Explore every episode of the podcast American Ambassadors Live! Podcast

Join Ambassador Jim Rosapepe in a conversation with this podcast's guest, Ambassador Nina Hachigian, who is the first US Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy. 

Ambassador Nina Hachigian, shares with us the role of the US Representative for City and State Diplomacy defining subnational diplomacy as the official interactions of elected leaders of cities, states, counties, and regions across international borders. The Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy involves supporting these leaders in their international engagements and bringing the expertise and programs of the State Department to them. Listen in to answer important questions: What is Sub-national diplomacy, why is it important and how is it used, how does the United States Sub-national diplomacy compare to other countries' use of sub-national diplomacy? To learn more about International Engagements by U.S. State and Local Governments, click here. 

Ambassador Nina Hachigian is the first U.S. Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy. In this role she seeks to bring benefits to, and learn from, local leaders in the United States, in furtherance of U.S. foreign policy. Ambassador Hachigian served as the first Deputy Mayor for International Affairs for the City of Los Angeles for five years. From 2014 to 2017, Ambassador Hachigian served as the second U.S. Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She is also a founder of WASA, Women Ambassadors Serving America and of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security (LC-WINS). Earlier, Ambassador Hachigian was a Senior Fellow and a Senior Vice President at the Center for American Progress focused on Asia policy and U.S.-China relations. Prior to that, Ambassador Hachigian was the director of the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy for four years. Ambassador Hachigian served on the staff of the National Security Council in the Clinton White House from 1998-1999. She is the editor of Debating China: The U.S. – China Relationship in Ten Conversations (Oxford University Press, 2014) and co-author of The Next American Century: How the U.S. Can Thrive as Other Powers Rise (Simon & Schuster, 2008). 

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 Jim Rosapepe on a journey with Ambassador Tom Loftus discovering a first-hand history in Norway, dealing with Russia, NATO, EU, and building diplomatic relationships and how each of these topics relates to our current world situation.

Ambassador Tom Loftus served as U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway from 1993 to 1998. A member of the Wisconsin Legislature from 1977 to 1991, he was the longest-serving Democratic Speaker of the Assembly, from 1983 to 1991. In 1990, he was the Democratic candidate for governor. Ambassador Loftus was special advisor to the director general of the World Health Organization from 1998 to 2005. He was a member of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents from 2005 to 2011, and in 2020 and 2021 was senior policy advisor to the UW System president. Ambassador Loftus is on the board of the Outrider Foundation. A U.S. Army veteran, he is a UW-Whitewater graduate and earned a master's degree from UW-Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs.

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.

"Migration issues are going be some of the most important diplomatic issues of the 21st century, whether we agree or disagree on them, I think we just have to at least start by acknowledging that they really are important, and that and it's going to be hard to talk about foreign policy without talking about these issues." ~ Ambassador Chris Landau Listen or watch the podcast interview to understand why these issues are going to impact foreign policy decisions in a global way in the coming years.

Ambassador Chris Landau served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021. During his tenure at the helm of the country’s largest diplomatic mission, U.S.-Mexican relations reached historic highs with the entry into force of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement and unprecedented binational cooperation on migration. Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Landau practiced law in Washington, D.C., for thirty years. For most of that time, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and head of the firm’s appellate litigation practice.

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 Ryan Crocker presents a frank assessment of the situation in the Middle East after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. He served as US Ambassador to 6 nations, (Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and Lebanon). He serves today on the Afghanistan War Commission. Former President George W. Bush called him “America’s Lawrence of Arabia” because of his extensive knowledge of the Middle East. 

Please note: this podcast was recorded before the events of April 1, 2024 that killed Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' overseas Quds Force, and six other officers as they attended a meeting in the Damascus embassy compound.

Join Ambassador G. Philip Hughes and Ambassador Thomas Riley on American Ambassadors Live! with host, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe in a debrief of the Council of American Ambassadors' recent Mission to the Balkans. The three countries visited during the Mission were: Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. Discussed in the podcast are the aspirations of each country to join the EU, the influence of China and Russia in the region, and key take aways from the trip. 

Ambassador G. Philip Hughes served as the U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines from 1990 to 1993. Prior his appointment, Ambassador Hughes served as Executive Secretary of the National Security Council during 1989 and 1990.

Ambassador Thomas Riley was the United States Ambassador to Morocco from 2003 to 2009. Ambassador Riley was selected as the recipient of the State Department's 2009 Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service, the only award given by the State Department to a political-appointee Ambassador. He joined BrightSource Energy, an Oakland, California-based global provider of utility scale solar technology, as senior adviser for International business development.

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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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.