02/07/24 Shaping Tomorrow's World with Feminist Foreign Policy
Wednesday, February 07, 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM EDT
Category: Events
Join the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Meridian International Center, and The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:30 PM ET, to discuss the future of Feminist Foreign Policy.
This program includes an engaging discussion and networking reception sparked by “Feminist Foreign Policy In Theory and In Practice: An Introduction.” The panel will feature the book's authors, Stephenie Foster and Susan A. Markham, with comments from Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the U.S. on the Dutch approach to Feminist Foreign Policy. We will explore how feminist perspectives transform foreign policy, transcending conventional conflict resolution to promote gender equality and result in improved security and economic development.
Interested in attending but not a member? No problem! We have a variety of different membership levels to fit your needs. As a WFPG member, not only are you invited to attend events like this, but you also receive complimentary admission to all other in-person and virtual professional development and mentoring programs, such as Career Pathways and Mentor Minutes. Additionally, you will gain access to exclusive member experiences and opportunities. Membership types are available here. Memberships are valid for one full year. Wednesday, February 7, 2024 Program: Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar is the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States. Birgitta Tazelaar previously held the position of Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A career diplomat with 30 years of experience in political affairs, human rights, and development cooperation, Birgitta has worked in the Middle East, Southern Africa, and the United Kingdom for a variety of bilateral and non-governmental organizations, in both advisory and senior management posts. Prior to her role as Deputy Director-General, she was director of the North Africa and Middle East Department and Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. From 2008-2011, Birgitta was political counselor at the Dutch Embassy in London, responsible for foreign policy areas ranging from NATO and nuclear security issues to EU external policy and crisis regions worldwide. Her other positions have included deputy head of the Human Rights Division in the Hague, where she was active in promoting women's rights at UN level and spokesperson for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Birgitta worked for various employers, including SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, primarily in regional planning in Botswana. Birgitta studied human geography in Utrecht and conducted research in Kenya and Spain. She is married and has four children and one grandchild.
Susan Markham is the Director of the Halifax International Security Forum (HFX). Markham is a policy expert, advocate and political strategist that understands the power of women and girls. At Smash Strategies, she helps companies and not-for-profit organizations that understand that gender equality is “good for business.” Clients succeed when they unleash the talent, skills and power of their employees and partners, and match their internal and external commitments, so that they can do well and do good. Previously, Susan served at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as the Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. In this position, she advised Agency leadership on gender policy issues, including the implementation of the USAID Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy. Moreover, she led cross-sectoral program efforts in resilience, adolescent girls' education and energy, and represented the Agency to the White House and other departments, governments, civil society and private partners. Previously, she worked at the National Democratic Institute (NDI), EMILY’s List, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Participation 2000, and managed and raised funds for five U.S. federal and state political campaigns.
Stephenie Foster is the Founding Partner at Smash Strategies. With a career spanning government, the non-profit sector, and law, Ms. Foster has deep expertise in the economic and political empowerment of women, and how to effectively integrate a gender-focused approach into foreign policy. She is rejoining the Foreign Policy for America Board after serving at the U.S. Department of State as a Senior Advisor to the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), with a mandate to ensure that women and girls are central to those efforts. Prior to that, Ms. Foster was a founding partner at Smash Strategies, which counsels corporations, institutions, and philanthropists to ensure that their investments in women and girls are effective and transformational. Ms. Foster also served in the U.S. Department of State from 2012 to 2017; first as Women and Civil Society Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan and then as Senior Advisor and Counselor in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. Ms. Foster served as the Chief of Staff to Senators Barbara Mikulski and Christopher Dodd, was appointed General Counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration by President Clinton, and has headed government affairs for several prominent non-profit organizations. She is an attorney, receiving a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and was a litigation partner in San Francisco, California. The Women's Foreign Policy Group is a non-partisan organization committed to promoting women's leadership and voices in international affairs through in-depth global issues programming and mentoring. Not a WFPG member? Get engaged with our programming and events: Join | Donate | Give a gift membership |