The International Leadership Conference
Guest Speakers

Imam Yahya Hendi is the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, the first American University to hire a full-time Muslim chaplain. Imam Hendi is also the Imam of the Islamic Society of Frederick, and is the Muslim Chaplain at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. He also serves as a member and the spokesperson of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America. He serves as adjunct faculty member at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD.
Mr. Hendi holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Religions from Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Comparative Religion.

He has written numerous publications on many topics, including women in Islam, women and gender relations in Islam, the coming of the Messiah, and religion and Islam in the United States. A sought-after speaker, Imam Hendi has presented a multitude of interfaith and general lectures in the USA, Asia, Europe, central Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East over the past eight years. Mr. Hendi was one of the Muslim leaders who met with the President of the United States in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy. Imam Hendi also met the President of the United States many times after September 11th. Imam Hendi often visits and lectures at churches and synagogues hoping to create a new positive relationship between the followers of the three Abrahamic religions.

Mr. Hendi serves on national and international interfaith councils. In May 2002, Imam Hendi was chosen by Hartford Seminary to receive its annual “James Gettemy Significant Ministry Award” for his dedication to his Ministry and for his work to promote peace building between people of different religions. 

Yolande Knell, 31, is a journalist from London, U.K. She is currently studying international relations in Washington, DC.

Peter A. DeLisle is the Leslie B. Crane Chair of Leadership Studies and Director of The Posey Leadership Institute at Austin College.

Professor DeLisle’s background in education includes award-winning teaching in engineering, education and commerce. He held the William B. Severns Chair in Human Behavior in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois in Urbana and has been a member of the executive education faculty at the University of Notre Dame.  He was a Program Manager for the Center for Creative Leadership.

DeLisle’s industry experience includes executive leadership at Hewlett-Packard Company and Convex Computer of Dallas.  He has helped found three successful companies and acted as an advisor, consultant and teacher of leaders in more than two hundred companies and communities over the last 30 years.

He has served as resource and advisor to the National Science Foundation, the National Research Council, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the E.M. Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and the Texas Association of School Boards.

DeLisle served in the United States Army as a captain of field artillery and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.  He was the distinguished military graduate of the University of Connecticut in 1971.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Human Resource Development and Leadership  from University of Texas in Austin. 

Robert C. Cresanti was sworn in as Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology on March 20, 2006 in a private ceremony. President Bush nominated him on November 10, 2005; the United States Senate confirmed him on March 16, 2006. As head of the Technology Administration (TA), Cresanti oversees a policy analysis staff, and provides oversight to the National Institute of Standards and Technology and National Technical Information Service.

The primary mission of the Technology Administration (TA) is to maximize the competitiveness and innovation of the U.S. technology industry and its contribution to America's economic growth and global leadership. The Under Secretary is focused on carrying forward President Bush's vision to grow the economy through the American Competitiveness Initiative and related policies and programs. As a portal between the federal government and the technology community, the Under Secretary's priorities are to:

• continue the Technology Administration's work in paving the way for appropriate government support of industry's rapid advances in technological development;
• foster an environment conducive to private sector investment in innovation, by identifying ways to facilitate knowledge exchange between scientists and investors, which will boost our country's economic performance;
• find efficient ways to promote the mechanisms and capture the data necessary to ensure and measure our return on government R&D investments;
• serve as a one-stop-shop for U.S. industry representatives to discuss and resolve critical issues that challenge their ability to thrive.

The Under Secretary also serves on four committees of the President's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC): the Committee on Education and Training; the Committee on International Science, Engineering, and Technology; the Committee on National Security; and the Committee on Technology.

Before his confirmation, Cresanti served as Vice President of Public Policy at the Business Software Alliance. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Information Technology Association of America. Earlier in his career, he served as Staff Director for the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem. He was also Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Financial Services and Technology for the Senate Banking Committee. Mr. Cresanti received his B.A. degree from Austin College and his J.D. degree from Baylor University.

