World Affairs Council Hilton Head upcoming events

Mary Thompson-Jones: The Arctic - Competition in the Melting North (10 Apr 2026)

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Biography

Mary Thompson-Jones, Ed.D. is a Professor at the U.S. Naval War College. Before joining the USNWC, she directed a master’s program in Global Studies at Northeastern University.

Prior to entering academia, she had a highly successful diplomatic career, spanning 23 years a as U.S. Foreign Service Officer in leadership roles in the Czech Republic, Canada, Guatemala, Spain, and Washington, D.C. She retired with the rank of Minister-Counselor, having received several Superior and Meritorious Honor awards along the way.

Dr. Thompson-Jones’ new book, America in the Arctic, Foreign Policy and Competition in the Melting North, has been praised by Sen. Angus King, I-ME, as “a finely crafted chart that can guide us through rough seas ahead to a peaceful and prosperous future,” and by Amb. Paula Dobriansky, former Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs, as “a compelling testament to the importance of U.S. engagement and a must-read for policymakers.” She is also the author of To the Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America’s Foreign Policy Disconnect

Guest Policy

Guests may register in advance for $30 or at the door for $35. Please arrive at 9:30 am to check in. Advance registration opens one month before each event and closes the Wednesday before each event. There is no cost for WACHH members to attend.

Ajay Chhibber: India's Rise in a Changing World (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Biography

Dr. Ajay Chhibber is, Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP), George Washington University, Washington D.C., and Distinguished Fellow, Isaac Center for Public Policy, Ashoka University, India.

He was the first Director General, Independent Evaluation Office, India (Minister of State) and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy 2015-2017.He served earlier as Assistant Secretary General, UN and Assistant Administrator, UNDP from 2008-2013 where he led the Department for Asia and the Pacific. At the World Bank where he served over 24 years in senior positions as Country Director in Turkey and Vietnam, and Director the seminal 1997 World Development Report on the Role of the State.

He has a Ph. D from Stanford University (1983), an MA from the Delhi School of Economics (1976) and was awarded the David Rajaram Prize for best all-rounder at St Stephen’s College, Delhi University where he received BA Hons in Economics (1971-74). He has also done advanced management courses at Harvard University 2001 and at INSEAD, France 2005.

Guest Policy

Linda Weissgold: Seeing the World Through an Intelligence Lens (08 May 2026)

Fri, 08 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Biography

Linda Weissgold is an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service following a remarkable 37-year career at the Central intelligence Agency. She was the CIA’s Deputy Director for Analysis from March 2020 until April 2023. In that role, she was responsible for the quality of all-source intelligence analysis at the CIA for our nation’s top decision makers and she oversaw the professional development of the officers who produce it. Linda was part of the creation and delivery of intelligence analysis on a variety of complex issues and in multiple settings. The units she guided, including as the head of the CIA’s Office of Terrorism Analysis, generated insights that informed US policy and operations across multiple Administrations and helped to identify Usama Bin Laden’s location and the rise of ISIS. For more than two years, she served as President George W. Bush’s intelligence briefer.

A skilled communicator experienced in the coverage of urgent and controversial issues, Linda is a champion of analytic tradecraft, integrity, and objectivity in intelligence analysis. She is widely recognized for her unwavering dedication to the CIA’s national security mission and its officers and is a proud member of the board of directors for the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation where she continues her commitment to the intelligence community and fostering the next generation of professionals.

Weissgold holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in international economics and finance.