General David Petraeus US Army (Ret.) | Partner, KKR & Chairman, KKR Global Institute Former Commander – Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan Former Director of the CIA

General David Petraeus is one of the leading battlefield commanders and strategists of our time. He served over 37 years in the US military, culminating his career with six consecutive commands as a general officer, five of which were in combat—including command of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. He subsequently served as Director of the CIA, following confirmation by the Senate by a vote of 94–0, during a period of significant achievements in the global war on terror.

General Petraeus is now a Partner with the global investment firm KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, which he established in 2013. He also serves on corporate boards, is a strategic advisor to multiple firms, is a member of the Simon and Schuster Advisory Board, and is a personal venture capitalist, invested in over 30 startups. Additionally, he is the Kissinger Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School and is the co-author, with Andrew Roberts, of the award-winning, New York Times best-selling book, Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.

General Petraeus graduated with distinction from the US Military Academy, earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University in international relations and economics, completed a fellowship at Georgetown, and has held academic appointments at 5 universities (USMA, USC, Harvard, CUNY’s Honors College, University of Birmingham, England) in addition to his current position at Yale. He is the only person in Army history to be the top graduate of both the demanding US Army Ranger School and the year-long Command and General Staff College Course.

He is also Co-Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Global Advisory Council, Senior Vice President of the Royal United Services Institute, and a member of the Trilateral Commission, Council on Foreign Relations, and Aspen Strategy Group. His awards include four Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, and decorations from 14 foreign countries. He was runner-up to Vladimir Putin for Time Person of the Year in 2007 and a twice-named Time 100 selectee.

Dr. Vali Nasr Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University

Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and a Senior Non-Resident Advisor at CSIS. Between 2012 and 2019 he served as the Dean of Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and between 2009 and 2011 as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Nasr has advised world leaders, including U.S. presidents, cabinet secretaries and members of Congress. Nasr is the author of several acclaimed books including, Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History; How Sanctions Work, Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare; The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat; The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future; and Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty; as well as articles in scholarly journals and commentary in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He is a member of Global Board of Trustees of Asia Society, a life member of Council for Foreign Relations, and a former member of World Economic Forum’s Global Council. Nasr is the recipient of Carnegie Scholar Award, and the Frank Guggenheim, and MacArthur Foundation research fellowships. He was selected as Henry Alfred Kissinger Distinguished Scholar at Library of Congress for 2024-25.

Mr. Jose Pereira Former CEO, Citgo Petroleum Author of “From Hero to Villain: My True Story of the Citgo6” & “Unbreakable”

Jose Angel Pereira Ruimwyk is an international energy executive, leadership advisor, and former CEO of CITGO Petroleum with over 35 years of experience in the global oil and gas industry. His career spans senior leadership roles at PDVSA and CITGO, where he played a key role in complex international joint ventures and high-level financial strategies, including the successful refinancing of CITGO’s debt and the protection of critical corporate assets. Pereira has extensive experience across upstream, midstream, and downstream operations, working closely with major global energy companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips. His expertise includes corporate finance, energy markets, strategic planning, and managing operations in complex geopolitical environments.

Recognized as a thought leader in energy and resilience, Pereira brings a unique perspective shaped by executive leadership and real-world crisis experience. Today, he advises organizations, investors, and policymakers on energy strategy, leadership, and the future of Venezuela’s oil and gas sector, while also serving as an international speaker and author.

After nearly five years of wrongful imprisonment as part of the Citgo6 case, Jose became a leading advocate against hostage diplomacy. He is the Chairman of Angels Helping on Earth, an active church ministry leader, host of the Building Resilience podcast, and host of Lideres Inquebrantables on Now Media TV.

Today, he blends executive leadership, lived adversity, and faith-driven purpose to inspire leaders worldwide.

Dr. Tom Seng Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Finance Department Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian University

Tom Seng is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Energy Finance at Texas Christian University’s Ralph Lowe Energy Institute, Neeley School of Business. Dr. Seng has over 30 years of experience in the midstream energy sector and 12 years as a full-time professor. He holds a B.S. in Political Science from the State University of New York, an MBA in International Oil & Gas Management from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland and a Doctorate in Higher Education from Maryville University in St. Louis.

He is the author of Energy Trading & Hedging: A Nontechnical Guide (PennWell 2019).

