The World Affairs Council of Orange County is proud to present
Confronting Challenges to Democracy and Security in the Americas
A Conversation with Amb. Frank Mora, Current U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS)
Join us to hear Amb. Mora discuss the complex issues that threaten the stability of the Americas. Issues such as democratic backsliding, social unrest, and organized crime that have plagued the region in recent years cannot be solved by a single country acting alone. The need for collaborative efforts among nations to promote democratic values, human rights, and security is increasingly clear. The path forward necessitates all nations to unite and work towards building a stronger, more resilient, and democratic Western Hemisphere.
An In-Person Lunch Event
Date & Time:
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
11:30 AM Reception
12:00 PM Main Program
Location:
Athenaeum
Soka University
1 University Dr.
Aliso Viejo CA 92656
Tickets:
This event has a very limited capacity. Tickets are first come first serve, so register early!
$50 Members
$60 Non-Members
Speaker Bio:
Ambassador Frank Mora
Frank Mora, Ph.D., was sworn in as U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States on December 30, 2022.
Prior to his current position, he was Professor of Politics and International Relations and Senior Researcher at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University (FIU). From 2013 to 2020, Ambassador Mora served as Director of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at FIU. Prior to arriving at FIU, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere from 2009–2013. He has held several teaching positions, including Professor of National Security Strategy and Latin American Studies at the National War College, National Defense University (2004–2009), and Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of International Studies, Rhodes College (2000–2004).
During the last twenty years Ambassador Mora worked as a consultant to the Library of Congress, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), the National Democratic Institute, the U.S. State Department, the Organization of American States, and U.S. Southern Command. He has spoken at numerous conferences in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. His opinion pieces and other commentaries have appeared in U.S. and Latin American media outlets.
Ambassador Mora is the author or editor of five books, including Neighborly Adversaries: U.S.-Latin American Relations (2015); Paraguay and the United States: Distant Allies (2008) and Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Policy (2003); and over thirty academic and policy articles, book chapters, and monographs on hemispheric security, U.S.-Latin American relations, civil-military relations, Cuban politics and the military, and Latin American political economy and integration.
Ambassador Mora received his Ph.D. in International Affairs and an M.A. in Inter-American Studies from the University of Miami. He earned his B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University. He also completed studies at universities in Peru and Costa Rica.
Ambassador Mora is a recipient of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, Department of Defense (2012). In 2022, he was confirmed by the Senate as the Permanent Representative of the United States to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador.
