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• In Full Bloom: 2025 Madam Ambassador Program Closing Ceremony Afternoon Tea Garden Party

  • When
    05/09/2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Arlington, Virginia
  • Spaces left
    106

  
  

  
  

  
  

  On behalf of the Madam Ambassador Program Committee, it is our distinct honor to invite you to join us for the 2025 Madam Ambassador Program Garden Party and Closing Ceremony. Join us for an elegant afternoon as we celebrate the accomplishments of our 2025 Madam Ambassador Delegates at the signature closing event of the season. The Madam Ambassador Program Afternoon Tea Garden Party is a time-honored tradition—designed to uplift, connect, and reflect on the power of diplomacy, sisterhood, and global leadership.

  
  

  Date: Friday, May 9, 2025

  Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM EDT

  Location: Venue details shared upon registration

  Registration Deadline: April 20, 2025  [registration required to attend; no door tickets]

  We welcome family, friends, and members of the BPIA Community At-Large to join this special celebration.

  Enjoy music, keynote speakers, and meaningful moments in a beautiful garden setting—honoring the next generation of women in global affairs. Program participants will be honored by esteemed guests, Ambassadors, diplomats, and government officials. Light refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, and tea will be served. Complimentary valet parking is available. 

  Important Information: 

  • Note that space is limited for this signature event. 

  • Advanced purchase of tickets is required for this event. Tickets will not be sold at the door. 

  • This event is open to the Madam Ambassador delegates, alumni, family, friends, and the BPIA Community-t-Large. 

  Attire:

  Dress in your finest elegant garden chic. Think floral dresses, pastel suits, wide-brimmed hats, stylish fascinators, dapper attire for gentlemen, and polished footwear suitable for a garden setting. Let your look reflect both grace and celebration.

  For questions, please contact madamambassador@iabpia.org. 

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• Command the Room: Personal Branding for Leaders

  • When
    05/20/2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual, Zoom
  • Spaces left
    449

  Register

  
  

  Event Details:

  • Event Title: Command the Room: Personal Branding for Leaders
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.ET
  • Location: Virtual, Zoom 

  The 2025 Colin Powell Leadership Institute invites you to join us on Tuesday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET for "Command the Room: Personal Branding for Leaders." We’ll be joined by Ethel Mwedziwendira, Head of Communications at BPIA and strategic communications leader, for a powerful session on how to craft and elevate your personal brand.

  Your leadership brand isn’t just what you do, it’s how people experience you. In this session, Ethel will break down the building blocks of personal branding for leaders who want to be seen, heard, and remembered. Learn how to position yourself strategically, show up with confidence, and create alignment between your values, voice, and vision.

  Speaker Bio:

  Ethel Mwedziwendira is a strategic communications leader with a lifelong connection to the craft of storytelling and a career shaped by high-stakes, high-impact work.

  With over a decade of experience across journalism, editorial design, and public relations, she has built a reputation for crafting narratives that inform, influence, and drive meaningful outcomes. Her foundation was laid in newsrooms and yearbook rooms and has since evolved into a career spanning litigation PR, brand reputation, storytelling strategy, and executive visibility across multiple industries.

  Mwedziwendira has led strategic communications efforts across sectors, supporting some of the most high-profile wrongful conviction cases in the country, securing Tier-1 media coverage for visionary clients, and advising organizations navigating moments of risk and opportunity. Her expertise includes courtroom narratives, policy messaging, and reputational strategy for leaders in tech, sports, business, philanthropy, international affairs, and public service.

  A journalist by training, Mwedziwendira holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi, where her early work earned recognition from the Associated Press and various other journalism awards.

  She lends her expertise as a board member for Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) and Hunger Free America, contributing to missions aligned with her commitment to equity, visibility, and global engagement.

  Pre-submitted questions can be emailed to communications@iabpia.org. 

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• Protocol 101: Navigating the Fundamentals

  • When
    06/07/2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Virtual (Zoom)

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  Event Details:
  

  • Event Title: Protocol 101: Navigating the Fundamentals
  • Date & Time: Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am ET 
  • Location: Virtual via zoom 

  Join us for an exclusive conversation with Maxine Barnett as she shares her extensive knowledge surrounding protocol services and professional etiquette.

