Inaugural Gildenhorn Family Annual Lecture: Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro: U.S.-Israel Relations in a Changing Middle East

Established in honor of Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn, the Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies at the University of Maryland is proud to announce the launch of the Gildenhorn Family Lecture Series, dedicated to the rigorous exploration of Israeli politics, society and foreign affairs.

This inaugural event will welcome Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro to campus to speak on U.S.–Israel relations in a changing Middle East and address the evolving strategic, diplomatic and political challenges shaping the bilateral relationship amid regional transformation.

As a distinguished diplomat and foreign policy expert, Shapiro brings more than two decades of senior U.S. government experience. He served as U.S. ambassador to Israel for over five years under President Obama, and his government tenure included service on the National Security Council, where he coordinated Middle East policy and strategic initiatives, and the U.S. Department of State, where he was the first senior official dedicated to Middle East regional integration. Most recently, he was the top Middle East policy official at the Pentagon, serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. 

In addition to his government service, Shapiro served as a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, where he spearheaded the N7 Initiative focused on regional integration, and as a distinguished visiting fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

About the Lecture Series:

Presented by the Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies and the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland, the newly founded Gildenhorn Family Lecture Series builds on the institute’s longstanding tradition of excellence in the scholarly study of Israel established by the Dubin Family Lecture Series. For 15 years, the Dubin Lecture Series served as a cornerstone of intellectual engagement, bringing leading scholars, policymakers, journalists and public figures to campus to foster informed and nuanced discussions about Israel from multiple perspectives. The new lecture series proudly continues this legacy while expanding opportunities for critical inquiry and public dialogue.

Please register to attend.

Headshot of Shapiro courtesy of the Atlantic Council.