2026 AUSPC Schedule
The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
Annual Arab-U.S. Policymaker’s Conference
The conference will be followed by the
Dr. Raymond Jallow Memorial Concert featuring the award-winning Maestro Adel Eskander and his renowned Layali Zaman Orchestra
- Friday, Nov 20th, 2026
-
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Ampitheater
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W. Washington, D.C.
Board of Directors
Mr. John Pratt – Chair
Ms. Elizabeth Wossen – Treasurer
Mr. Oliver Zandona – Vice-Treasurer
Ms. Susan Wilson Bynum
Col. (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk
Ms. Paige Peterson
Mr. Tom Sams
Executive Vice President
Mr. Patrick A. Mancino
Master of Ceremonies:
Dr. Abderrahim Foukara - Bio
Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership
National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations
| 7:45 A.M. – 8:45 A.M. | Registration & Coffee/Networking |
| 8:45 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. | Welcome Remarks |
Speakers:
Dr. Abderrahim Foukara - Bio
Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership
National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations
Allyson Mckithen - Bio
Vice President, International Programs TCMA
| 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. | Panel I: Syria and the Emerging Middle East Order: Challenges and Opportunities |
Moderator:
Dr. Fadi Hilani - Bio
Senior Academic and Research Fellow-in-Residence
&
Director of the Levant and Middle East Area Studies Program
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
Speakers:
H.E. Mohammad Kanatri
Chargé d’affaires,
Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic
Dr. Daniel Neep - Bio
Senior Fellow & Director of Publications,
Arab Center Washington D.C.
Mr. Basam Ridha Alhussaini - Bio
Former Iraq Political Advisor
Ms. Caroline Rose - Bio
Senior Director,
Soufan Center
| 10:10 A.M. – 10:50 A.M. | Panel II: A Conversation with General David H. Petraeus |
General David H. Petraeus
U.S. Army (Retired) - Bio
Partner, KKR; Chairman, KKR Global Institute; Chairman, KKR Middle East; Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
Ms. Raghida Dergham - Bio
Founder and Executive Chairman,
Beirut Institute
| 10:50 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. | Networking Break |
| 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. | Panel III: A New Era in Space: American Leadership, Economic Potential, and Strategic Partnerships with the Middle East |
Moderator:
H.E. Amal Mudallali - Bio
Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow, Head Space Initiative,
National Council on U.S-Arab Relations
Speakers:
Dr. Scott Pace - Bio
Director, Space Policy Institute; George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs; Former Executive Secretary, National Space Council; Former Associate Administrator, NASA
Mr. Brian Weeden - Bio
Director of Civil and Commercial Policy, Center for Space; Policy and Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation
To be announced
| 12:00 P.M. – 12:30 P.M. | Panel IV: The Next Generation: Youth as Architects of the U.S.-Arab Partnership |
Moderator:
Dr. Abderrahim Foukara - Bio
Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership
National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations
Speakers:
Ms. Cathrine Ghazala
University of Dayton, School of Law
Mr. Elie Jabbour
Purdue Northwest University
Mr. Joseph Clark
Johns Hopkins SAIS,
School of Advanced International Studies
Ms. Marguerite Nairac
University of Edinburgh
| 12:30 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. | Networking Session & Break (participants must exit the hall) |
| 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. | Luncheon and Program |
Keynote Remarks
His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud - Bio
Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies
H.E. Mohammed Abou El Enein - Bio
Chairman, Cleopatra Group;
President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PAM)
Video and Award Remarks
Mr. Razzak Jallow
President and Chairman, Dr. Raymond Jallow Foundation
Presentation of Global Education Leadership Award to Dr. Sally Alturki
Award Recipient:
Ms. Leila Fadel - Bio
Host, Morning Edition & Morning News Podcast Up First, National Public Radio (NPR)
A Fireside Chat with Ms. Leila Fadel and Dr. Abderrahim Foukara
Ms. Leila Fadel - Bio
Host, Morning Edition & Morning News Podcast Up First, National Public Radio (NPR)
Dr. Abderrahim Foukara - Bio
Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership
National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations
| 3:00 P.M. – 3:35 P.M. | Networking Break |
| 3:35 P.M. – 4:05 P.M. | Maghreb Report: A Discussion Moderated By Dr. Abderrahim Foukara |
Moderator:
Dr. Abderrahim Foukara - Bio
Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership
National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations
Speakers:
Amb. Joey Hood - Bio
Former Acting Assistant Secretary, Department of State’s Near Eastern Affairs Bureau; Former Consul General and Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Former U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia
H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ftaisi
Chargé d’affaires, Embassy of Libya to the United States
Dr. William Lawrence - Bio
Director
North Africa Area Studies
National Council on U.S-Arab Relations
| 4:05 P.M. – 5:05 P.M. | Panel V: Outlook: GCC and Post-Conflict Regional Alignments |
Moderator:
Dr. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen - Bio
Fellow for the Middle East Baker Institute; Co-Director, Middle East Energy Roundtable
Speakers:
Mr. Timothy Lenderking - Bio
Principal, Squire Patton Boggs
Dr. April Longley Alley - Bio
Senior Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Col. David Des Roches
U.S. Army (Retired) - Bio
Principal, Thayer Marshall Institute
| 5:05 P.M. – 6:05 P.M. | Panel VI: Outlook: U.S.-Arab Relations Post Mid-Terms |
Moderator:
Dr. Ehab Elsonbaty - Bio
Partner, DLA Piper
Speakers:
Colonel Abbas Dahouk
U.S. Army (Retired) - Bio
Board Member, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relation; Founding Principal, HyphenPoint LLC
Dr. Sara Vakhshouri - Bio
Center for Energy Security and Diplomacy Chair Institute for World Politics; Founder and President. SVB Energy International
Dr. Amin Tarzi - Bio
Politician in Residence, University of Southern California, Capital Campus
| 6:05 P.M. – 6:45 P.M. | Evening Networking Reception |
| 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. | Dr. Raymond Jallow Memorial Concert |
The special evening concert in honor of Dr. Raymond Jallow will celebrate the beauty of Arabic music and Dr. Raymond’s belief in the power of culture to transcend borders, unite people, and build lasting bridges among nations. Featured in this special evening of Arabic music will be the internationally acclaimed Maestro Adel Iskander and his renowned Layali Zaman Orchestra.
