Ambassador Roman Popadiuk Elected New Chairman of

The World Affairs Councils of America

Washington, DC, June 4 - The World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) announced today that Ambassador Roman Popadiuk, a principal at Morgan Lewis Consulting, has been elected as chairman of the national Board of Directors of WACA, the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit network in the United States dedicated to educating the public on global issues.

"Ambassador Popadiuk brings the complete package to this position - high-level experience in business and in government, expertise in nonprofit leadership, and the vision to strengthen and grow our nationwide network of World Affairs Councils," said WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford.

A former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Roman Popadiuk is a retired member of the career Senior Foreign Service, with more than 30 years of experience in the areas of national security, political risk analysis, communications strategy and energy policy, including serving on the National Security Councils of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush.

"The ability of the United States to meet the challenges of the 21st century depends on a well-informed public and an astute, highly capable workforce,' said Ambassador Popadiuk. "The World Affairs Councils of America engages communities on all the tough issues - national security, international trade and economics, human rights - while also providing excellent opportunities for deeper understanding of other cultures."

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis Consulting, Ambassador Popadiuk served for 13 years as the executive director of the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation at Texas A&M University. At Texas A&M, he also was chairman of the Executive Committee of the China-U.S. Relations Conference. From 1995 to 1998, he served as International Affairs advisor and senior civilian on the staff of the Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (Eisenhower School) at Fort McNair.

He served as deputy assistant to the President and deputy press secretary for Foreign Affairs under President George H. W. Bush, a position he also held toward the end of President Ronald Reagan's administration.

Ambassador Popadiuk is a member of the U.S.-Ukraine Energy Task Force of the Ukraine 2020 Policy Dialogue, a forum co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine aimed at strengthening U.S.-Ukraine relations and Ukraine's integration into Europe. He is a senior advisor to the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ambassador Popadiuk succeeds Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky, who has served as WACA Chair with distinction for the past four years.

About the World Affairs Councils of America The World Affairs Councils of America is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Washington, DC. WACA, in serving a network of 96 World Affairs Councils across the United States, acts daily to uphold a commitment to public learning and democracy. WACA and its member Councils believe in the notion espoused by Thomas Jefferson that an informed citizenry is at the heart of a dynamic democracy. The World Affairs Councils of America supports the high-quality programs, educational initiatives, and operational excellence of its member Councils. Our common mission is to foster deeper understanding and public discussion of key global issues, provide community access to leaders and decision-makers, and prepare succeeding generations to thrive in a diverse and interdependent world.