On December 7th, 2006, CSP presented Crisis Leadership: Securing Societies, Protecting Homelands. Panelists at the event directed discussion around lessons learned in crisis, the politics of crisis leadership, concepts of decision-making in crisis, and the differeing perspectives and roles between policy-maker and practitioner in times of crisis. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary for Preparedness George Foresman delivered a keynote address. Over 40 participants discussed the issues related to leadership in crisis with such experts as Lars Hedström, Deputy Director General, Swedish Emergency Management Agency and the Honorable George Foresman, Under Secretary for Preparedness U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The Center's Presidential Fellows came together for the annual Fall Conference on November 9-11, 2006. In addition to presenting proposals for the research papers on the Presidency, the 85 undergraduate and graduate students heard from Sarah Holewinski, Executive Director of CIVIC - Campaign for Innocent Victims of Conflict, who spoke on "Making a Difference in Washington," and Dr. David Abshire, President of CSP; fellows also heard from panels on "Understanding Election Results" and "The Future of Parties - 2008 and Beyond." The Spring Conference will be held in Washington, DC, in March 2007, where the Fellows will discuss their final papers and hear from leading policymakers.
On September 22-23, 2006, the Center for the Study of the Presidency, along with Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, sponsored the Inaugural Conference of the National Consortium for Character-Based Leadership. More than 90 representatives from character-based education programs across the country, as well as a former Senator, CEO of Fannie Mae, and others gathered at Washington and Lee to discuss character and leadership education. One participants called it "the best workshop [she'd] ever attended." The next conference is scheduled for the Spring at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
As part of CSP's Homeland Security Roundtable Series, the Center hosted Dr. Scott Atran, a renowned expert on the Middle East and informal interlocutor between the governments of Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the United States, to speak on on issues related to the current state of political, diplomatic, and military affairs in the Middle East, Islamic terrorism, and U.S. interests in the region.
