What role should universities play in training the country’s leaders? A panel of experts will consider that and other questions at “Creating a Class of Government Experts and Managers” March 23 in Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Cornell in Washington program as part of the celebration of Cornell’s sesquicentennial year, the free event will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., with live streaming on CornellCast.

Panelists:

• Gretchen Ritter '83, the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She was vice provost for undergraduate education and faculty governance, as well as a professor of government, at the University of Texas at Austin. A third-generation Cornellian, Ritter has also taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton and Harvard universities.
• Christopher B. Barrett, the Stephen B. and Janice G. Ashley Professor of Applied Economics and Management, and the David J. Nolan Director of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, as well as a professor in the Department of Economics and a fellow of the David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell.
• Derek Chollet ’93, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, advises government officials on international security strategy and policy issues related to the nations and international organizations of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He also has oversight for security cooperation programs, including foreign military sales, in these regions.
• Andrea Palm ’94, senior counselor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), works with senior leadership and external partners on a wide range of issues. She has been a key part of the HHS team since the beginning of the Obama administration and has more than 15 years of experience working on health care, public health and human services issues.

Moderating the panel will be Glenn Altschuler, Ph.D. ’76, dean of the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions and the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies.

Although the event is open to the public, seating is limited. Register on CornellConnect.