Upcoming Speakers
Dr. Brian Latell
September 14, 2026
Topic: Cuba at the Crossroads
Dr. Brian Latell is a retired intelligence officer, historian, author, and recognized expert on Cuba, Latin America, and U.S.-Latin American relations. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Georgetown University and spent more than three decades as an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Air Force, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the National Intelligence Council, primarily focusing on Latin American issues for senior U.S. policymakers.
During his intelligence career, Latell served as National Intelligence Officer for Latin America from 1991 to 1994 and as Director of the Center for the Study of Intelligence from 1994 to 1998. In recognition of his distinguished service and contributions to U.S. intelligence, he was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal. Following his government service, he was a Senior Associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Americas Program.
In addition to his government service, Latell served for 25 years as an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he taught courses on Cuba, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and U.S.-Latin American relations. He also spent ten years as an adjunct professor and senior researcher at the University of Miami.
A recognized authority on Cuba and the Caribbean, Latell has lectured widely and consulted with presidents, senior government officials, diplomats, and regional leaders on political, intelligence, and security issues. He is the author of several books, including After Fidel: Raul Castro and the Future of Cuba’s Revolution, Castro’s Secrets: The CIA and Cuba’s Intelligence Machine, and History Will Absolve Me: Fidel Castro—Life & Legacy.
His articles and commentary have appeared in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Miami Herald, Time, Politico, and others, and he has frequently served as a television commentator on Cuba for local and national networks.
Now retired, Latell divides his time between Key Biscayne, Florida, and Williamsburg, Virginia.
Kim Ghattas
October 19, 2026
Topic: The Best Kind of American: A True Story of Murder, War, and America's Undoing in the Middle East
Kim Ghattas is a Middle East expert, author, and Emmy-award-winning journalist. She’s a contributing writer for The Atlantic magazine, a contributing editor for The Financial Times, and a regular guest on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. She was a Distinguished Inaugural Fellow at the Columbia University Institute for Global Politics. She previously reported for the BBC from the Middle East and Washington, DC. She is the author of Black Wave, a New York Times notable book on the Saudi-Iran rivalry, and of The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power, a New York Times bestseller. She splits her time between her hometown in Beirut and writing desks around the world.
Joel Wit
November 9, 2026
Topic: Understanding North Korea
Joel S. Wit is a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center. Wit is an internationally recognized expert on Northeast Asia security issues. As a U.S. State Department official, he helped negotiate the 1994 US-DPRK Agreed Framework and was subsequently in charge of its implementation until he left government in 2002, holding countless talks with North Korean officials, including the military and nuclear establishments.
Wit served as a Senior Fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies US-Korea Institute from 2007-2018, a Senior Fellow at CSIS from 2002-2006. He has previously served a consultant to the National Academy of Science and an Adjunct Senior Researcher at Columbia University’s Weatherhead Institute for Asian Studies.
Wit is a co-author (with Robert Gallucci and Daniel Poneman) of Going Critical: The First North Korea Nuclear Crisis, the winner of the American Academy of Diplomacy’s 2004 prize for best book. He has written extensively in publications ranging from Foreignpolicy.com to the New York Times and is a regular expert guest on television shows (e.g. PBS Newshour, CNN’s The Situation Room and BBC) and radio (e.g. National Public Radio and BBC Radio).
Admiral Gary Roughead
January 11, 2027
Topic: The Impact on the Military of the Changing World Order
Admiral Gary Roughead is a 1973 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Among his six operational commands, Roughead was the first officer to command both classes of Aegis ships, having commanded USS Barry (DDG 52) and USS Port Royal (CG 73).
As a flag officer, he commanded Cruiser Destroyer Group 2, the George Washington Battle Group; and U.S. 2nd Fleet/NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic and Naval Forces North Fleet East.
Ashore, he served as commandant, United States Naval Academy, the Department of the Navy’s chief of Legislative Affairs, and as deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Command.
At the time he was on active duty, Roughead was one of only two officers to have commanded the fleets in the Pacific and Atlantic, commanding the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Joint Task Force 519, as well as U.S. Fleet Forces Command, where he was responsible for ensuring Navy forces were trained, ready, equipped and prepared to operate around the world, where and when needed.
Roughead’s awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit and service awards. As his final assignment, Roughead became the 29th Chief of Naval Operations September 29, 2007.