Maintaining peace, prosperity, and stability lies at the heart of U.S. alliance building. A recent example is the joint naval exercises involving the U.S., Japan, Australia, and the Philippines in the South China Sea in early April. This exercise was also a response to geopolitical tensions with China in the region, as well as the growing confluence between China, Russia, and North Korea. In an increasingly multipolar world characterized by a complex web of allies and rivalries, it is crucial for countries and regions to define and redefine their strategic relations to ensure regional security, economic prosperity, and geopolitical stability.

Join us on Tuesday, May 23 for an in-depth discussion with Ambassador Michael Michalak, former Ambassador to Vietnam, and Monica Whaley, President at National Center for APEC, on the evolving U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to gain insights into their prospects and challenges, with a particular focus on national and economic security issues.

This is a private, off-the-record event, and it is free for Asia Society Seattle members. Lunch will be served. Registration and confirmation of registration is required. Event location in downtown Seattle will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours before the event. 

Virtual access is available for Asia Society Northern California members. Zoom link for virtual access will be provided 24 hours before the event.

Non-members should email [email protected] for registration inquires. 

AGENDA

Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024 Pacific Time

11:00 a.m.     Event Registration and Networking (lunch will be served)

11:30 a.m.     Event and Q&A Discussion (ASNC Zoom Livestream Starts)

12:45 p.m.     Networking (ASNC Livestream Ends)

1:00 p.m.       Event Concludes

Location in downtown Seattle will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours before the event.

Zoom link for virtual access will be provided 24 hours before the event. 

SPEAKERS

Ambassador Michael W. Michalak's diplomatic career with the U.S. State Department spanned more than 30 years and included postings to Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Islamabad, Pakistan; Beijing, China; as well as Washington, D.C. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam from August 2007 to February 2011. Prior to his position in Vietnam, Amb. Michalak was Ambassador and Senior U.S. Official to APEC. He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. In addition, he received a group award for valor for his actions in time of crisis when the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad was burned down. Amb. Michalak also worked as an independent business consultant focused on Asia and particularly Vietnam. He served as Senior Advisor to the private sector host committee of the U.S. APEC Year (2011).  Amb. Michalak began his career as a research physicist at NASA.

Amb. MIchalak oined the US-ASEAN Business Council in September 2015 and was the Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director. He oversaw the Council’s six offices in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from the Council’s regional headquarters in Singapore, and led the Council’s regional advocacy efforts and engaged regularly with key ASEAN policymakers and thought leaders to offer his unique perspective on the key role U.S. businesses can play in ASEAN. He also managed, coached and developed the Council’s most critical resource: its staff.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.  He received a second Master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He speaks Japanese and Chinese. 

Monica Hardy Whaley has been with the National Center for APEC (NCAPEC) since the Center’s founding after the first-ever APEC Leaders Meeting that took place in Seattle in 1993.  Monica is responsible for management of NCAPEC’s policy and administrative staff, membership, fundraising and fiscal management, and serves as the public spokesperson and representative of the National Center for APEC.

NCAPEC is the home of the APEC 2023 USA Private Sector Host Committee, the U.S. secretariat for the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (US-PECC), the secretariat for the U.S. appointees to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and Pacific Summit Resources, LLC, which  partners with APEC Host economies to produce the annual APEC CEO Summit programs.  NCAPEC was also the lead coordinator for the APEC 2011 USA CEO Summit Host Committee.

Prior to assuming her responsibilities at the National Center for APEC, Monica served in various roles at the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT), the premier trade policy organization in the most trade-dependent U.S. state. WCIT served as the coordinating organization for the U.S. hosting of the 1993 APEC meetings, which were the first APEC gatherings convened at the Leaders level.

Monica holds bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and French from the University of Santa Clara and studied in Paris at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Pô). She is an Alternate Member of the U.S. APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Chair of the US-APEC Business Coalition, a member of the U.S. Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (US-PECC) as well as being a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.