Schedule

Wednesday, January 15, 2025
6 p.m. Drinks-Only Reception
7 p.m. Discussion

U.S.–Turkish relations date to 1831 when the United States first established diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire. In the years since the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, Turkey has developed into a key NATO ally, an important U.S. security partner, and a critical country in the Middle East and North African region. The current relationship between the two countries is complex and marked by both cooperation and disagreement on key international issues including wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as NATO expansion and trade issues. 

Asia Society Texas welcomes David M. Satterfield, retired U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey and current Director of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy to discuss the current status and future outlook of U.S.–Turkish relations. Ambassador Satterfield most recently served as the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues from October 2023 to April 2024. He will be joined in conversation by moderator Chase Untermeyer, former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar. 

About the Speaker

The Honorable David M. Satterfield is the director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. He has more than four decades of diplomatic and leadership experience, including service as special envoy for the Horn of Africa, assistant secretary of state, National Security Council staff director and as ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey and charge d’affaires in Iraq and Egypt. In October 2023, President Biden appointed him White House Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues to lead U.S. diplomacy in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In April 2024 he stepped down from this role and continues to serve as a Consultant to the Department of State. Among other honors, Satterfield is the recipient of the highest Department of State recognition, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Award, the highest award for senior federal executives, the Office of Personnel Management Distinguished Federal Executive Rank Award, and the highest Department of Defense award for career federal civilians, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service. He is a Member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Satterfield is a graduate of the University of Maryland and speaks Arabic, French, and Italian. He is married to Elizabeth Ann Fritschle, a career Foreign Service officer.

About the Moderator

The Honorable Chase Untermeyer has held positions at all four levels of government — local, state, national, and international — over a period of more than 40 years, with work in journalism, academia, and business as well. A 1968 graduate of Harvard College, he served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He was a Texas state representative; an assistant secretary of the Navy under President Reagan; director of Presidential Personnel and director of the Voice of America under the first President Bush; and U.S. Ambassador to Qatar under the second President Bush. He is currently professor of practice at the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston. Ambassador Untermeyer is the author of three volumes of diary-based memoirs of the Reagan-Bush era and the book How Important People Act.

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Asia Society Texas Business & Policy Programs are endowed by the Huffington Foundation.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, and ExxonMobil. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, The Brown Foundation, Inc., and Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding provided by bp America, Inc, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Regions Bank, and Stephanie and Frank Tsuru. Additional support is provided by the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.

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