California, Russia and the Future: A Special Event

D.C. and Moscow.
Panel 1—1–2:15 p.m.
Anatoly Antonov, Ambassador of Russia to the United States Jerry Brown, Former Governor of California Matthew Rojansky, Director, Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.—Moderator
In a panel moderated by Matt Rojansky of the Kennan Institute, former California Governor Jerry Brown and Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov will discuss the current state of U.S.–Russia relations and assess whether and how enhanced communication, better crisis management and more fruitful cooperation between our countries may be possible.
Panel 2—2:30–3 p.m.: Russian America and the Native California Collection at the Kunstkamera
Jerry and Kaylee Pinola, Kashaya Pomo and Coast Miwok TribesKsenia Vozdiga, Leading Coordinator, Exhibition Department at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint-Petersburg, RussiaAdditional Panelists TBA
This panel will explore historic ties between Native California Indians and Russia by sharing images from a rare collection of Native California artifacts collected during the Fort Ross era. Ksenia Vozdigan, leading coordinator of exhibition department at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, will describe how the largest collection of Native California artifacts came to reside in Russia. Jerry and Kaylee Pinola, from the Kashaya Pomo and Coast Miwok Tribes, will talk about their 2014 trip to the museum in St. Petersburg to see their ancestral artifacts for the first time, and they will describe how this connection with Russia remains relevant today.
Panel 3—3–3:30 p.m.: Next Generation ConnectionsWorking Together
Vladislav Chernavskikh, Graduate Student, Nonproliferation Studies Program of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and the Moscow State Institute of International RelationsMargo Poda, MBA/MA Student, International Policy and Development Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies Additional Panelists TBA
The final panel looks towards the future by bringing four young Russians and Americans from different disciplines to discuss their bilateral work and ideas for the future.
A native Californian, Margo Poda chose to study the Russian language as an undergraduate at Georgetown University—her interest in the language and region stemming from Russia’s unique history and culture. After graduating, Poda headed home to Silicon Valley and worked at a series of tech start-ups as a project marketing manager, focusing on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Now she has returned to school pursuing a joint MBA/MA in international policy and development at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey to further develop key business skills, concentrating on the global entrepreneurial ecosystem. Vladislav Chernavskikh is a graduate student in the dual degree in nonproliferation studies program of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).
Location: 110 The Embarcadero, Taube Family Auditorium, San Francisco Time: noon check-in, 1–3:30 p.m. program Notes: In partnership with the Fort Ross Conservancy and the Kennan Institute; attendees subject to search
All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.