October 2007
 First-Ever Common Interest Program Kicks Off
Twenty-one mid-career leaders from 12 countries are now at the midway point of EF’s first-ever Common Interest Program (CIP) on the challenges of urbanization. Fellows from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand arrived in Philadelphia in September to participate in a revamped Opening Seminar. This included discussions on urbanism in the U.S., city planning-related tours of Philadelphia, an afternoon examining community development projects fostered by the Federal Reserve Bank, a meeting with Philadelphia’s mayor and others discussing how to be effective in city government, and a panel on urban social issues with highly engaged local Fellows. The group also enjoyed evening hospitality with USA Fellows and EF staff, as well as a Phillies baseball game. The week ended with a seminar discussion on the challenges of urbanization in some of the participating Fellows’ countries, as well as in Philadelphia, moderated by Jane Pepper, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and co-chair of EF’s Philadelphia Steering Committee.
Currently, the Fellows are traveling across the country for individual and team events. They are meeting and networking with professional counterparts at companies such as Google, Boeing, and Microsoft. The team activities, which are integral to the CIP program, have been both informative and exciting. The team in Chicago had a chance to view over 50 architecturally significant sites on the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s River Cruise; the trip was made memorable as the tour boat sailed directly under numerous bridges in Chicago’s Loop while Chicago marathon participants ran overhead.
In Phoenix, one state senator, two mayors, and one former U.S. ambassador left a lasting impression on the Fellows who visited: Senator Ken Chevront, who represents greater Phoenix, set the stage for an informative visit to a fast-growing urban area; Mayors Mary Manross of Scottsdale and Phil Gordon of Phoenix provided interesting insights into governing on the municipal level and the challenges that cities and their leaders face. The Fellows who visited the Research Triangle in North Carolina participated in a variety of activities planned by both alumni and current USA Fellows; these included sessions and site visits addressing economic development, affordable housing, transportation and infrastructure, environmental concerns, and social inclusion. The team also had the opportunity to attend the North Carolina State Fair, a uniquely American, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The program will conclude in mid-November as the Fellows return to Philadelphia to share their experiences at the Closing Seminar. The group will then participate in EF’s conference in New York City on November 15, “Strengthening Global Cities: An Urban Leadership Forum.”
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Alumni Gather in Japan
EF alumni in Japan gathered in early October at the Japan Press Center conference room to catch up on each others’ current activities. Sixteen alumni attended the meeting, including senior alumni Takeo Sasagawa, ‘61, and Akio Nakajima, ‘74.
Shown in the photo at right are:
Front row, from left: Keiko Suehiro, ’97; Takeo Sasagawa, ’61; Osamu Watanabe, ’90; Kiyoko Fujii, ‘77; Akio Nakajima, ’74; and Naotake Nobuhara, ’80.
Back row, from left: Hiroyuki Suzuki, ’91; Toshiharu Kitamura, ’86; Go Ito, ’05; Shigru Hotta, ’92; Yoichi Iwamoto, ’07; Kenji Shimazaki, ’94; Tomiji Akabayashi, ’06; Sumio Takeichi, ‘95; Masahito Hiratake, ’06; and Yoshiaki Saito, ’06.
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Senator Hillman Frazier, left, with Mihir Bhatt at the AIDMI Conference in Ahmedabad.
Panelist, AIDMI Conference
Mississippi State Senator Hillman Frazier, ’98, USA, was recently a panelist at a conference hosted by the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) conference in Ahmedabad. He was invited by Mihir Bhatt, ‘00, India, honorary director of the Institute. Frazier sat on a panel moderated by Bhatt that discussed what governments are doing to create flexibilities to improve emergency and natural disaster response.
Read more about Bhatt and Frazier’s thoughts on disaster relief here.
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Superintendent, State Museums of Florence
Cristina Acidini, ’97, Italy, was named Superintendent of the State Museums of Florence, Italy. She oversees 18 museums and monument sites that feature millions of items in the collections.
Says Acidini of her new position, “It is the dream of my life that came true.”
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Team Member, EXPO Zaragoza 2008
Mio Kawada, ’06, Japan, is working on an exhibit that will represent Japan at EXPO Zaragoza 2008, an international exposition regulated by the International Expositions Bureau. The exposition, held in Zaragoza, Spain, from June 14 through September 14, 2008, will involve more than 90 countries under the theme of “Water and Sustainable Development.”
Kawada reports, “Japan is going to participate, with one of the biggest country Pavilions in the Exposition. I am one of the team members to prepare for this participation, and during the Expo, I will be in Japan Pavilion in Zaragoza!”
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Book Published
Antonio Dias Leite, '60, Brazil, has published the second edition of his book titled “The Energy of Brazil."
Dias Leite is the former Brazilian Minister of Energy.
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European Policy Manager, Google
Nicklas Lundblad, ’06, Sweden, was recently named European policy manager at Google. In this position, he will work to advocate Google's public policy positions before policymakers in national capitals and across Europe to advance the goals and values of the company. The position is part of a closely coordinated global team which works with initiatives of central importance to Google's mission.
