Before there was a State Department, there was one guy in Paris with a mission: Benjamin Franklin, America’s first diplomat, sent to secure the French support that won us independence. That’s where this story starts.

Join the Global Young Professionals for a first look at a national touring exhibit tracing 250 years of American diplomacy, the leaders, the turning points, the deals that shaped the country. Two world wars. The Cold War. The fights we’re still having today over tech, terrorism, and global health. Then stick around, grab a drink, and talk it over with the room.

Featured Speaker: Tom Selinger

Tom Selinger served 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service with overseas tours in Kyrgyzstan, Denmark, Croatia, Albania, and Trinidad and Tobago and portfolios that have included expanding American security, managing Arctic cooperation, supporting war crimes investigations, and serving American citizens. In his retirement, he works for the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, a nonprofit where he directs outreach efforts to promote public understanding of the work of America’s diplomats. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, including combat service with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm, and worked as a locally-employed political specialist for the Canadian government at their Consulate in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.