A special thanks to Ed Kirdar for sponsoring this month's dinner meeting. PCFR is pleased to welcome Kenny Leahman who will be sharing with us insights from his recent month-long engagement in Burma/Myanmar.  Burma has been isolated from the United States for more than 50 years, but in recent months has begun to “re-emerge.” Mr. Leahman will highlight recent events involving Burma, including renewed diplomatic relations with the U.S., results of the scheduled early-April bi-elections, and other internal political, ethnic, cultural and religious dynamics governing change in Burma.  More specifically, Mr. Leahman will discuss current dynamics in U.S.-Burma relations,  whether the changes are real and in the U.S. national interest, and prospects for the future for this beautiful, enigmatic country. 

Kenneth Leahman served from 1985 - 2008 in the CIANational Clandestine Service (NCS) and now works as an Advisor, Consultant and Educator on Counterterrorism; Assessing, Managing and Mitigating Risk; Situational and Cultural Awareness; Secure Travel; and Executive Leadership. He maintains his Top Secret Security Clearance and since 2009, he devised and directed a national counterterrorism exercise for the UAE and has served as an advisor to the governments of Yemen, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Moldova, Morocco, Lebanon, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Hungary and Burma.  Mr. Leahman has lived in Panama, Israel, Pakistan, Austria, Germany and Afghanistan, and worked or traveled in over 60 additional countries. 

His CIA career focused on Counterterrorism, the Middle East, Weapons Proliferation, Strategic Intelligence and National Security operations. He held senior Agency leadership positions in Afghanistan, Europe, and Washington, D.C. and represented the CIA to U.S. & Foreign Government leaders, to include Presidents, Ministers of State, Congress and Cabinet Members. During his government service, he led U.S. security cooperation efforts with over 15 separate foreign intelligence & security services in the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, Western and Eastern Europe. Mr. Leahman concluded his government career as CIA chief in the most respected Joint Terrorism Task Force in the U.S.

Mr. Leahman obtained a Masters Degree in National Strategic Studies from the U.S. Marine Corps War College and undergraduate degrees in German and French from Brigham Young University. He is a guest lecturer at the Thunderbird Graduate School of Global Management, is in the process of becoming an Executive Coach, and maintains near-native fluency in German and intermediate French.

A Phoenix resident, we are delighted to welcome back Kenny Leahman and look forward to an interesting discussion.