American Ambassadors Live! Podcast

Join Ambassador Sondland on American Ambassadors Live! with host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe discussing Ambassador Sondland's recent book, The Envoy.  Ambassador Sondland shares his experiences while Ambassador to the EU, examining the real job of the ambassador, his relationship with President Zelenskyy, and the differences between career and political ambassadors.  Ambassador Gordon Sondland, the guest for today's podcast is Ambassador Gordon Sondland. He is the Founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels, a national owner and operator of full-service boutique “lifestyle” hotels. In January 2022 he joined the Board of Directors at AHLA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In 2018, Sondland was appointed to serve as the 20th United States Ambassador to the European Union. As Ambassador, Sondland was one of the highest-ranking US officials in Europe and his portfolio included trade, energy, national security, defense agriculture and several other files. Sondland has held positions on Governor Kulongoski's transition team, as well as on the Commission for White House Fellowships to which he was appointed by President George W. Bush. Most recently he wrote the book, The Envoy: Mastering the Art of Diplomacy with Trump and the World released in October of 2022. Ambassador Jim Rosapepe served as the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 1998 to 2001 and is a member of the CAA Board of Directors. He currently is Chairman and CEO of Patuxent Capital Group LLC and serves in the Maryland State Senate.

Join Ambassador Siebert on American Ambassadors Live! with host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe in a discussion of Sweden's history, partnership with Peace, and the path to joining NATO.  

Joseph Cirincione joins American Ambassadors Live! host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe discussing the current nuclear threat. What are the risks? What should be the appropriate response to each risk? How would nuclear war unfold in an isolated location and or globally? What response with inherent ramifications is warranted? Joseph Cirincione a national security analyst and nuclear security expert for the past 40 years. He is an adjunct faculty member at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He was appointed president of the Ploughshares Fund, a grant foundation focused on nuclear nonproliferation and conflict resolution. He has served on the International Security Advisory Board for Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of seven books, the most recent title: Nuclear Nightmares: Securing the World Before it is Too Late. Cirincione has also served as vice president for national security and international policy at the Center for American Progress. Ambassador Jim Rosapepe served as the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 1998 to 2001 and is a member of the CAA Board of Directors. He currently is Chairman and CEO of Patuxent Capital Group LLC and serves in the Maryland State Senate.

Ambassador Tod Sedgwick joins American Ambassadors Live! host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe, considering a question for Slovakia and Europe, "What happens when, not if, Russia cuts it [gas] off?" Join them in a discussion of Slovakia's history to become the sovereign state it is now, Slovakia's military, and current energy situation. Also, learn how the Slovaks view the Russia/Ukraine war and what they are doing to supporting the Ukrainians.   Ambassador Tod Sedgwick served as the former U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia (2010-2015). He serves on the board of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress along with the board of Foreign Policy 4 America. He is a member of the Ambassadorial Advisory Committee of the Atlantic Council and is on the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. In 2001, he founded IO Energy, an online energy information company covering the natural gas, coal, and electricity industries, and served as its Chairman from 2001 to 2004. He also founded Pasha Publications, a specialty publisher focused on energy, defense and environment markets, and served as the chief executive from 1978 to 1998.   Ambassador Jim Rosapepe served as the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 1998 to 2001 and is a member of the CAA Board of Directors. He currently is Chairman and CEO of Patuxent Capital Group LLC and serves in the Maryland State Senate.

Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher joins American Ambassadors Live! host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe, to discuss Poland's tenacity, courage, and leadership in regards to the current Ukraine/Russia war, Ukrainian refugees, and energy. Ambassador Mosbacher then goes on to describe the relationship of the European Union with Poland. She describes the EU as viewing the relationship with Poland as a "step-child".

