Breakfast with Ambassadors: Navigating Careers in Diplomacy and International Affairs

About the Event: 

Join us for an insightful "Breakfast with Former Ambassadors" event, tailored for policy students interested in diplomacy and international affairs. This unique session brings together seasoned diplomats to discuss their career journeys, share experiences from their time as ambassadors, and offer advice for students aspiring to make a global impact. Over breakfast, students will have the opportunity to engage directly with these experts, explore pathways into international relations, and gain practical insights into the challenges and rewards of diplomatic service. Don’t miss this chance to connect with distinguished professionals and deepen your understanding of global policy careers.

From the Speakers' Bio:

Ambassador Jacob "Jake" Walles 

Ambassador Jake Walles retired from the Foreign Service in 2017 after 35 years, during which he served twice as Chief of Mission: as U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia from 2012 to 2015 and as Consul General in Jerusalem from 2005 to 2009. His career has been marked by significant contributions to U.S. Middle East policy, including more than two decades focused on peace efforts in the region, dating back to the 1991 Madrid Conference. Since his retirement, Ambassador Walles has served as a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he continues his work on international policy issues.

Throughout his State Department career, Ambassador Walles held senior roles, including Senior Adviser on Foreign Fighters in the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, overseeing U.S. policy for countries like Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Israel. He was awarded multiple honors, including Presidential Meritorious Rank Awards in 2007 and 2012, and the Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award in 2016. Recognized by Tunisia with the title "Grand Officier de l’Ordre de la République" in 2015, Ambassador Walles’s career is a testament to his dedication to diplomacy and regional stability in the Middle East.

Ambassador Susan L. Ziadeh

Ambassador Susan Ziadeh served 23 years with the U.S. Department of State, including roles as U.S. Ambassador to Qatar (2011-2014), acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs. Her career included leadership positions across the Middle East, with postings in Riyadh, Baghdad, Bahrain, Kuwait, Amman, and Jerusalem, shaping U.S. policy in the region.

Now based in Washington, Ambassador Ziadeh is a strategic advisor on Middle Eastern affairs, an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, and a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute. She has received several honors, including the Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy, and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. A Fulbright scholar with a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, she brings extensive academic and practical expertise to her advisory and teaching roles.

Ambassador David Satterfield

David Satterfield, the Director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy since 2022, was recently appointed by President Biden as the Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues. Previously, he served as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, addressing intertwined political, security, and humanitarian crises, and as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, among other roles within the State Department.

With nearly 40 years of experience in the Middle East, Satterfield has held senior positions, including Director General of the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai and Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs. His work spans multiple high-stakes assignments across the region, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. A Career Minister, he has been honored with awards such as the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann

Ronald E. Neumann, currently President of the American Academy of Diplomacy, is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and has served three times as an Ambassador—most recently to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007. His extensive career in the Senior Foreign Service includes key roles in Iraq, where he worked with the Coalition Provisional Authority, and previous ambassadorships in Bahrain and Algeria. He has also held various positions across the Middle East, including Deputy Chief of Mission in the UAE and Yemen, and has authored books and articles on his experiences and insights in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Neumann has been actively involved in initiatives to ensure adequate State and USAID budgets while enhancing professional development within these institutions. His contributions to diplomacy have been recognized with multiple awards, including the American Foreign Service Association’s Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award. He speaks Arabic, Dari, and French and holds a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science from the University of California, Riverside, along with a degree from the National War College. He is married with two children.

Faculty Expert

Susan D. Page

Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan's Law School

• American Academy of Diplomacy
• diplomacy
• International policy and diplomacy
• Jacob Wallis
• Susan Ziadeh
• David Satterfield
• Ronald E. Neumann
• Career Talk