Speakers Bureau Members and Topics

MCU Speakers are available to address groups on a variety of both national and international topics to include cultural, military, political, educational themes and more. To request a speaker, please use this link.

Dr. Christopher Anzalone

Marine Corps University Research Assistant Professor, Middle East Studies​

Topics​

  • Islam
  • Middle East
  • Africa
  • Islamic History
  • Islamic Political Thought
  • Political Islam/Islamism
  • Militant Islamism/Jihadism
  • Political Violence & Terrorism
  • Civil Wars & Insurgencies
  • Non-State Actors
  • Social Movements
  • Religion & Politics; Sectarianism
  • Rebel Group Governance
  • Al-Qaeda & Affiliated Groups
  • Islamic State (ISIS) & Affiliated Groups
  • Al-Shabaab
  • Jihadi Organizations & Movements
  • Jihadi Propaganda & Media.

 

Dr. Brandy Lyn Brown

Marine Corps University Leadership Skills Communication Center Director

Topics​

  • Rhetoric - contemporary applications
  • Rhetorical Analysis
  • Writing Process and Skill Building
  • Writing Assignment Design
  • Providing Effective Feedback on Writing
  • Feminism, Gender and Language.
  • Writing for Recovery
  • Reflective Writing

 

Mr. Grant Campbell

Marine Corps University Communication Assistant Professor, Expeditionary Warfare School

Topics​

  • Communication Studies
  • Communication Theory
  • Family and Children's Rhetoric
  • Face Negotiation/Facework
  • Communication with Adult Learners about Writing Deficiencies
  • The Writing and Revision Process
  • Grammar Skills/Remediation
  • Storytelling as a Leadership Tool
  • Crafting Classroom Seminars
  • Classroom Management in an Adult-Learning Environment.

 

Dr. Richard Di Nardo

Professor of National Security Affairs, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • American Civil War
  • German Army of World War II Leadership
  • Operational Art

Dr. Kerry Fosher

Marine Corps University Director of Research

Topics

  • Biosecurity and public health
  • Barriers to DoD’s ability to leverage science and integration of social science
  • Fieldwork and qualitative methods
  • Culture change and resilience
  • DoD outreach to academia

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Joseph F. Garbato

Federal Bureau of Investigation Chair, Marine Corps University

Topics​

  • Strategy
  • Leadership
  • National Security
  • Federal Law Enforcement
  • Private Sector Logistics
  • Private Sector Operations Management
  

 

Mr. Keil Gentry

​Marine Corps University Vice President for Business Affairs

Topics

  • Leadership and Ethics
  • National Security
  • Marine Corps

Andrea Hamlen-Ridgely

Marine Corps University Leadership Communication Skills Center, Communications Assistant Professor

Topics

  • Responding to student writing
  • ​Developing effective writing assignments
  • ​Grammar
  • Information literacy​
  • Effective written communication
  • Creative thinking
  • Plagiarism 
  • Adult learning theory

 

Dr. Megan J. Hennessey

Director, Academic Support Division

Topics

  • Adult learning
  • Instructional strategies
  • Faculty development
  • Problem-based learning
  • The scholarship of teaching and learning
  • Research methods
​

Dr. Todd Holm

Marine Corps University Professional Communication Instructor, Expeditionary Warfare School

Topics​

  • Boomers
  • Gen X
  • Millennials
  • Gen Z
  • Generational Friction
  • Unconscious Bias
  • Developing Presentational Skills
  • Battling Speech Anxiety
  • Conflict Management
  • Train-the-Trainer
  • Adult Learner Needs
  • Grammar Remediation

 

Rachelle Kamrath

Communications Assistant Professor

Topics

  • ​Public Speaking/Slide Design
  • Small Group Communication
  • Rhetoric
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Storytelling
  • Argumentation in Writing
  • Symbolic Convergence

Dr. James Lacey

Marine Corps University Matthew C. Horner Chair of War Studies

Topics​

  • Military History from Plato-to-NATO (all wars and all theaters of war)
  • Great Power Competition and Conflict
  • Military Strategy
  • Maritime Strategy
  • The Future of War
  • Operational Art
  • Senior Level Leadership in War
  • Military Innovation and Adaptation
  • Book Talks
  • World War II
  • Greco-Persian Wars
  • Great Power Rivalry
  • Decisive Battle
  • the Roman Empire
  • Great Generals at War

 

Dr. Lauren Mackenzie

Marine Corps University Professor of Military Cross-Cultural Competence, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • Intercultural Communication
  • Cross-Cultural Competence
  • Interpersonal Conflict Management
  • Creative Thinking
  • Relationship Repair strategies
  • The Role of Failure in Teaching and Learning.

