Ambassador Michael Froman is the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, dedicated to elevating Americans’ participation in matters related to trade and foreign policy decisions. He formerly served as the 17th United States Trade Representative, sworn in under President Obama in 2013. In this capacity, he served in the Cabinet as President Obama’s principal advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on international trade and investment issues. He also led the Office of the United States Trade Representative in its work to open global markets for U.S. goods and services, enforcing America’s rights in the global trading system and fostering development through trade.

General John Allen is one of the nation’s most legendary military leaders and most respected thought leaders on U.S.-global engagement. When President Obama created the appointment of special envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, General Allen was the first American tapped to confront the Islamic State terror group. Widely hailed as a strategic thinker and a true battlefield leader, Gen. Allen is one of the nation’s foremost experts on the geopolitical relationships between U.S. and Asia and the Middle East. A unique combination of warrior and diplomat, Allen shares awe-inspiring stories of the challenges facing our nation, the keys to combating the enemy, and the leadership lessons that can be applied to today’s business environment.

The honorable Juan Carlos Pinzón is widely recognized as a pivotal player in upholding the strong diplomatic ties between the United States and Colombia and furthering the relationship between the two nations. Having served two terms as Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, Pinzón is counted among the most influential voices in shaping the priorities of the partnership and was the linking presence between American and Colombian leaders in collaborating to address the most important political, economic, and societal challenges in both countries, and across the globe.

Jeff Kreisler is a best-selling author and financial columnist whose prized insights on the intersection of behavioral science and money have been featured by TEDx, MSNBC, CNN, SiriusXM, and more. Jeff’s research on how human behavior drives spending and saving habits, economic ebbs and flows, and the future of our markets led to his best-selling book Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter. The work was named a “Best Book of the Year” by Business Insider, Audible, Huffington Post, and The Washington Post. It was also named the “#1 Book Every FinTech Professional Should Read in 2018” by the global fintech company Strands. Jeff is currently the Head of Behavioral Science at JP Morgan Chase, where he is leading financial decision-making thought leadership and innovation efforts.

Brian D. Quintenz was nominated by both Presidents Obama and Trump to serve as a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in August of 2017 and served four years in his role at the agency until stepping down in August of 2021. During his time at the CFTC, Mr. Quintenz advocated for narrowly tailored, risk-focused regulation and was a champion of innovation, specifically relating to crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi). He led agency’s Technology Advisory Committee, which hosted the most comprehensive set of public crypto-related policy discussions and briefings of any federal financial regulator. During his service, the first U.S. regulated Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts listed on derivatives exchanges, and DeFi expanded rapidly. Mr. Quintenz also contributed consequential ideological perspectives to regulatory debates through dozens of domestic and international keynote speeches, conference panel discussions, and meetings with regulatory counterparts. Additionally, he successfully negotiated critical policy provisions relating to swap dealer capital regulation, the cross-border application of swap dealing rules, position limits on new commodity futures contracts, and automated trading activity. In partnership with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, Mr. Quintenz spearheaded a CFTC-SEC harmonization effort which achieved multiple successes in data reporting and security-based swaps margining and capital requirements. Prior to his appointment to the CFTC, Mr. Quintenz founded and served as the Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer of Saeculum Capital Management, a registered Commodity Pool Operator that specialized in technical analysis investment strategies.

Rear Admiral Mike Studeman is a decorated military leader and former Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence who stands as one of the United States’ preeminent national security officials. His distinguished 35-year career has taken him to assignments around the globe and positioned him as one of the most influential voices on intelligence, foreign policy, and defense matters. He is an internationally recognized authority on Asian affairs with deep expertise on China. Studeman has led intelligence operations at every level — from the tactical to the strategic, through crises and war – and is an accomplished foreign policy practitioner with a track record of geostrategic impact.

Revered as a uniquely-skilled “warrior-diplomat,” General John Nicholson retired in September 2018 from his post as Commander of U.S. Forces – Afghanistan and NATO’s Resolute Support mission. In this role, Gen. Nicholson led a 41-nation coalition war effort. The longest serving Commander of the Afghan war, he oversaw a $46.3 billion budget and roughly 14,000 international troops. A combat-seasoned military legend, he discusses coalition building, strengthening culture through collaboration, leadership, geopolitics, and organizational success in the 21st century.

One of only two Americans to serve two terms as U.S. Attorney General, William “Bill” Barr represents the pinnacle of political and corporate law and has been among the most influential presences in American politics across five decades. Serving as the 77th and 85th attorney general under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Donald Trump, Barr put forth several programs and initiatives that were viewed favorably by both sides of America’s political spectrum and was hailed as a “throwback to the days when attorney generals would actually talk to you” for his willingness to address the questions others often evaded head on.

Trevor Williams served as Chief Economist at Lloyds Bank for over a decade. Now an author, academic and consultant, he analyses the key trends and policies that shape the economy and markets. From energy and climate to how companies use their data to understand the wider economy, he brings clarity and relevance to an often complex and abstract field.

In a career spanning more than 35 years, longtime Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) senior executive Ted Singer has been regarded as a national intelligence and security chessmaster whose insights and acumen have guided strategic decision-making by U.S. and foreign governments on global issues of the highest complexity. From 2006 onwards, Singer served as a CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer — succeeding in positions of increasing responsibility and U.S. national security scope, and becoming a five-time Chief of Station — serving in major Middle Eastern and European capitals. Singer’s knowledge of regional dynamics in the Middle East and Europe is near-encyclopedic and his list of achievements is as extensive as it is impressive. His expertise extends across strategic planning, stewardship of significant staff and resources, financial management, and operational control of groundbreaking intelligence programs.

“As Long As You’re Asking – A Conversation with Jason Alexander” is an evening of comedy, music, and conversation with the award-winning star of stage and screen in which the audience determines what they want to know the most. Alexander will present a variety of topics for the audience to pick and choose, culminating in behind the scenes stories of his life, career, and social activism. Or ask about anything you’ve always wanted to know and see if he can answer. Alexander has starred on Broadway, in hit films like Pretty Woman and Shallow Hal and, of course, Seinfeld. He is an actor, director, producer, writer, children’s book author, award-winning magician, semi-pro poker player and social/political activist. It’s all on the table and the conversation is completely in your control, making for a once in a lifetime event.

Dr. Michael S. Piwowar served as a Commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from August 15, 2013 to July 6, 2018. Previously, Dr. Piwowar was the Republican chief economist for the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where he was the lead Republican economist on the four SEC-related titles of the Dodd-Frank Act and the JOBS Act. He also worked on a number of important SEC-related oversight issues under the jurisdiction of the Committee, such as securities, over-the-counter derivatives, investor protection, market structure, and capital formation. During the financial crisis and its immediate aftermath, Dr. Piwowar served in a one-year fixed-term position at the White House as a senior economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Dr. Piwowar is an economic outlook and financial policy keynote speaker, addressing fiscal trends, investments, and regulation.