The Cleveland Council on World Affairs (CCWA) is honored to host Admiral James Stavridis for the John A. Hellman Foreign Policy Forum.

As we move deeper into the 21st century, technological advancement has left government regulation lagging and militaries scrambling to keep apace of rapid evolutions. Amidst the whirlwind of change, Admiral Stavridis draws upon his wealth of experience as the Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and Commander of U.S. Southern Command to assess the world, its risks, and its opportunities. As the Chief International Security Analyst for NBC News, Admiral Stavridis is a trusted national expert on global affairs. Now, he joins CCWA to share his assessments of the current geopolitical trends and how they will shape the future of U.S. national security.

All event attendees will receive a free copy of Admiral Stavridis’ latest book, 2054, a thrilling novel that encourages readers to consider the trajectory of our society and its possible destinations on the global stage.

Admiral James Stavridis is Partner and Vice Chair of Global Affairs of The Carlyle Group and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation, following five years as the 12th Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. A retired 4-star officer in the U.S. Navy, he led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter-piracy, and cyber security. He also served as Commander of U.S. Southern Command, with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America from 2006-2009. He won the Battenberg Cup for commanding the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet and the Navy League John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership, along with more than 50 U.S. and international medals and decorations, including 28 from foreign nations. He also commanded a Destroyer Squadron and a Carrier Strike Group, both in combat.

Of note, in 2016, he was vetted for Vice President by Secretary Hillary Clinton, and was subsequently invited to discuss a cabinet position with President-elect Donald Trump.

Admiral Stavridis has published twelve books on leadership, the oceans, maritime affairs, and Latin America, as well as hundreds of articles in leading journals. While a Navy commander in 1995, he was named “U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings Author of the Year.” In 2010, he was named U.S. Naval Institute Press Author of the Year.” In July 2022, he was proud to be a “writer-in-residence” at the Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho. His books have sold over 500,000 copies worldwide and have been published in more than twenty different languages.