Join us in a special conversation with the Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, His Excellency Jacques Pitteloud, moderated by Council President & CEO Liz Brailsford. Ambassador Pitteloud will discuss the economy of Europe and the relationship between Switzerland and Texas, offering his broad global perspective shaped by being a career Ambassador, serving in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, and Seychelles. In the nations he has served, Ambassador Pitteloud has played a crucial role in conflict mediation, civil society initiatives, and conservation projects. 

His Excellency Jacques Pitteloud was assigned to his current position as Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States in 2019. Immediately preceding this appointment, he served as director general of the Swiss FDFA from 2015. He previously served as the first intelligence coordinator for the Swiss government from 2000 to 2005 and later became the Director of Arms Control, Disarmament, Security Policy, and Intelligence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bern. The Ambassador is a passionate bird photographer and his photos have been widely published in Kenya and South Africa. Ambassador Pitteloud has a master's and Ph.D. from the Law School at the University of Zürich. . 

Liz Brailsford is president & CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. She was previously with the World Affairs Councils of America, the umbrella organization in Washington, DC, as chief operating officer. She brings a wealth of experience in stakeholder relations, business development, program and event management, operations, and talent engagement. Liz is currently a member of the Women's Foreign Policy Group, the UN Association of the U.S., League of Women Voters, the DC JET Alumni Association, and a sustaining member of the U.S. JET Alumni Association. She holds an M.P.A. in global policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School (where she serves on the alumni association board) and a B.A. in media arts from the University of South Carolina.