Dr. AnneLiese Busch Director of TCU Global & Senior International Officer Texas Christian University

Dr. AnneLiese Busch is the Director of TCU Global and Senior International Officer at Texas Christian University, where she leads the institution’s comprehensive internationalization strategy. In this role, she oversees education abroad and study away programs, global partnerships, and campus-wide global engagement initiatives. She collaborates closely with senior leadership, faculty, and external partners to advance global learning, strengthen institutional partnerships, and expand TCU’s international presence.

Prior to joining TCU, Dr. Busch served as Associate Dean of International Programs and Senior International Officer at University of Tampa. During her tenure, she broadened access to global learning opportunities, increased participation in education abroad, and implemented initiatives to enhance inclusion and student access. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Seminole State College of Florida and served as Director for Global Education at Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, where she contributed to the development of international programs and partnerships.

An active contributor to the field of international education, Dr. Busch regularly presents on global partnership strategy, internationalization, and education abroad program development. She is recognized for her strategic leadership and her commitment to expanding equitable access to global learning opportunities.

Dr. Busch holds a Ph.D. from Colorado State University, along with graduate and undergraduate degrees from New York University and Santa Clara University, and has also completed graduate study in France. She is fluent in French and Spanish and has working proficiency in German.

Ms. Nikki Morris Executive Director Ralph Lowe Energy Institute

Nikki Morris is a global energy executive with over 19 years of experience spanning upstream development, reserves, and strategic business leadership. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at Texas Christian University, where she connects industry leaders, investors, and policymakers to advance dialogue on energy markets, capital allocation, and the evolving energy sector. Prior to academia, Ms. Morris held senior leadership roles at TotalEnergies, including Vice President of Business Development, where she played a key role in the sanctioning and advancement of multi-billion-dollar offshore developments in Suriname and Angola. She has extensive experience working with national oil companies, joint venture partners, and government stakeholders, and has advised on long-term portfolio strategy, capital planning, and sustainable development initiatives. Ms. Morris began her career in technical roles across leading energy firms and private equity-backed ventures, building deep expertise in subsurface evaluation, reserves, and asset development. This foundation enables her to bring a differentiated perspective to boardrooms bridging technical diligence with commercial and strategic decision-making. She currently serves on multiple nonprofit boards and is an active member of several industry organizations, with a growing presence as a public voice on energy policy, markets, and global supply dynamics.

Dr. Deneyse A. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow Atlantic Council

Deneyse Kirkpatrick is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, where she contributes to global policy discussions at the intersection of international education, diplomacy, and strategic engagement. She previously served as President and CEO of the Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC), a state-based network of public and private higher education institutions advancing campus internationalization.

Prior to her work in international education leadership, Ms. Kirkpatrick served for two decades with the U.S. Department of State as a U.S. diplomat, with postings across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. She also served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy and led initiatives supporting international education, commercial diplomacy, and counterterrorism.

She is the recipient of the U.S. Civilian Army Achievement Award and the Public Diplomacy Association of America Award. Deneyse serves on the Board of Visitors at Howard University, is a contributor to Meridian International Center, and remains actively engaged in advancing global dialogue and collaboration.

A native of Texas, she holds an MA from Georgetown University, a BA from Howard University, and certificates in public diplomacy from University of Southern California and the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. She is the co-author of several reports and articles, including the U.S. State Department report Public Diplomacy: Telling America’s Story to the World.

Dr. Jill E. Blondin Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Virginia Commonwealth University

Dr. Jill E. Blondin, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at Virginia Commonwealth University, received her B.A. from Indiana University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Blondin served as the inaugural director of VCU Globe, a global education living-learning program devoted to building cultural agility. Under her leadership, VCU Globe received the 2015 NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award and the 2018 Andrew Heiskell Award from the Institute of International Education (IIE). Blondin has served as a Fulbright Specialist to Brazil (2018) and the Philippines (2025), as a speaker with the U.S. Department of State Study Abroad Engagement Grant Program and Fulbright Portugal (2019), the U.S. Embassy Guyana (2022), Fulbright Philippines (2024), and the U.S. Embassy Turkey (2024).

A 2021-2022 AIEA (Association of International Education Administrators) Presidential Fellow, Blondin has served as Chair of AIEA’s Member Outreach and Awards Committee (2024-2026), as a member of NAFSA’s International Education Leadership Knowledge Community (2024-2025), and on numerous advisory boards. In 2023, she was named one of the PIE 50 Top Voices in North America, and IIE honored her as the Senior International Officer of the Year. Currently Blondin is serving as President-Elect of AIEA and on the Executive Committee of APLU’s Commission on International Initiatives (CII). Her areas of expertise include strategic budgeting and internationalization, global learning, and art history.