Lundblad, who was previously managing director of Magasinet NEO, was also recently elected a member of the Swedish government's Information and Communication Technology Council. |
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Student, Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies
Colonel Lin Dong, ’06, China, is studying at Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies through June 2008.
He is a professor at China’s National Defense University in Beijing.
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Senior Advisor, Econsult Corporation
David Thornburgh, ’00, USA, has joined the Econsult Corporation as a senior advisor to assist with a variety of public policy projects over the next several months. He is also doing some independent consulting on strategy and communications issues with for-profit and nonprofit clients, and speaking around the country on regional economic development topics and trends.
Thornburgh was previously president and CEO of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship.
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Speaker, Interstate Gas Transmission Risk Management Conference
Yurdakul Yigitguden, ’92, Turkey, recently gave the opening address and served as chairman for the Interstate Gas Transmission Risk Management conference, held September 20 and 21 in Barcelona. Yigitgurden, a consultant, spoke on the natural gas supply and security of Europe.
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Chief Executive, VKU
Hans-Joachim Reck, ’88, Germany, has been named chief executive of The Association of Local Utilities, or Verband kommunaler Unternehmen (VKU). The VKU represents the interests of the local public utility sector in Germany, which includes both supply and disposal services. The 1,400 member companies organized within the VKU are primarily active in the fields of energy supply and sewage, waste management and municipal cleaning.
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Paper Published by Argentine Council on Foreign Relations
Carlos Regazzoni, ’04, Argentina, recently had a working paper on global health published by the Argentine Council on Foreign Relations. To read the paper, click here. Regazzoni is a staff physician and medical professor at the Hospital de Clinicas JSM, School of Medicine. |
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Chief of Staff, North Carolina Lieutenant Governor
Don Hobart, ’06, USA, has been named chief of staff for Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue, North Carolina. Hobart previously served as the director of governmental and legal affairs for the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
“I’ve worked with Lt. Governor Perdue and her staff for many years and greatly respect her leadership in improving our state’s schools and on health care issues, and her work in protecting our military bases from closure. I’m proud to serve with Lt. Governor Perdue as her Chief of Staff and I look forward to the new challenges ahead,” Hobart said.
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Regional Public Policy Director, SAS Institute
Joan Myers, ’05, USA, has been appointed regional public policy director for the SAS Institute, Inc. She is based at the world headquarters in Cary, NC. Myers was formerly president and CEO of the North Carolina Technology Association. |
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Associate Editor, La Tercera
Marco Antonio Gonzalez, ’96, Chile, has been appointed associate editor in economics for La Tercera, a prestigious Chilean newspaper. He previously was executive director of Fundacion Jaime Guzman. |
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President, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation
Heleena Savela, ’00, Finland, was named president of the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing and supporting excellence in research as a means of ensuring the broad base, independence, and continuity of Finnish scientific work. She was formerly editor-in-chief of the Helsingin Sanomat daily newspaper.
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Board Member, Mexico’s Deposit Insurance Institute
Dr. Jorge Chavez-Presa, ’05, Mexico, has been named a member of the Board of Directors for Mexico’s Deposit Insurance Institute (Instituto Para La Proteccion del Ahorro Bancario). He was nominated by President Calderon and confirmed unanimously by Congress. Chavez-Presa’s new responsibility comes after a long career in Mexico’s public service in the Secretariat of Finance, Secretariat of Energy, and the House of Representatives.
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Emeritus Professor, Catholic University of Cordoba
Sofanor Novillo Corvalan, ’88, Argentina, was named Emeritus Professor by the Catholic University of Cordoba. This distinction was proposed by the faculty of Political Science and International Relations for the first time since its foundation in 1958. Novillo Corvalan has taught for more than 20 years political sociology and organizational sociology.
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Planning Committee, 2008 Global Healthcare Solutions Conference
Tine Hansen-Turton, ’05, USA, is on the planning committee for the 2008 Global Healthcare Solutions to Vulnerable Populations Conference & Nurse Practitioner Pre-Conference Workshop. Hansen-Turton, CEO of the National Nursing Centers Consortium in Philadelphia, reports that this conference is a direct result of her fellowship to New Zealand.
Registration is now open for this event, which will take place January 15-17 in Auckland, New Zealand. For more information, visit www.globalhealthcareconference.com.
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Attendee, Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit
Paromita Goswami, ‘04, India, was selected to attend the Asia Society’s Second Annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit, “Moving Forward Together: Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in the Asia Pacific.” The event, held October 5-7 in Singapore, brought together more than 200 emerging leaders from 30 countries across the Asia-Pacific region and the U.S. |
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Recipient, Historical Conservation Awards
Abha Narain Lambah, ’02, India, was recently the recipient of two awards for her work in the field of historical conservation. She received the top United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Asia Pacific Award of Excellence for Heritage Conservation, which was given for her work on the restoration of the Maitreya Buddha Temple in Basgo, Ladakh. She also received the Award of Distinction for her Mumbai University Convocation Hall project.
Lambah is a consulting conservation architect and director of the Bombay Collaborative - Urban Design & Conservation Pvt. Ltd., as well as proprietor of Abha Narain Lambah Associates.
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