Susan Thornton of the Yale Law School will deliver the final lecture of this year’s Darien Community Association 2020 Academic Lecture Series on Global Issues, ”China’s Global Reach,” at 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3.
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Susan Thornton has worked on China and Korea policy, including stabilizing relations with Taiwan, the U.S.-China Cyber Agreement and the Paris Climate Accord. Thornton also led a successful negotiation in Pyongyang for monitoring of the Agreed Framework on denuclearization.
She will speak about “China – U.S. Relations.” Before the lecture guests are cordially invited to a wine reception starting at 7:30 p.m.
Currently Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale, Thornton also serves as Senior Fellow at the Paul Tsai China Center. In 2018 she retired from the State Department after a 28-year diplomatic career focused primarily on East and Central Asia.
In leadership roles in Washington, she has worked on China and Korea policy, including stabilizing relations with Taiwan, the U.S.-China Cyber Agreement and the Paris Climate Accord.
Thornton also led a successful negotiation in Pyongyang for monitoring of the Agreed Framework on denuclearization.
In her 18 years of postings in Central Asia, Russia, the Caucasus and China, Thornton’s leadership furthered U.S. interests and influence as well as maintained programs and mission morale in a host of difficult environments.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, she was among the first State Department Fascell Fellows and served from 1989–1990 at the U.S. Consulate in Leningrad. She was also a researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute from 1987–1991.
Thornton holds degrees from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Bowdoin College. She speaks Russian, Mandarin Chinese and French, is a member of numerous professional associations and is on the Board of Trustees for the Eurasia.
Registration is available online at dariendca.org or through the DCA office at 203-655-9050 extension 10.
Tickets for the evening lecture and reception (Feb. 3) are $35/public and $30/DCA members.
Single tickets will be sold at the door on a space-available basis.
The DCA is located at 274 Middlesex Road in Darien.