Program Committee

The Board of Directors charges the Council Program Committee to identify and recruit speakers for the Distinguished Speaker Program.  They seek experts who will provide information relevant to today's issues, intellectually stimulating, and of interest to our membership.  The committee is comprised of members who mirror our Council's diverse backgrounds, including former senior business leaders, retired government officials and military officers, and lifelong educators.  Committee members bring a wealth of information, knowledge, and contacts of potential speakers in academia, business, journalism, and other esteemed scholars, not just from the United States but from around the globe.

The committee approaches its recruiting efforts with no political agendas or biases but recognizes that speakers may have their points of view on any given subject.  Over the course of a speaker season, the Council's goal is to present a series of speakers that will represent many different points of view from both an academic and practical perspective.

The committee meets monthly to discuss future programs.  Discussions usually begin one year before the traditional speaker season, which runs from October through May.  Based upon particular skills, previous knowledge, or current acquaintance with a potential speaker, a committee member will be assigned as a "recruiter" and become responsible for sending out an invitation and following up with the invitee.  When our invitation is accepted, the recruiter, in partnership with the Executive Director, will establish a protocol for all subsequent communications and arrangements.

Beyond the committee's outreach to potential speakers, we invite proposals for speakers from our members. Please send any speaker suggestions to execdirector@wachh.org.  In the body of your email, please be as detailed as possible about your proposed speaker and contact information.