Mr. Dave Major

Marine Corps University Portfolio Manager, Continuing Education Program, College of Distance Education and Training

Topics

  • Marine Corps Design Methodology
  • Organizational Complex Problem Solving
  • Operational Art
  • Strategy
  • Developing Learning Organizations

Dr. Claire Metelits

Marine Corps University Associate Professor of Strategic Studies, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • Teaching Security studies and International Relations in a military environment / curriculum development regarding these topics
  • Integrating gender / WPS efforts into the curriculum
  • Teaching gender to a military/male-dominated audience
  • Contemporary African Politics

Dr. Nathan Packard

Marine Corps University Assistant Professor of War Studies, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • USMC History
  • The Vietnam War
  • US National Security Policy
  • Civil-Military Relations
  • Defense Reform
  • Military Innovation​​

Dr. Eric Shibuya

Marine Corps University Professor of Strategic Studies, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • Asia Pacific Security and politics
  • China politics and military
  • U.S. policy in Asia
  • Southeast Asia and Oceania security issues
  • postconflict reconstruction
  • political violence and subversion

Gary Smith (SgtMaj USMC Ret)

Marine Corps University College of Distance Education and Training, RCI Enlisted Seminars, Quantico Region

Topics

  • Military and Civilian Leadership Development
  • Faculty Development
  • General Military Subjects

Dr. Christopher S. Stowe

Marine Corps University Professor of Military History, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • U.S. military history
  • American Civil War and Reconstruction
  • Antebellum America
  • Gender and the military
  • The Atlantic world

Dr. Craig Swanson

Marine Corps University Associate Dean of Academics, Command and Staff College

Topics

  • American Foreign Policy
  • American History
  • History of Medicine
  • International Relations
  • Marxism
  • Political Theory
  • USN/USMC History

Dr. Amin Tarzi

​Marine Corps University Director of Middle East Studies

Topics

  • Middle East
  • History and Historical Narratives
  • Role of Justice in State-Building
  • Counter- and Nonproliferation
  • Track II Diplomacy

Dr. Paolo Tripodi

Marine Corps University ​Professor of Ethics and Ethics Branch Head, LeJeune Leadership Institute

Topics

  • ​Leadership
  • Ethics
  • Military Ethics

Dr. Van Zummeren

Marine Corps University Deputy Director, Lejeune Leadership Institute

Topics​​

  • Military and Civilian Leadership Development
  • Speech Communication Theory and Practice
  • Teaching Methodologies
  • Philosophies, and Practices
  • Curriculum Design
  • Development
  • Implementation, and Accreditation
  • Faculty Development
  • Operational Planning and Operations
  • General Military Subjects
  • Regional Studies
  • Military History.​

 

Mrs. Stase Wells

Marine Corps University Leadership Communication Skills Center, Communications Assistant Professor

Topics​

  • ​Leadership Communication
  • Effective Written and Oral Communication
  • Global Citizenship Education
  • International Education
  • English as a Foreign Language Teaching Strategies
  • Utilizing evidence-based practices from Mind, Brain, and Education Science in teaching and learning
  • Global and International education
  • Grammar workshops
  • Conflict communication
  • Blended family dynamics and step-parenting 
  • Writing Process
  • Grammar
  • Global and Surface-level Revision Strategies
  • Editing
  • Time Management and Writing under Pressure
  • Best practices: working with International Students
  • Impact of stress on education and the learning process
  • Speechwriting techniques
  • Mind, Brain, and Education Science

 

Chaplain Bowen Woodruff

Marine Corps University Chaplain

Topics

  • ​Naval Chaplaincy
  • The Problem of Evil
  • War and Christian Conscience
  • Friendship
  • Love
  • Justice
  • Angels and Demons
  • Virtue
  • Morals
  • Ethics
  • Religion
​

Dr. Chris Yung

Marine Corps University Dean, Marine Corps War College

Topics​

  • ​Asia Pacific Security and politics
  • China
  • Chinese foreign policy
  • Chinese military
  • Chinese politics
  • the South China Sea
  • U.S. policy in Asia
  • US policy to China
  • maritime territorial disputes
  • US defense relations with allies and partners in the Asia Pacific