WOMEN Shaping the World: A Conversation on Global Leadership
Powered by Global Ties Arizona, in partnership with the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations
Date: Wednesday, May 28th
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM
Location: Multistudio | 521 S. 3rd St. #100 | Phoenix, AZ 85004
Admission: $15 - General Admission | Free for WWC & PCFR Members
Join members of Global Ties Arizona’s Worldly Women Collective and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations for a thoughtful discussion on the impact of women in foreign policy. This event will examine how women are driving change in diplomacy, security, and international relations.
Agenda
5:30 - 6:00 pm: Networking
6:00 - 7:00 pm: Panel Discussion
7:00 -7:30 pm: Continued Networking
Event Moderator:
Dr. Lily McElwee
President & CEO, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations
Dr. Lily McElwee serves as President and CEO of the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations. With historic family ties to Arizona, she is passionate about subnational diplomacy and elevating the state’s role on the global stage.
Lily was previously deputy director and fellow in the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC, and is a recognized expert in China’s foreign policy and relations with the United States, European Union, and the Global South. She has completed fellowships with the American Council on Germany, the CSIS-USC U.S.-Korea NextGen scholar program, the QUAD Task Force on China’s Strategic Futures organized by ORF America and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Lily has spent significant time living in the United Kingdom, China, and Germany.
Lily concurrently serves as an Adjunct Fellow at CSIS, and is publishing a book on the history of U.S. investment gatekeeping amid the rise of China as a Strategy and Policy Fellow with the Smith Richardson Foundation. She holds a DPhil in China studies and an MSc from the University of Oxford, and a BA with honors in political science from Stanford University.
Welcome Remarks by:
Francesca Miller
Vice President, Business Development Multistudio
Francesca Miller is Vice President, Business Development for Multistudio. She focuses her business development efforts in Arizona, New Mexico and California. She is an experienced, insightful leader with proven results in business development, strategic planning, marketing communications and project management. Francesca has a history of success, expanding market share and increasing revenue. She is adept with translating business strategies to initiatives.
Before joining Multistudio, Francesca worked for SDB Contracting Services where she developed and managed all aspects of Business Development for the general contractor in Arizona, Texas and Oregon. She focused on defining corporate brand strategy, marketing communications, public relations, social media, sponsorships and special events, philanthropy and client relationships.
Francesca focuses her free time on enhancing the community she resides in and sits on the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission, City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Advisory Council. She participates in industry organizations including the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) as Co-Vice Chair of the Government Affairs Committee, NAIOP Government Affairs Advisory Committee, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations and the Steele Children’s Research Center.
Francesca enjoys traveling the world, reading and entertaining. She is consistently trying to beat her daughter in tennis!
Featured Panelists:
Odette Bakker
Head of Government Affairs USA, ASM International and Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Arizona
Since 2024, Odette Bakker joined ASM as the Head Government Relations and Community Affairs. USA. She is responsible for driving policy, partnership and public sector engagements locally in Arizona (American HQ) as well as at the Federal level and across other US sites where ASM operates.
Odette has 20 years of experience across public and private sector. She graduated Amsterdam Law School in 1998 and took on multiple roles in the Dutch government before emigrating to the USA in 2003. Odette was part of the City of Phoenix, Economic Development Team, advocating for and assisting both local and international companies to thrive in Arizona.
Odette has children, is an avid Team Handball player, loves hiking, good food and serving the community in various capacities.
Since Summer 2020 she was appointed as the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Arizona. In that capacity she drives FDI from the Netherlands to Arizona. In addition, she currently serves on the Executive Board of the Diplomatic Corps of Arizona, as Vice-Chair.
Suzanne Lawrence
Former U.S. Diplomat, U.S. Department of State
Suzanne Lawrence retired from the U.S. Department of State following 32 years as a Foreign Service Officer ending her career as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Prior to that assignment, she led the Office of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands.
Previously Ms. Lawrence served as the Special Advisor for Children’s Issues. In that role, she resolved emerging problems related to intercountry adoptions and international parental child abduction. Prior to her position as Special Advisor, she served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece.
Other assignments include Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Senior Level Division Director in the Office of Career Development and Assignments, Director of the Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs, and Country Consular Coordinator for Australia. Ms. Lawrence also served in Sydney, Jerusalem, Dublin, and Caracas.
Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Her graduate studies include a master’s degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management (“Thunderbird”) and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the National War College at the National Defense University.
Suzanne is a member of the Board of Directors of Global Ties Arizona.
Claire Merkel
Chair Emeritus, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations
Claire Sechler Merkel serves as Chair Emeritus of the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations.
During her 23 years in Washington, DC, she worked in government, with NGO’s, and on four Presidential campaigns including as Chief of Staff and Director of Friends and Family to Mrs. Cindy McCain during Senator McCain’s 2008 Presidential election campaign. Previously, she served as legislative assistant for foreign affairs and special assistant to U.S. Senator John McCain and campaign coordinator for John McCain’s first U.S. Senate campaign.
Sechler Merkel served as Associate Director in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs for President George H.W. Bush, and Regional Director for Eastern and Central Europe at the International Republican Institute, where she was responsible for democratic development programming in Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania and Slovakia.
She also worked with Congressman Jim Kolbe, and on the Bush/Quayle ’92 campaign, the 1988 Republican National Convention and 1989 Presidential Inaugural Committee.
She founded Sechler Merkel International to provide strategic advice to companies and foundations focusing on projects in the United States, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Russia. She served as a consultant to the Millennium Challenge Account at its inception.
She lived for two years in Malmo, Sweden and traveled extensively throughout Europe with her husband and children. Claire holds a degree in Public Policy, with distinction, from Stanford University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Melikian Center Advisory Board. Claire served as PCFR President from 2021 to 2023, and currently serves as Chair.
