KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The Dole Institute of Politics will conclude its spring-semester programming with two senior members of President Obama’s administration: Deputy White House Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen and Ambassador John Herbst, the State Department’s coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization.

“We are delighted to welcome two individuals who are responsible for such important jobs in the administration,” said Bill Lacy, director of the Dole Institute. “It’s a great opportunity for students and members of the community to hear the inside story from high-level members of the president’s team. We are particularly pleased to host two more crucial Obama insiders, especially given the fact that FDIC Chair Shelia Bair will be presenting the Dole Lecture.”

“Inside Obama’s West Wing” with Mona Sutphen will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at Hansen Hall in the Dole Institute.

“Ms. Sutphen coordinates the president’s domestic policy agenda — in that role she has extraordinary insight into the president’s next move after health care reform,” Lacy said.

Before serving as deputy chief of staff to Obama, Sutphen was a member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition. Sutphen previously served as managing director of Stonebridge International LLC, an international strategic consulting firm. From 1991 to 2000, Sutphen was a U.S. foreign service officer. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and received a master’s from the London School of Economics.

Herbst will discuss “Smart Power: American Response to Nations in Crises” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at Simons Media Center in Dole Institute.

“Ambassador Herbst works for Secretary Hillary Clinton and has a foreign role to project U.S. ‘soft’ power into nations in crises to assist them in recovering from strife and avoiding it altogether,” Lacy said.

Herbst is coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization for the State Department, where he leads the development of U.S. government civilian capacity to promote the rebuilding of societies in transition from conflict. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Herbst has also served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and Uzbekistan, U.S. consul general in Jerusalem and in various posts at the U.S. embassies in Tel Aviv, Moscow and Saudi Arabia. He holds a bachelor’s in foreign service from Georgetown University and a master’s of law and diplomacy from Tufts University.

Both events are free and open to the public.