Patterson School to Host R. David Harden for Keynote Event
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 21, 2019) — The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky is set to host R. David Harden for a keynote presentation titled, “The Four Horsemen: Macro Trends Facing an Uncertain America,” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, in the UK Athletics Auditorium at William T. Young Library. The event is free and open to the public.
Harden is the managing director of the Georgetown Strategy Group, a Washington D.C. next-generation firm that utilizes talent, technology and capital to problem solve. Harden is also the CEO of Souktel Inc., a U.S. technology firm that provides mobile content delivery, data collection and data analytics solutions.
He frequently publishes articles, participates in speaking engagements and appears on television news broadcasts as a commentator on Middle East politics and economics, national security and climate change.
Earlier this year, Harden received the Distinguished Service Award, the highest award in the United States Foreign Service, from President Donald Trump for “sustained extraordinary accomplishment in the conduct of the foreign policy.” He was previously confirmed by the United States Senate on a nomination by President Barack Obama as the assistant administrator for the U.S. Agency for the International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance and served as senior advisor to President Obama’s special envoy for Middle East peace.
He earned his juris doctor from Georgetown University, master’s in political science from Columbia University and bachelor’s in government from Franklin and Marshall College.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.