Breakfast with Ambassadors: Navigating Careers in Diplomacy and International Affairs
Speaker
Rose Gottemoeller, Catherine A. Novelli, Ronald E. Neumann, John R. BeyrleDate & time
Location
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 Rose Gottemoeller:
Rose Gottemoeller served as NATO's Deputy Secretary General from 2016 to 2019, following nearly five years as the U.S. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. In this role, she advised the Secretary of State on arms control, nonproliferation, and political-military issues. She also concurrently served as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (2009–2014), where she led negotiations for the New START treaty with Russia, which took effect in 2011. Her work focused on international security cooperation, peacekeeping policy, and post-conflict weapons abatement, especially in Europe and Asia.
Earlier in her career, Gottemoeller held key roles at the U.S. Department of Energy, overseeing nuclear nonproliferation efforts with Russia and other former Soviet states. She also worked with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, including as Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Her experience includes time on the National Security Council, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and as a social scientist at RAND. An expert in Russian security and fluent in Russian, she has taught at Georgetown University. Born in Columbus, Ohio, she holds degrees from Georgetown and George Washington University and is married to retired diplomat Raymond Arnaudo.
Ambassador Catherine A. Novelli:
Catherine A. Novelli is a Senior Advisor at Shearwater Global and President of Listening for America, a non-profit focused on reshaping U.S. international trade policy. She also teaches at Georgetown University and served as a Centennial Fellow there from 2018–2019. From 2014 to 2017, she was Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, where she promoted open markets and led significant initiatives like the Our Ocean movement, which secured $10 billion for ocean conservation, and the Global Connect Initiative, aimed at bringing internet access to 1.5 billion people.
Before her government role, Novelli was Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple Inc., managing global public policy. She also worked at the law firm Mayer Brown International and spent much of her earlier career at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. There, she played a major role in trade agreements with countries in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, including key deals with Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain, and Oman. Novelli sits on the boards of the National Wildlife Federation and National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Initiative and has received multiple honors, including the State Department Distinguished Service Award. She holds degrees from Tufts University, the University of Michigan Law School, and the University of London.
Ambassador John R.Beyrle:
Ambassador John Beyrle, elected Chairman of the U.S. Russia Foundation in October 2018, served over three decades as a U.S. diplomat with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet Union. He was appointed ambassador to Bulgaria (2005–2008) and Russia (2008–2012), where he played a key role in strengthening U.S.-Russia relations through the signing of the START treaty, supporting Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization, and easing visa restrictions. Beyrle also held senior diplomatic roles in Moscow, Prague, and Washington, including as deputy chief of mission and director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian affairs on the National Security Council.
In addition to his diplomatic service, Beyrle served as a special adviser to the Secretary of State, participated in arms control negotiations, and was a staff officer for Secretaries of State George Shultz and James Baker. He also advised Senator Paul Simon as a Pearson Fellow. His distinguished service earned him honors from both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as Secretary Hillary Clinton. Beyrle retired from the Foreign Service in 2012 and now provides consulting services to nonprofit and corporate clients. A Michigan native, he holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and the National War College, where he also taught. He speaks five languages and is married to retired Foreign Service officer Jocelyn Greene. They have two daughters.
Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann:
Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann is President of the American Academy of Diplomacy, an organization of former senior diplomats dedicated to strengthening American diplomacy. Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East, Neumann served three times as Ambassador; to Algeria, Bahrain and finally to Afghanistan from July 2005 to April 2007. Much of his early career focused on the Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula including service in Iraq (2004-05), working extensively with the military.
Since his service in Afghanistan, he has returned there frequently and writes and speaks extensively on the subject. He has authored a book on his time in Afghanistan titled The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan, as well as wrote Three Embassies, Four Wars; A Personal Memoir. In earlier postings, he served as Director of the Office for Iran and Iraq, Deputy Chief of Mission in the United Arab Emirates, and in Yemen, and Principal Officer in Tabriz, Iran. In 2018, he received the American Foreign Service Association’s award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy. He holds a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science and was an infantry officer in Vietnam (’69-70). He is married to the former M. Elaine Grimm. They have two children.
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