U.S. Members of the US-Afghan Women's Council - Bio Information

Karen Hughes has been described as “the most powerful woman ever to serve in the White House” (Dallas Morning News) and President George W. Bush's "most essential advisor" (ABC News). As Counselor to the President for his first 18 months in office and as his communications director since he first ran for Governor of Texas in 1994, Mrs. Hughes has been a crucial influence in President Bush's inner circle.  

Connie K. Duckworth is a Founding Partner of 8 Wings Enterprises, a unique collective of expertise, experience and contacts in the realm of entrepreneurial business that educates, advises and selectively invests in early-stage women-led companies.   Ms. Duckworth is the Chair of the Committee of 200, the organization of pre-eminent women business leaders.  She serves on the boards of three business schools: Wharton, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas at Austin. 

Patricia de Stacy Harrison is Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs and oversees educational, training, and cultural exchange programs for domestic and foreign students and professionals.  As an entrepreneur, author, and political leader, Ms. Harrison has over 20 years experience in communication strategy, coalition, and constituency building. 

Zalmay Khalilzad is the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and previously served as the Special Presidential Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan. Ambassador Khalilzad also served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Southwest Asia and Islamic Strategy Initiatives at the National Security Council. Formerly he was Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University.

Pat Mitchell is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), a private, non-profit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 349 public television stations, the first woman ever to serve in that capacity.  Before coming to PBS, she was president of CNN Productions and Time Inc. Television.   She has worked for three major broadcast networks, as well as cable, serving as a news reporter, anchor, talk show host, producer and executive.

Marin Strmecki is Afghanistan Policy Coordinator in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at The Pentagon.  He also serves as the Vice President and Director of Programs of the Smith Richardson Foundation in Westport, CT. The Foundation, which has approximately $500 million in assets, provides $20 million in grants annually to support public policy research and writing, which includes grants for work on Afghanistan. 

Constantine “Deno” W. Curris is President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) an association representing college presidents.  Previously, Dr. Curris served as president of three universities: Clemson University (1995-99), University of Northern Iowa (1983-95), and Murray State University (1973-83).

Barbara Barrett  is Chairman of the Board of Thunderbird University.  She is also an attorney, rancher, pilot, and business and government official. During the 1990s she was a teaching fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School and was President and CEO of the American Management Association.  Earlier, Mrs. Barrett was Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Vice Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board and an executive and officer of two Fortune 500 companies.