Ambassador John Emerson joins American Ambassadors Live! host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe, to discuss Germany's perspective regarding the conflict in Ukraine, the energy challenges Germany faces, the impact of internal politics, and the Europe/China relationship. Ambassador John Emerson describes Germany and Russia's relationship over the past 40-50 years as being schizophrenic. He goes on to describe the reasons why including "...an admiration for the Russian spirit...to endure suffering for a long period of time." Ambassador Emerson is the former U.S. Ambassador to Germany (2013-2017). He currently serves as Chairman for the American Council on Germany and is the Vice Chairman for Capital Group International. He serves on the boards of the Pacific Council on International Policy and the German Marshal Fund. He is a long serving member on the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Interested in joining the Foreign Service? Join Ambassador Rosapepe and Director of Talent Acquisition Jeff Smith as they discuss the updated hiring process. What is the Foreign Service? There was a change recently made to join the Foreign Service, what was it and what are the benefits? What are the opportunities and career paths for a Foreign Service officer? Learn the answers to these questions and fun facts. Director of Talent Acquisition Jefferson Smith is a Senior Foreign Service Officer, currently serving as the Director of Talent Acquisition at the Department of State. Since joining the Foreign Service in 2000, Jeff has served overseas assignments in Kuwait City, Kuwait; Zanzibar, Tanzania; Dublin, Ireland; Yaoundé, Cameroon; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Kingston, Jamaica. He has also served in Washington, D.C. in four regional bureaus. Ambassador Jim Rosapepe served as the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 1998 to 2001 and is a member of the CAA Board of Directors. He currently is Chairman and CEO of Patuxent Capital Group LLC and serves in the Maryland State Senate.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and former Governor of Virginia, James Gilmore, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine and Russia's activities in the region.         

Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss his experiences and the state of U.S. foreign policy.      

Former Permanent Representative of the U.S. to NATO, Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the historic alliance and its current challenges.      

Former Ambassador to South Korea, Harry Harris, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss his experience at post and the critical importance of the U.S.-South Korean partnership.

Former Ambassador to India, Kenneth Juster, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the ongoing crises in India as the nation copes with a devastating wave of COVID cases.      

Former Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, John Rakolta, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss his time at post and the efforts behind the Abraham Accords.      

Former Ambassador to Belgium and former acting United States Ambassador to the European Union, Ronald Gidwitz, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Tom Korologos to share how he balanced his two critical roles overseas.

Former Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice, Morse Tan, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Louise Oliver to share the challenges of pursuing international justice.      

Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and Azerbaijan, Richard Morningstar, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Philip Hughes to explore the history behind the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the current instability in Nagorno-Karabakh.     

Former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host, Ambassador Philip Hughes, to discuss the ongoing crisis in Yemen and the future of U.S. policy in the region.     

Former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues at the UN, Kelley Currie, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Louise Oliver to discuss working with the UN and the challenges of multilateralism. 

Former U.S Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tom McDonald, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host, Ambassador Philip Hughes, to explore the influence of Chinese and Russian activities in Africa.

Former ambassador to Germany, John Emerson, and former ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations, Stuart Holliday, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe, to discuss the selection of non-career ambassadors for the United States.

Former U.S Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobb joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss foreign affairs, her time in office, and her new book, The Lady of Silk and Steel: From Everest to Embassies - now available for purchase.

Former Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Capricia Marshall, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to explore why diplomacy and etiquette matter - both in the global arena and in everyday life. Ambassador Marshall's new book, Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make it Work for You, is available now.

The EU Ambassador to the U.S., Stavros Lambrinidis, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the EU's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the role of cooperation in times of crisis.

Singapore's Ambassador to the U.S., Ashok Mirpuri, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss Singapore's response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Former Ambassador to Morocco, Edward Gabriel, joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the current circumstances in Lebanon and the response from around the globe. Ambassador Gabriel is President of the American Task Force for Lebanon.

Ambassador of Italy to the U.S. Armando Varricchio joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss Italy's response to the coronavirus outbreak and how the nation is moving forward and adapting. Ambassador Varricchio has previously served as Head of the Economic, Trade and Scientific Affairs Section of the Embassy.