Erin Moseley joined Lockheed Martin Corporation in March 2004 as Vice President, Sensors and Electronic Systems in the Washington Operations Office. In this position she led the Washington Operations efforts in support of multiple business areas, primarily in the Electronic Systems area, ranging from sea-based platforms, to sensors and electroic systems, to simulation and training services and systems.  Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Ms. Moseley served at General Dynamics Corporation, concluding her work there as Staff Vice President, Government Relations, Combat Systems. In this position she worked with the Department of Defense and other cabinet-level organizations and members of Congress on all General Dynamics’ Combat Systems, which encompassed combat vehicle programs for the Army and Marine Corps; armament programs’ munitions systems; advanced research and development programs and technologies; nuclear, biological, and chemical defense, and robotics programs. Ms. Mosley left her post at Lockheed Martin to start her own consulting firm.

Prior to joining the defense industry, Ms. Moseley served the government as the Special Advisor to the Deputy Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA).  From March 1996 to May 1998 she provided policy and technical information and advice to the Deputy Director for making decisions on policy objectives, issues, and procedures with respect to arms control, disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons.  Before working with the Deputy Director of the agency, she was a Physical Science Officer at ACDA, beginning in June 1995.  In this capacity she provided technical information, advice, and guidance for making decisions on policy objectives, issues, and procedures with respect to the International Atomic Energy Agency, combating nuclear smuggling, wide-area environmental sampling to detect clandestine nuclear activities, and the non-nuclear weapons states of the former Soviet Union. 

Raised in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Ms. Moseley worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory throughout her undergraduate career.  She graduated magna cum laude from Axusa Pacific University in California in 1992 with a double major in International Relations and Political Science and completed a Master of Arts in National Security Studies at Georgetown University in 1998.  She has had frequent speaking engagements and publications throughout her career.

A 1998 cum laude graduate of Austin College joined the office of U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry in fall 1998 as staff assistant. From January 1999 through fall 2003, Kennedy worked as executive assistant, office manager, and systems administrator for the representative. In fall 2003, he joined the staff of the Office of the Speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives, J. Dennis Hastert. Kennedy managed operations for the speaker's deputy chief of staff and the speaker's counsel. 

Kennedy earned a master's degree in education and human development with an emphasis in human resource development in 2005 from The George Washington University. The former Austin College Student Assembly president and Outstanding Senior Man now lives in Washington, D.C.

Afif Safieh arrived in Washington, DC on 26 Oct 2005 to assume his duties as Palestine’s representative in the US. He was (1990-2005) Palestinian General-Delegate to the UK and the Holy See.

Safieh was born in Jerusalem on May 4, 1950. He studied in Jerusalem at the College Des Freres. Having finished high school in 1966, he left for Belgium to attend the University of Louvain. Like other Palerstinians who were absent from the West Bank when it was captured by the Israelis in 1967, he was not allowed to return home. Safieh says that the 1967 war made him a “wandering Palestinian” and that he still is.

He was President of the Palestinian Students Union in Belgium '69-'71 and in France '74-'75. He was deputy director of the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations in Geneva '76-'78. He has been the Palestinian General Delegate to the United Kingdom since September 1990. His articles and essays have been published in two books - "Self Determination" and "One People Too Many?" His recent essays include "Children of a Lesser God?" and "Peace Process: from breakthrough to breakdown ?"  

According to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper Afif Safieh is considered the most articulate Palestinian diplomat in Europe, and possibly the world. The most experienced speakers the foreign ministry can muster have been sent to face off against him in international conferences and on BBC talk shows, and they have run into difficulty opposite the Jerusalem-born Palestinian with the rich vocabulary and smooth delivery.

The President of The Johnson Group is a producer and director with over 30 years experience in broadcasting, event production, and communications. One of Mr. Johnson's first productions, "Proudly They Came," was chosen as a Fourth of July special by both ABC and NBC. Later, he produced "The Great Family Awards," a television special hosted by Nancy Reagan, featuring Willard Scott.

