In 1961, after the Bay of Pigs invasion, President John F. Kennedy requested a secure facility to feed intelligence information directly into the White House. Thus, the White House Situation Room was created. For decades now, the Situation Room has been the venue where our nation’s leaders gather during critically important moments in our history. In 2003, it’s where George W. Bush gave the fateful order to begin the Iraq War. And in 2011, Barack Obama sat transfixed, watching in real time as Navy Seals executed a plan to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

CCWA is honored to host Marc Gustafson, former senior director of the White House Situation Room, to share his insights into the space where some of the nation’s most impactful decisions are made. Marc will walk through the various functions of the Situation Room and the detailed protocols that govern their operations. He’ll also seek to clarify the fact from fiction in Hollywood portrayals of the Situation Room, particularly in Netflix’s recent movie “A House of Dynamite.” There aren’t many opportunities to get an inside look at one of the world’s most secure locations — don’t miss out!

Marc Gustafson is the senior director of analysis at Eurasia Group. He brings over two decades of national security and intelligence experience to the role. Prior to joining Eurasia Group, Marc served in multiple high-level roles at the White House under presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. He was the director of the White House Situation Room, the White House chief of intelligence, and the senior director for Africa. Marc also spent 15 years at the CIA as a senior manager and analyst.

Please note that this event will be held at the Parma-Snow Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. After the program, we encourage you to continue the conversation with CCWA’s Carter E. Strang Young Professionals Advisory Committee down the street at Parma Tavern. All are welcome!