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the coronavirus outbreak in New Zealand and the quick action the country's leadership took to manage the crisis. Ambassador Braun was appointed by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand.

Ambassador Robert Orr joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the Asian Development Bank's next moves in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the response to the virus in Japan where he now lives. Ambassador Orr served as U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank during the Obama Administration.

Ambassador John Phillips joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the coronavirus outbreak in Italy and the country's response. Ambassador Phillips was appointed by President Barack Obama as U.S. Ambassador to Italy in 2013 and served until 2017.

Ambassador Martha Barcena joined American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe for a discussion on the COVID-19 outbreak in Mexico and the government's response. Martha Barcena is Mexico's Ambassador to the United State. She previously served as Mexico's Ambassador to Denmark, Turkey and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies.

Guest Ambassador Michelle Gavin joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe for a discussion on the COVID-19 outbreak in Africa, a wide variety of government responses, and international support. Ambassador Gavin served as U.S. Ambassador to Botswana during the Obama Administration and currently serves as Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

American Ambassadors Live! welcomes to the podcast Richard Holwill, former U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador. Ambassador Holwill discusses Ecuador, the history of its politics, and the dire situation the country finds itself in since the coronavirus outbreak with podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe.

American Ambassadors Live! welcomes to the podcast Anthony Gardner, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union during the Obama Administration. Ambassador Gardner joins podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss the benefits of a strong United States-European partnership and what that looks like in the wake of Brexit. Ambassador Gardner is the author of his recently published book, Stars with Stripes: The Essential Partnership between the European Union and the United States.

Guest Paul Richter joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss his new book, The Ambassadors: America's Diplomat on the Front Lines in which Mr. Richter writes about the distinctive careers of four U.S. Ambassadors who were chosen again and again to go to the toughest places in the Middle East throughout the first decade and a half after the 9/11 attacks. They discuss Ryan Crocker, a six-time ambassador who served twice in Afghanistan; Robert Ford who served five tours in Iraq and was later Ambassador to Syria; Anne Patterson who served as Ambassador to Pakistan and Egypt and later as a top State Department official for the Middle East; and Chris Stevens who was first sent to Libya as Envoy and later appointed as Ambassador to Libya.

Ambassador Francis Rooney joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe for a discussion on U.S.-Vatican relations. Ambassador Rooney reviews the first U.S. ambassadorial appointment to the Holy See, the role of papal nuncios (the Vatican's ambassadors), and the cornerstone of Holy See diplomacy. Ambassador Rooney served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See under President George W. Bush.

(Part two of a two-part interview) Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador G. Philip Hughes for a discussion surrounding Argentina's recent election results, it's divided Congress, and it's economic standing. Ambassador Wayne served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and Argentina. This podcast was recorded on November 8, 2019.

(Part one of a two-part interview)Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador G. Philip Hughes in a discussion surrounding recent episodes of cartel violence in Mexico, the USMCA deal, and the development of U.S.-Mexico relations and policy from President Felipe Calderon to Mexico's current president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). Ambassador Wayne served as U.S. Ambassador to both Mexico and Argentina.

During his appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tom McDonald had over two dozen meetings with former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Ambassador McDonald joins American Ambassadors Live! Podcast host Ambassador Philip Hughes to discuss the life of Robert Mugabe, what Zimbabwe was like under his rule, and the differences and similarities between Mugabe and the country's new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Former Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations William vanden Heuvel joined the American Ambassadors Live! Podcast with host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss fascinating historical accounts of Indochina in the 1950's, the development of the United Nations and President Franklin Roosevelt's decision-making during World War II. Ambassador vanden Heuvel is a founder of the Council of American Ambassadors and recently authored Hope and History: A Memoir of Tumultuous Times.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman joins the American Ambassadors Live! Podcast with host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss U.S.-Canada relations, Canadian negotiation strategy versus the United States' and the negotiations that led us from NAFTA to USMCA, which has yet to be signed by the Canadian Parliament or the United States Congress. Ambassador Heyman recently authored The Art of Diplomacy: Strengthening the Canada-U.S. Relationship in Times of Uncertainty.