Two recent projects, "Living with Hope," a broadcast documentary about teens with HIV/AIDS, and "SAFE!," an educational video about the problem of domestic violence, have won CINE Golden Eagle awards for excellence. The Johnson Group was also recognized with a 2000 Silver Catalyst Award for video excellence and innovation. Other projects have earned Mr. Johnson the Washington D.C. Emmy Award, Chris Film Award, and the San Francisco Film Festival Award. His film for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, "A Gift of Time," is featured in the Walt Disney educational film library. Recent productions include a series of TV spots for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York, and another series of PSAs commemorating the Smithsonian's 150th Anniversary

Mr. Johnson also served as producer of “Paper Clips,” a documentary that has won 14 major awards, has been featured on HBO in late 2005 and the first part of 2006, and is now available in video stores for home viewers. “Paper Clips” was also recognized by the Board of National Review as one of the top five documentaries of 2004. 

On February 27, 2007, TARP Worldwide, a leader in customer experience research and services for over 35 years, announced the appointment of a new CEO, Dennis E. Gonier, to take over executive leadership of the company and launch efforts for stronger impact in the services market. Gonier, a well respected, successful research and strategy veteran of over 20 years, most recently served as Executive Vice President in the Access Division of AOL. Former President and Co-founder of TARP, John Goodman, will now serve as Vice Chairman.

Mr. Gonier founded Digital Marketing Services, a leading company spearheading the Internet revolution in loyalty marketing services and online custom research. Mr. Gonier changed the face of the marketing research industry in 1997 by establishing a business alliance involving more than 15 top research firms to co-market and advance online research. His company was acquired by AOL in 1999 and is currently the leading provider of online custom market research worldwide.

Mr. Gonier has advised many national companies on strategy and marketing solutions. Among them are: American Airlines, American Express, Citibank, Coors, Coca-Cola, IBM, JC Penney, Proctor and Gamble and Volkswagen. Throughout his career, Mr. Gonier has helped launch successful new brands, revitalize portfolios, improve retention, research capabilities and grow profitability. 

He has been named one of the 10 21^st Century Stars “who are changing the face of consumer intelligence and marketing” by American Demographics, is quoted in numerous periodicals and books and has conducted sessions for various marketing and advertising conferences.

Mr. Gonier was the valedictorian graduate of Austin College in Sherman, Texas.

Ambassador Joseph Huggins
CEO, The Huggins Group

Ambassador Joseph Huggins, a retired Career Diplomat, is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Huggins Group (THG).  The firm works with U.S. companies interested in trade and investment opportunities in Africa.  He is also Chairman and co-owner of Travel Leisure (PTY) Ltd.., a tour operating business in Botswana.  Prior to his current position, Ambassador Huggins had a long and distinguished Diplomatic career serving in senior positions in the former Soviet Union, Kenya, Guinea, Togo, and Jordan. In his last overseas assignment from January 2003 to July 2005, he served as Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana and the Secretary of State’s Special Representative to the Southern Africa Development Community, a political and economic organization comprised of 14 countries in southern Africa.  During his tour in Botswana, Ambassador Huggins was responsible for strengthening U.S.-Botswana relations, promoting trade and investment opportunities for U.S. firms and overseeing the U.S. government’s programs in assisting Botswana’s efforts to reduce its HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.  Following his assignment to Botswana, Ambassador Huggins worked with The Corporate Council on Africa as Senior Advisor to the Financing and Capital Flows Committee in developing strategies to increase investment flows to Africa. He also served as a liaison between the Council and multilateral organizations, African governments and the broader (non-member) business community on issues related specifically to finance and capital flows. 

Ambassador Huggins previously served as Executive Director for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs where he worked closely with the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa in formulating policy and resource requirements for 44 U.S. Embassies in Africa.