George Billard
Documentary Filmmaker. President of Miracle Media, Inc., which produced “The Well-Seasoned Traveler,” for network television. President of Do Diligence, Inc., a company which produced, directed and photographed a motion picture library of international imagery from over two dozen countries. A wide variety of businesses, filmmakers, journalists, networks, NGOs and advertising agencies use Do Diligence’s footage.
Adam Chepenik
Global Equity Strategy Associate, J.P. Morgan. Provides investment strategy and equity advice to JP Morgan Private Banking clients, many of whom either reside in Poland, or have an acute interest in the nation. Spent two years studying the relationship and development of Poland’s economy pre and post World War II.
Steven Fox
Former Foreign Service officer with eight years of State Department experience, most recently as Political/Economic section chief in Algiers. Has held numerous meetings with government officials and drafted reports on political and economic developments. Recently joined Diligence, a consulting firm, which specializes in strategy consulting for emerging markets.
Joanna Gwozdziowski
International Affairs Consultant. Currently she serves as a foreign policy advisor to congressional and gubernatorial candidates in Connecticut. Most of academic and professional career has been focused on Russian/Eastern Europe affairs, with specific expertise in Poland. Her doctorate from Oxford University examined Soviet policy toward the Eastern bloc, including the Polish uprisings of 1956, 1970, and Solidarity in 1980-81. Awarded the US State Department’s Fascell Fellowship and worked at the US Embassy in Warsaw. She also served as a political consultant to a variety of Polish political parties, and she was a senior advisor to Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, former Polish Central Bank president and Polish presidential candidate.
Dr. Patricia S. Huntington
Network 20/20 Founder and President, consultant to grant makers in foreign policy, former clients include American Express, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of State. Author, position paper, “Landmines and U.S. Leadership: A View from the Field.” Creator of educational CD-ROM on global humanitarian mine clearance titled, “Landmines: Clearing the Way,” that has been disseminated widely throughout the world. Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Women in International Security, and the Foreign Policy Association’s Off-the-Record Lecture Series.
Ion Nemerenco
Analyst, Blackstone Group. Before joining Blackstone, he worked at GAIN Capital, responsible for business development, marketing, and relationship management for the Eastern European market segment. Studied the EU economy and the effects of the EU expansion at the University of Copenhagen and University of Virginia. Grew up in Moldova, traveled extensively throughout Eastern Europe, fluent speaker of Romanian and Russian.
Margaret Pasanowic
Director of Finance, Symphony Space. Of Polish descent, speaks Polish, and has visited Warsaw and Krakow. She is very knowledgeable about Polish current events, and has access to news from Poland.
Maureen C. Potter
Former Founder and President of Fanfare, Inc., a highly successful and prestigious food business in New York that she owned and operated for almost two decades. Member of the Committee of Twenty, a group of volunteer leaders that helps extend the reach of Network 20/20. Director of Trips for Network 20/20.
Brigitte Rajacic
Attorney at Law. She is the Co-Chair of International Law and Practice Committee at New York Women’s Bar Association. Traveled to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Brazil with New York University’s Stern School of Business. Fluent in Polish and conversational in Serbo-Croatian.
Josee Reboul
Member of the Committee of Twenty. Practices law in both France and New York. Studied at the Institute for Advanced International Studies and the Center for the European Communities of the Faculty of Law in Paris, France.
Lena Sene
Banker, Lehman Brothers. Advises high net worth individuals and mid-size institutions on asset allocation and a full range of investment solutions. NASD Series 7 and NASD Series 63 certified. Prior to Lehman, she worked as Private Banker at JP Morgan. Recipient of the 2003 Annual JP Morgan Chase “Rising Star Award.” Developed growth strategies and organized fundraising activities for WorldLinks, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the digital divide between third world and developed nations. Elected Board Member of the United Nations Association of New York in 2005. Born in the U.S., raised in Senegal, Russia and the Ukraine. Fluent in English, French, Russian and Wolof.
Richard Steere
Investment Banker. Founder of New Heights Capital, a private investment firm focused on buyouts of small businesses in the US. Has worked for over 10 years with the private equity community in the US, many of whom are looking to invest abroad. Studied Eastern European History while at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Amit Vemuri
Studying for his MBA at London Business School. Former Vice-President, Travelocity, one of the largest online travel sites in the world. He is an expert on travel, tourism and new media. Conversational in French and Telugu.
Michel Zaleski
Private Investor, past director of numerous public and private companies including Harry Winston, Southern Electronics Corporation, Birmingham Steel Corporation among others. He has had executive level positions with AEA Investors and Paine Webber, Inc. He was a co-founder and Chairman of Zaleski, Sherwood & Co., a middle market, principal buyout firm. He is currently President of The Dream Project, an educational NGO operating in the Dominican Republic. Longstanding interest in Poland, where his ancestors came from. Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Judith Symonds (Poland Project Advisor)
A strategy consultant for not-for-profits, multi-lateral agencies and corporations on international development, partnerships, communications and advocacy. Her substantive areas of expertise include, European enlargement, Poland, Civil Society and international Agriculture Policy. She recently returned to the United States after over twenty years of living and working in Europe. Some of her positions include: Senior Advisor at the UN World Food Programme; Executive Director, Future Harvest Foundation; Managing Director of Ruder Finn Europe; President of the Foundation for the Development of Polish Agriculture in Poland and representative of The German Marshall Fund in France. She was a professor at the Institut d’Etude Politique de Paris and is currently advising on the launch of a new online philanthropy.
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