becoming Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson was appointed by President Obama to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012) and appointed by President Clinton to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force (1998-2001). Earlier in his career, Johnson was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1989-1991). Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College (1979) and Columbia Law School (1982), and the recipient of ten honorary degrees. He has debated at both the Oxford and Cambridge Unions in England and is an honorary life member of the Cambridge Union. In December 2018 Johnson was presented with the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award at the Reagan Presidential Library in California, for “contribut[ing] greatly to the defense of our nation,” and “guiding us through turbulent times with courage and wisdom.”

Dimitris Avramopoulos was the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship since November 2014. Before becoming European Commissioner, Mr. Avramopoulos was Minister of National Defence of Greece (two terms), Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Tourism Development, Minister of Health and Social Solidarity and Mayor of Athens (two terms). He was elected Member of the Parliament several times with the “New Democracy” party (1993, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012). Mr. Avramopoulos served in the Diplomatic Service of Greece from 1980 until 1993. He was Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Diplomatic Cabinet of the Greek Prime Minister and Consul of Greece in Liège (Belgium) and in Geneva (Switzerland). Mr. Avramopoulos completed his studies at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at the University of Athens and his postgraduate studies at the Institute of European Studies - Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). He is Honorary Professor of Peking University (Beijing) and European College of Parma (Italy). He is Honorary Doctor of ADELPHI University (New York), DREXEL University (Philadelphia), KINGSTON University and DEREE College (Athens). Mr. Avramopoulos has been bestowed awards and state decorations from many countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Vatican, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Lebanon. 

Founder of the Strategic Leaders Academy, Chris Kolenda has helped small business and nonprofit CEOs grow by over $25 million and counting. He is a West Point graduate, internationally renowned combat leader, retired Army Colonel, business leader and author of the critically acclaimed book, Leadership: The Warrior’s Art -- which has sold over 50,000 copies, Chris draws from a storied military career and extensive practice and scholarship, to help leaders and teams grow and succeed sustainably. He has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, BBC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and in Jake Tapper's bestselling book The Outpost.