Spring Gathering 2026 | Cultural Vistas

About the Event

May 7, 2026 | 6:00–8:30 PM
Location: Ivar’s Acres of Clams, 1001 Alaskan Way, Pier 54, Seattle, WA 98104
Dress code: Business Casual

Join the Board and leadership of Cultural Vistas for an intimate evening with leaders, partners, and friends who believe in the power of global exchange and collaboration.

This small gathering will bring together individuals engaged in diplomacy, international exchange, business, and civil society to reflect on the future of citizen diplomacy and global cooperation.

👉 RSVP By April 24 to Sabrina Khan: skhan@culturalvistas.org

Featured Panelists

A panel conversation with leaders connected to Cultural Vistas’ work, exploring how international exchange and citizen diplomacy can help bridge divides and foster cooperation in today’s global landscape.

Ambassador Suzi LeVine

Ambassador Suzi LeVine is a seasoned public servant and former U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein who has held senior leadership roles across government, technology, and workforce development. She previously served as Commissioner of the Washington State Employment Security Department and has worked at Microsoft and Expedia. She currently serves on several national and international boards and advisory groups focused on workforce development, education, and economic opportunity, reflecting her continued commitment to strengthening systems that expand access to good jobs.

Valerie Fowler

Valerie is a retired U.S. diplomat who served for 30 years in senior leadership roles, including U.S. Consul General in Sydney and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. After her global career, she returned to the Columbia River Gorge, where she and her husband farm organic wine grapes on their land in Washington. She is also currently a board director for Publicis Groupe, an advisory board member for OpenClassrooms and serves on the non-profit boards of CareerWise USA, Research Improving People’s Lives, and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.

Virginia Staab

Virginia Staab is a senior communications and foreign affairs leader at the U.S. Department of State, currently serving as a Senior Media Relations Advisor specializing in crisis communications and strategic messaging. A career diplomat, she has held leadership roles around the world, including Consul General in Nogales, Mexico, and senior positions across Latin America, Europe, and Washington, D.C. Her work has spanned public affairs, security sector reform, and immigration policy, including service with the Afghanistan Special Immigrant Visa Unit. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, she brings deep expertise in global engagement and advancing U.S. interests abroad.

Why you should attend

Connect with leaders in diplomacy, business, and civil society
Be part of forward-looking conversations that matter
Meet emerging changemakers working across borders
Join a network shaping the future of global collaboration

About Cultural Vistas

For more than six decades, Cultural Vistas has helped advance U.S. diplomacy by designing and implementing international exchange experiences that accelerate the development of human leadership skills and lasting global networks, connecting emerging leaders, professionals, and students across borders.

Our leadership development programs, collaborative knowledge & innovation networks, and global talent mobility solutions are proven models that have quietly strengthened diplomatic relationships, built trust between nations, and helped cultivate the next generation of global leaders.

As the world grows more interconnected and complex, Cultural Vistas is in a unique position to expand its vision. We are increasingly convening leaders not only within traditional diplomatic channels, but also across the private sector, civil society, and international institutions to collaborate on global challenges such as workforce mobility, economic development, climate resilience, and public health. We hope you will join us.