Upcoming Conferences

Mark your calendars for October 15 and 16 and join us for the 2024 Alliance Annual Conference at The Westin Washington DC Downtown Hotel!

2023 Annual Conference

The Alliance held its 2023 Annual Conference on November 2 and 3. We were thrilled to welcome 314 attendees including Alliance members, supporters, stakeholders, and U.S government officials

A highlight of the conference was the privilege of welcoming Assistant Secretary for ECA Lee Satterfield, who delivered an inspiring keynote address during our Opening Luncheon, where she joined us in celebrating the Alliance’s growth on our 30th anniversary and emphasized the Alliance’s role as a “valued partner and a trusted friend of the State Department.”

Throughout the conference, we were joined by her ECA and Consular Affairs colleagues for in-depth programmatic discussions during our ECA Breakout sessions, broad discussions on the future of international education and cultural exchange programs with ECA Senior Leadership, and candid Q&A with visa specialists from Consular Affairs. We are continuously grateful for the Department of State’s robust engagement with the conference and willingness to partner with our community.

Our plenary panels were crafted to inspire our community, emphasizing the importance and impact of our collective work. The ripple effect from the Public Diplomacy and DEI panels throughout the conference and into our upcoming year was exciting to witness.

The Alliance is a valued partner and a trusted friend of the State Department.

Lee Satterfield

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)

Facilitated by Karin Fischer, the Public Diplomacy plenary panel prompted panelists Greta Holtz, Leland Lazarus, and Vivian Walker to explore strategies for enhancing the U.S.’s global influence through international education and cultural exchange programs. Day 2’s plenary panel, which brought together DEI practitioners and thought leaders in the exchange and education spaces, provided a call to action for Alliance staff and members to critically examine who currently has a seat at the decision-making table and establish policies and systems that make the exchange field and its programming more accessible.

To conclude Day 1 of the conference, we commemorated the Alliance’s past, present, and future by acknowledging outstanding leaders in our community. The recipients of this year’s McCarry Awards, Jaime Fahy, Adrienne Jacobs, and Trevor Phipps, were recognized for their exceptional achievements as emerging leaders within the Alliance community and the broader exchange field. Additionally, we recognized and extended best wishes to four esteemed community leaders, Ambassador Theodore Kattouf, David Patton, Brian Whalen, and Rick Spees, as they embark on new journeys.