The World Affairs Council is governed by a 69-person Board of Trustees. Past Chairman who remain in good standing are also members of the Board of Trustees. Trustee Emeritus are long-time members of the Council awarded the title for their service and dedication to the mission of the World Affairs Council. 
 
The Board of Trustees comprises some of Orange County’s top business, academic, government, and social leaders. The Trustees in turn have designated an Executive Board to provide policy and operational direction for the Council’s programs, membership, fundraising and financial affairs, and educational activities. These efforts are supported by four standing committees, drawn from the Trustees and the Council’s members. All Members in good standing are invited to serve on committees. Meeting times are listed on the General Meetings Calendar.

Rick Putnam was nominated by the Board of Trustees and elected by the general members as Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Board of the World Affairs Council of Orange County Chapter for 2024 – 2025.
 

World Affairs Council of Orange County Ambassadors at Large

Amb. George Argyros Amb. John Malott Amb. Robert Tuttle Serge Tomassian, Esq.
Amb. Gaddi Vasquez Amb. Linn Williams    

World Affairs Council of Orange County Past Chairs

Asterisks (*) designate deceased

Fred Ameri                                                              American Logistics, Senior Vice President

 Dr. Giles Brown    Harry Bubb  Dr. Jo Ellen Chatham                                        Orange County Region, Concordia University
Dr. James Coyle                                                  Clinical Psychologist, Cigdem Coyle, Psy.D.  Kathryn H. Creagan William Edwards                                                CEO, Edwards Global Services, Inc. Judge James Gray (Ret.)
Daniel Green Jeff Hobert                                                                Financial Advisor, Hobert Wealth Management Dr. Parmis Khatibi Arthur Kidman                                                        Partner, Kidman Law LLP
Joseph Koszarek

Leslie M. McNamara                                Owner, McNamara Fiduciary Group

 Dr. Michael Moodian Thomas “Tommy” Papa                                        Cappello Global
Timor Rafiq                                                   President, Rafiq & Associates Inc. Admiral Howard Roop Matthew Sant James Schenold
Serge Tomassian                                                 Attorney, Tti & G Law Llp Nora Valenzuela                                           County of Riverside Richard Wagner                                                       President, RKW Development Corp.  Yasith Weerasuriya                                              President and CEO, Stanbridge College

World Affairs Council of Orange County Trustees

Asterisks (*) designate Executive Board member

Cyrus Ameri Gunjan Bagla Craig Boardman
Dr. Lawrence “LB” Brown Peter Bryant Regina Campbell
Marco Carralero Dr. Gabriela Castaneda Dr. Jeanett Castellanos
Candace Chen Annie Chu Brian Chuan
Shawn Collins Ronak Desai Jon Gould
Sajindra Gunawardane*                                            Founder and Managing Attorney, US Business Counsel, A Professional Law Corp Helen Haig*                                                                President and CEO, The Haig Group, HAH Associates Management Consulting Paul Hamilton
Dr. Heidi Hardt*                                                          Associate Professor in Political Science, UC Irvine C. Bennett Jackson Jr. Dr. Mark Chapin Johnson
Steven Kechichian Stacey Keeley Yan Killy*                                                                                                          WW DraftSight Industry Process Expert Senior Specialist, Dassault Systemes
Diane Kim* Mani Kang Dr. Mark Kosker
John Pierre Lafare Isaiah Leslie Chris Lynch*                                                                                        President, International Business Accelerator
Denise Mainero* Arif Zaffar Mansuri Manuel Marquez*
Liz Maxson James Mayer Bobby McDonald
Hon. Fred Minagar Rick Muth Rima Nashashibi*                                                                                Founder and President, Global Hope 365
Essraa Nawar Judge Nho Trong Nguyen Ken Petersen
Robert Petrosyan Naseem Qader Dave Rice
Neal Rickner Shezad Rokerya Congressman Harley Rouda
Beatrice de Salles Arie Shen David Shilling
David Smith Stefanie Sobol Anita Sokolsky*                                                                                              CBIZ
Hon. Van Tran Rose Tsai*                                                                                Attorney, Law Offices of Rose Tsai and Associates Donna Gilbert Vann
Paul Vann* Tony Wang Tim Welch*
Hon. Fred Whitaker    

World Affairs Council of Orange County Trustee Emeriti

Dr. Harry Sahota Mr. Hal Smith Mr. Errol Mathieu Theodore Wallace, Esq.