Speakers: Diverse, timely, expert perspectives

We participate in the ACFR National Speakers Program which provides prominent speakers at the ready edge of responsibility and expertise regarding timely foreign policy issues & events. We have hosted sitting Ambassadors, former Ambassadors, State Department officials, Officers of the military, policy experts & more from foreign relations organizations and consultancies in the nation.

We also feature Iowa based speakers with special expertise and experiences in foreign relations from our congressional representatives, universities, and major news outlets.

At the Committee on Foreign Relations, our monthly meetings are dedicated to advancing discourse of relevant U.S. foreign relations issues and events while supporting our non-partisan, non-profit position.  We provide a high quality personal experience with a unique intimate forum for dialogue and discussion. We support diverse, timely, well-informed perspectives that contribute to understanding concerning foreign relations.

March Speaker: Mr. Brian Katulis @ the Wakonda Club, Thursday, March 5th

Event Details

• Date: Thursday, March 5th

• Location: Wakonda Club, 3915 Fleur Drive, Des Moines

• 5:30 PM: Social (Hors d’oeuvres and Conversation)

• 6:00 PM: Presentation 

• Fee: $20 for members | $10 for students

• To confirm your attendance, please email: events@gdmcfr.org

Brian Katulis is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, specializing in US foreign policy and national security. He hosts the MEI podcast series Taking the Edge Off the Middle East and authors the column “Making Sense: A Regular Take on US Foreign Policy.” Katulis draws on decades of experience living and working in the Middle East, where he has forged relationships of trust and confidence across the region with top leaders in government, the private sector, media, national security, and thought leaders from a wide variety of international organizations.

As a foreign policy strategist and senior fellow, Katulis has produced influential studies that have shaped key regional policy debates and provided expert testimony to congressional committees on his findings. Prior to MEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where he built the center’s Middle East program. His career also includes significant experience at the National Security Council, the US Department of State, and the US Department of Defense.

Katulis co-authored The Prosperity Agenda (2008) with Nancy Soderberg, a book that examines how America’s economic advantages can be used to positively shape global dynamics. He is also frequently quoted in leading news publications and media outlets.

He holds a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a BA in History and Arab and Islamic Studies from Villanova University. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Amman, Jordan from 1994-1995, where he conducted a research project on the peace process between Israel and Jordan.

Additional resources…

Taking the Edge Off the Middle East https://mei.edu/taking-the-edge-off/

LinkedIn …

Reflecting on 2025 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bkatulis_reflecting-on-2025-one-of-my-favorite-things-activity-7420091094484451328-UEbK?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAxFYqwBh_NaFnxeRiu_CRMwuh_Sy8QvhJg

The Federalist Society

The Future of U.S.-Iran Policy https://fedsoc.org/events/the-future-of-u-s-iran-policy

Remaking the Middle East w. Brian Katulis (2025) https://youtu.be/GJhu68uvlbw

Six factors shaping Trump’s calculus on Iran | Al Majalla https://en.majalla.com/node/329386/politics/six-factors-shaping-trump’s-calculus-iran

Katulis on Current Issues…

Israel plans to reopen Rafah crossing https://mei.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/BBC_News_Channel-2026-01-26_23-21-26.mp4

Current member please email us at events@gdmcfr.org

If you would like to become a member please visit our Membership and Sponsorship page for more information

Past Speakers: