Amb. (ret.) Reuben Brigety 2025 Speaker

“Ambassador (ret.) Reuben E. Brigety, II is one of America’s foremost experts on African affairs. From 2022-2025, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, the Continent’s largest and most developed economy. He also served as U.S. Representative to the African Union and U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Economic Commission for Africa from 2013-2015. From 2011-2013, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, with responsibility for Southern Africa and Regional Security Affairs.

Ambassador (ret.) Brigety served as Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA) – America’s largest school of international affairs – at The George Washington University from 2015-2020. While serving as Dean, he founded ESIA’s Institute for African Studies. From 2015-2022, Ambassador (ret.) Brigety served on the Board of Counselors of McLarty Associates, one of the world’s leading strategic advisory firms, where he focused on African commercial issues.

Ambassador (ret.) Brigety is a Distinguished Midshipman Graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a B.S. in political science (with merit) and served as the Brigade Commander. He holds an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in
international relations from the University of Cambridge. He is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Fellow of the American Academy of Diplomacy.”