The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement’s Spring 2018 Sussman Lecture on April 12 will feature a discussion on the top national security issues of the day with a panel of experts who work in the field.
The discussion will address existing global security threats to the United States, both at home and abroad, and what is being done to keep the country safe. Expert panelists who will provide their insight on this complex and ever-changing topic include:
- Alex Iftimie, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice
- Rose Jackson, CEO of RiseUp and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
- Anthony Johnson, former Department of Defense liaison and Country Team Lead for the Security Governance Initiative (SGI) at the U.S. State Department
- Chad Kreikemeier, professional staff member for the U.S Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
“Now more than ever, national security is top of mind for many Americans,” said Joseph Jones, executive director of The Harkin Institute. “This is a unique opportunity to hear from those who are working to keep America safe every day.”
Established by Richard Sussman, AS’51, in memory of his late wife Lila, the Sussman Lecture Series takes place twice a year and invites notable public figures to discuss topical current events with a small audience.
Past speakers in the Sussman Lecture Series include Columbia, SC, Mayor Stephen Benjamin, British Consul General Stephen Bridges; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi; Julie Steward, president and founder of Families Against Mandatory Minimums; and Celine Cousteau, a French explorer, education ambassador and documentary filmmaker.
The Sussman Lecture on April 12 is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Registration is available online or by calling The Harkin Institute at 515-271-3592. The event will begin at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theater in the Olmsted Center at Drake University.
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The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University exists to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity. Founded on the premise that good public policy is best achieved when policymakers have access to high quality information, political processes are open and well-understood, and citizens are informed and active participants, The Harkin Institute offers programing, experiences, research, and connectivity focused on the areas that defined Senator Harkin’s career—people with disabilities, retirement security, wellness and nutrition, and labor and employment.