Public Affairs leader

Patricia McGinnis

Former President and CEO of The Council for Excellence in Government, McGinnis teaches leadership at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute and advises the White House on leadership programs for presidential appointees.

Global Town Hall

President Obama reached out beyond the official meetings with world leaders to build trust and good will among the people--in an unprecedented series of town hall meetings in France, Germany and Turkey. This global engagement of the public will go a long way to building the reservoir of credibility and trust we will need to build partnerships and support tough decisions down the road. The saber rattlers may deride it as soft but I call it smart.