WASHDC: Fri, June 12: Panel on "Cuba: Past, Present, and Future"

[magbana]

Tomas Bilbao, one of the guest panelists, has no idea of what is about to hit him.
magbana

WASHINGTON, DC/Fri. June 12 Panel: Cuba: Past, Present, and Future
Posted by: "Walter Lippmann" [e-mail] walterlx
Tue Jun 2, 2009 4:59 pm (PDT)


Conflict Solutions International
Presents
Cuba: Past, Present, and Future
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:30pm-9pm
Letelier Theater
3251 Prospect St. NW
Washington, DC

Moderator: Allison Johnson is an International Political Economist trained at Stanford University and Harvard University. She has worked for The World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations and a broad array of non-profit organizations. Ms. Johnson has served Fortune 500 countries and international management consulting firms and non-governmental organizations around the world.

Panel Discussion

Wayne Smith, PhD is a veteran of the Korean War and a retired Foreign Service Officer. During his 25-year career with the US Department of State, Dr. Smith served in the former Soviet Union, Argentina, Brazil, and Cuba. He served as the Executive Secretary of President Kennedy's Latin American Task Force. Currently, Dr. Smith is an Adjunct Professor of Latin American Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Since 1992, he has also been a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington, D.C. and directs its Cuba program. He is also the author of several books including Portrait of Cuba.

Tomas Bilbao is Executive Director of the Cuba Study Group. Prior to joining the CSG, Mr. Bilbao served as Director of Operations on the successful campaign of Mel Martinez for U.S. Senate. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Bilbao served in the Administration of George W. Bush as Deputy Director of Operations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and as Personal Aide to Secretary Mel Martinez.

Eugene Puryear is a current student at Howard University, a B.A. candidate in history. He has lectured and spoken extensively on Cuba at universities such as Howard University, the University of Maryland, Goucher College, and the University of California-Los Angeles. He has worked for the last 5 years as an organizer with the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, planning and participating in a number of marches, rallies, teach-in's and forums.

José Pertierra practices immigration law in the District of Columbia at the law firm of Pertierra & Toro, PC. Born in Havana, Cuba, he received his J.D. from George Washington University. He also holds a Master's degree in Philosophy from Georgetown University. Mr. Pertierra was counsel to the father of Elian Gonzalez and is currently representing the government of Venezuela in its efforts to extradite Luis Posada Carriles, accused of downing a passenger airliner in 1976. Mr. Pertierra is a Human Rights Award Winner designated by the American Immigration Lawyers Association and a recipient of the Humanitarian Award from MAPAVI Foundation.

Cecilia Domeyko is an award-winning film-maker, director, producer, and scriptwriter of "Cuba Mia." She brings extraordinary experience to the field of documentary production centered on Latin American themes, as well as that those that touch upon the Latino experience in the U.S. Her work has earned her over 60 awards at major festivals in the past five years. Her documentaries on visionary educational reform in Chile and Uganda, are currently airing in over 90 countries, and have won numerous international awards. Her work has also appeared on WETA-TV, and WNET-TV, the Discovery Channel, and Channel 13 of Chile.

Film Clip from "Cuba: MIA"

Question and Answer Period

Reception

CSI would like to acknowledge that this program is made possible in part through the generous contributions of Letelier Theater, Accent Media Productions, and from the donations of supporters like you."