  Speaker Bio

  Maxine Barnett is the Founder/CEO and Principal Executive and Career Coach of Soft Skills Services LLC–an organization that helps leaders maximize, amplify and hone their soft or ‘power’ skills to achieve their leadership and business goals.

  Her clients consist of Leaders, Teams and Individuals from various industries including public health, banking, technology, tourism and diplomacy, among others. This is a global coaching and training service with a client reach that includes the Caribbean, United States, UAE, West Africa.

  A former HR Executive and Co-Founder of the Human Resource Management Association of Trinidad and Tobago, she has transposed her human skills background and years of research in workplace civility to soft skills coaching and training including Protocol and Business & International Etiquette. Maxine Barnett is currently an Associate of Smart Coaching and Training (UK and SPAIN), a Program Board Member of the Washington DC-based Institute of Caribbean Studies and has served as Adjunct Faculty at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business and Guest Lecturer at both the University of Maryland and the University of the Virgin Islands.

  An active Diaspora Liaison, she has served as Co-Chair & is currently a member on the panel of Judges for the Caribbean American 30 Under 30 Emerging Leaders.

  A Certified Master Coach, Ms. Barnett is the holder of a Master of Science in Organization Development, Leadership and Transformation; a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Language, Spanish Literature and Education Psychology; a Cambridge University-trained Executive Coach; a Corporate Trainer certified by the NTL Institute of Behavioral Science and an International Protocol Trainer certified by both the International Etiquette and Protocol Academy of the UK and the Protocol School of Washington of the US.

  You can learn more about Maxine Barnett here: https://www.gleac.com/mentors/maxine-barnett

  Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxinebarnett/

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• Powell Closing Virtual Ceremony "Bridging Leadership: From Battlefield to Boardroom" ft. General Kip Ward and SAIC's Bernard Wille Height

  • When
    07/07/2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual (Zoom)

  Register

  

  Bridging Leadership: From Battlefield to Boardroom

  Closing Ceremony: 2025 Colin Powell Leadership Institute 

  
  

  Monday, July 7, 2025 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT | Virtual ZOOM LINK 

  
  

  Join us for the Powell Institute's closing ceremony, spotlighting General William E. Ward, inaugural Commander of U.S. Africa Command, and Bernard Wille Height, SAIC's Senior Capture Director. Their dialogue will explore the evolution of leadership from military command to strategic roles in the private sector, offering insights into global security and innovation.

  
  

  SPEAKER BIOS 

  General William E. “Kip” Ward (Ret.)

  Former Commander, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)
  Lifetime Member, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)

  General William E. “Kip” Ward is a distinguished former four-star General in the United States Army and a trailblazer in U.S. military history. He was the inaugural Commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), where he led efforts to strengthen security cooperation and build strategic partnerships across the African continent. Prior to AFRICOM, General Ward served as Deputy Commander of United States European Command and held multiple senior leadership roles both at home and abroad. He also served under Secretary Condoleezza Rice. 

  With over four decades of service, General Ward is known for his expertise in national security, strategic planning, and coalition building. A lifetime member of CFR, he has remained an influential voice in global security and leadership. advising corporations and public institutions on defense, logistics, and organizational transformation. A graduate of Morgan State University and a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, General Ward exemplifies excellence in service, diplomacy, and cross-cultural leadership. 

  Bernard Wille Height

  Senior Capture Director, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

  Bernard Wille Height is a seasoned business development executive and the current Senior Capture Director at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a leading technology integrator serving the defense, civilian, and space sectors. In this role, he leads complex federal acquisition strategies, overseeing the capture of major government contracts that drive innovation and national security objectives.

  With more than 20 years of experience in the defense and technology sectors, Mr. Height brings deep expertise in strategic planning, client engagement, and organizational growth. Prior to SAIC, he held senior roles across industry-leading firms, delivering results at the intersection of technology, security, and government modernization. Known for his collaborative leadership style and mission-driven focus, Mr. Height is committed to fostering the next generation of public-private partnerships that support U.S. government missions worldwi

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