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• An Evening with Ambassador Marie (Masha) Yovanovitch

  • When
    Wednesday, February 11, 2026
  •  
    5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Howard Auditorium, Fluno Center, 601 University Ave 1st Floor, Madison, WI 53715

  Register

  Registration IS NOW open!

  Last day to Register for this in-person event:  FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6.

  The Venue for this in-person event will be the Howard Auditorium (1st floor), Fluno Center, 601 University Ave., Madison WI 53715.  Parking is available in the Lake & Johnson Ramp (Lot 46) at 301 N. Lake St. or the University Square Parking Garage at 324 N. Lake St.

  Reception with appetizers and cash bar 5:30 - 6:00, presentation with Q&A 6:00 - 7:30.  
  

  Registration fee for this event is $40 per person.  Be sure to register on time!

  An Evening with Ambassador Marie (Masha) Yovanovitch

  Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

  
  

  Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch, (Ret)

  Amb. Yovanovitch will be interviewed on the topic of U.S.-Ukraine relations during her time as U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv, the current war of Russian aggression, the future of Ukraine and related topics.

  The evening's moderator will be Yoshiko Herrera, Professor of Political Science at UW-Madison and a Faculty Affiliate, and former Director, of the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia and Faculty Affiliate of the LaFollette School of Public Affairs. 

  Marie Yovanovitch is the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Lessons from the Edge.  She served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (2016-2019), the Republic of Armenia (2008-2011) and the Kyrgyz Republic (2005-2008).

  In 2003-2004, Amb. Yovanovitch was the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Within the Department of State, Ambassador Yovanovitch has worked on the Russia desk, the Office of European Security Affairs, and the Operations Center. She has also worked overseas at the U.S. Embassies in Moscow, London, Ottawa, and Mogadishu.

  Ambassador Yovanovitch is a graduate of Princeton University where she earned a BA in History and Russian Studies. She studied at the Pushkin Institute and received an MS from the National Defense University.

  • Payment must be received before the registration deadline. Neither registrations nor payments will be accepted after the registration deadline.
  • All registrations and payments for events must be made online with a credit card. We will not be able to accept checks as payment for event registrations.
  • Registrations are confirmed only if payment is received before the registration deadline.
  • Only those with confirmed registrations will be admitted to a program.

  MCFR members, share MCFR with your friends!
  

  Members are our best means of recruiting new members. We encourage members to invite guests to our programs.

  • You may invite as many guests as you like.

  • Each guest may attend one program per season.

  • To use the online system to register guests, you must register them when you register yourself. Otherwise contact us at: info@mcfr.info to have your guests registered.

  Cancelation and refund policy:

  • All cancellations must be in writing to info@mcfr.info.
  • Cancellations received before registration closes will be fully refunded.
  • We will not be able to refund registration fees for cancellations received after registration closes.

  If you have questions about registering, please see our "Registration Tips For Members" or contact us at info@mcfr.info.

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• Walking The Tightrope: U.S. Policy and The Complex Geopolitics of Central Asia

  • When
    Tuesday, March 10, 2026
  •  
    5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    TBD

  REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SOON

  Last day to Register for this in-person event:  FRIDAY, MARCH 6.

  The Venue for this in-person event is being finalized.

  Reception with appetizers and cash bar 5:30 - 6:00, presentation with Q&A 6:00 - 7:30.  
  

  Registration fee for this event is $40 per person.  Be sure to register on time!

  Walking The Tightrope: U.S. Policy and the Complex Geopolitics of Central Asia

  Tuesday, March10, 2026 - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

  
  

  Amb. Daniel Rosenblum (Ret.)

  Former U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan

  Since declaring their independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have worked to secure their sovereignty, rebuild their economies, modernize their societies, and manage the competing influences of Russia, China, and the United States. Today, as in historical ages past, developments in the "five Stans” have wide-ranging effects throughout Eurasia from Western Europe to East Asia, and from the Arctic to the Indian Subcontinent. 

  Ambassador Daniel Rosenblum knows the geopolitics of Central Asia as well as anyone. He will explain how U.S. policy-makers have approached our relationships in this region since the 1990's -- and why Americans should be paying closer attention to the nations and peoples of this part of the world.

  During a 28-year State Department career, Daniel Rosenblum ran the two biggest Embassies in Central Asia as U.S. Ambassador to, first, Uzbekistan and then Kazakhstan (2019-25); shaped policy and managed U.S. relations with Central Asia as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (2014-19); and oversaw more than $1 billion annually in foreign assistance to 30 countries as Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (2008-14).

  A graduate of Yale (BA in History) and Johns Hopkins SAIS (MA in Soviet Studies), he became our country’s leading expert on utilizing foreign aid to enhance stability and sovereignty in the former Soviet region. Later he became the U.S. government’s lead diplomat for Central Asia, expanding security cooperation, facilitating billions of dollars in U.S. exports and investment, and conducting public outreach that expanded American influence.

  Retired from government service since April 2025, Amb. Rosenblum now teaches, writes and speaks about leadership, diplomacy, and Central Asian history and culture.

  
  

  • Payment must be received before the registration deadline. Neither registrations nor payments will be accepted after the registration deadline.
  • All registrations and payments for events must be made online with a credit card. We will not be able to accept checks as payment for event registrations.
  • Registrations are confirmed only if payment is received before the registration deadline.
  • Only those with confirmed registrations will be admitted to a program.

  MCFR members, share MCFR with your friends!
  

  Members are our best means of recruiting new members. We encourage members to invite guests to our programs.

  • You may invite as many guests as you like.

  • Each guest may attend one program per season.

  • To use the online system to register guests, you must register them when you register yourself. Otherwise contact us at: info@mcfr.info to have your guests registered.

  Cancelation and refund policy:

  • All cancellations must be in writing to info@mcfr.info.
  • Cancellations received before registration closes will be fully refunded.
  • We will not be able to refund registration fees for cancellations received after registration closes.

  If you have questions about registering, please see our "Registration Tips For Members" or contact us at info@mcfr.info.

  Show details