Susan Solomont, author of Lost and Found in Spain: Tales of an Ambassador's Wife, joined podcast host Sheilah Kast to discuss her new book and experiences in Spain with her husband and Obama appointee to Spain, Ambassador Alan Solomont. Susan left her career for a three-and-a-half year tour in Madrid and discovered her own voice and unique role at the embassy empowering professional business women in Spain.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson joins podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe to discuss U.S. relations with North Korea, the continuing crisis in Venezuela, and a variety of challenges to international trade policy and the United States' role in those disputes.

In this episode, CAA Live! host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe interviews Toby Freilich, a co-producer and co-director of Moynihan, the first feature-length film about Daniel Patrick Moynihan's life of public service. They discuss his term in the United States Senate, specifically his predictions of the Soviet Union breakup. breakup of the Soviet Union.

In this episode, CAA Live! host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe interviews Toby Freilich, a co-producer and co-director of Moynihan, the first feature-length film about Daniel Patrick Moynihan's life of public service. They discuss Senator Moynihan's assignment as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and share recorded clips from some of his most famous UN speeches.

In this episode, CAA Live! host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe interviews Toby Freilich, a co-producer and co-director of Moynihan, the first feature-length film about Daniel Patrick Moynihan's life of public service. Ambassador Rosapepe and Ms. Freilich review Senator Moynihan's first diplomatic assignment as U.S. Ambassador to India, appointed by President Richard Nixon.

This year the Council celebrates the 15th anniversary of its International Affairs Fellowship Program! Co-chairs of the program, Ambassadors Julia Chang Bloch and Abelardo Valdez, sat down with CAA Live! podcast host Ambassador Philip Hughes to discuss the development of the International Affairs Fellowship. The program offers fellowships to State Department Summer interns, supplementing their internships with mentoring from former U.S. ambassadors and academic studies in international affairs.

In this special CAA Live! episode, podcast host Ambassador G. Philip Hughes sits down with Ambassadors Laurie Fulton and Timothy Chorba on the heels of CAA's latest overseas fact-finding mission to Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. In this episode, ambassadors focus on their visit to Poland where they held high-level meetings with Polish officials. They talk about Polish security concerns as a NATO ally, Polish judicial reforms, the refugee crisis, religion and national identity, and Nord Stream 2 (and the potential for an alternative Baltic pipeline).

In this special CAA Live! episode, podcast host Ambassador Jim Rosapepe sits down with Ambassadors Aldona Wos and John Maisto on the heels of CAA's latest overseas fact-finding mission to Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. The ambassadors talk about their meetings with officials in Estonia and Lithuania and topics like Russian threats in the Baltics, cyber-security, the role of NATO, and the desire for an American presence in the Baltics.

At the Council of American Ambassadors' Election Day Luncheon on November 7, 2018, Kati Marton spoke about Hungary and the rising threats to liberal democracy in Europe. Ms. Marton is a best-selling author, journalist and human rights activist. She is currently a director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, serves on the board of directors of the International Rescue Committee and the New American Foundation, and sits on the board of Central European University. CAA member Ambassador Donald Bliss introduced Ms. Marton and moderated the session.

At the Council of American Ambassadors' Fall Conference Potpourri of Diplomacy, Dr. Stephen Sestanovich spoke about Russian-American relations. Dr. Sestanovich is the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of International Diplomacy at Colombia University SIPA. From 1997 to 2001, he was the U.S. State Department's Ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. CAA Senior Vice President Ambassador G. Philip Hughes introduced Dr. Sestanovich and moderated the ensuing Q&A session.