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Dear USGLC Board,

Happy Thanksgiving! Before I sign off, I wanted to share a few incredible tales. I know this is a bit long, but worthwhile.


1. Thanksgiving Social Media Campaign. We are launching our most ambitious social media campaign this morning, thanks to an idea that came out of our last Board meeting, and was brilliantly executed by my colleagues.

§ It is an interactive Thanksgiving table graphic - with the tagline "This Thanksgiving, why America's global leadership is a tradition worth celebrating".

§ When you click on each item, it links to a story of a USGLC partner making a difference in the world through an international affairs program.

§ Thank you to P&G, Coca Cola, Global Communities, World Vision, Save, Land O'Lakes, NRECA, and so many more who contributed and are going to push it out through their social media networks, along with USAID, Peace Corps, MCC, and OPIC.

§ Please explore - it's fun, and interesting: usglc.org/thanksgiving<http://www.usglc.org/thanksgiving/>


Please post it on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A//www.facebook.com/USGLC/posts/10153278256347773> and Tweet<https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=This%20%23Thanksgiving%2C%20America%27s%20global%20leadership%20is%20a%20tradition%20worth%20celebrating%20usglc.org%2Fthanksgiving%20%40USGLC%20pic.twitter.com%2FHe0OZ2vsqc> it out. Sample Tweet:
This #Thanksgiving, America's global leadership is a tradition worth celebrating usglc.org/thanksgiving @USGLC pic.twitter.com/He0OZ2vsqc

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2. Iowa Impact 2016 Kickoff with Senator Ernst. On Monday, I was in Iowa to kick-off our Iowa Advisory Council and Impact 2016 events with an event that featured Senator Joni Ernst, Governor Terry Branstad and included a senior representative from nearly every GOP Presidential campaign. Our last freshman Senator event of the year, and probably our best.


Thank you to Board member Michael Gerson and representatives from UN Foundation and Gates Foundation for participating. Des Moines Register<http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2015/11/23/general-press-candidates-development-aid-diplomacy/76269152/> covered the event with a strong article. Some additional highlights:


[cid:image006.jpg@01D1277A.DC343F40]Senator Ernst: As a candidate, Joni Ernst had some disparaging words about foreign aid. We have worked hard to educate and engage her. At a breakfast with our leadership earlier this year, she was good as she read her prepared remarks written by her staff. But on Monday, she "owned" her words and showed her leadership on our issues! This was a transformation from someone who knew nothing about development to someone singing off of our song sheet, and on the road to becoming a champion. Here are just two of many incredible quotes (I couldn't tweet fast enough!)


"I would say the military cannot do it alone. We also have to have partners such as USAID, the State Department, and our non-governmental organizations all running in parallel with our military efforts to ensure we are stabilizing communities and providing opportunity."


"We need a leader that can pull people together to combat not just ISIS but also combat hunger and malaria across the world. And a leader has to understand that there are problems out there that need to be addressed with very hard decisions."


§ Presidential Campaign Attendees. From the campaigns, we welcomed the State Directors from Cruz, Carson, Bush, Fiorina, and top Advisors from Kasich, Rubio, and Christie. At the last minute, Trump, Santorum, Huckabee and Paul cancelled but I don't think it was issue based. Graham's Director apologized that they got stuck on a call. We didn't try to recruit Democrats, but we were thrilled to host the Democratic Party Chair. We are packaging the content, including Christian Broadcasting Network who reported on the event, to send to the campaigns in order to amplify the message.


Powerhouse Attendees. The event was also a launch of our Iowa Advisory Council, chaired by former Representatives Boswell and Latham, Senator Harkin, and fortune 500 business leader Bob Myers who was absolutely thrilled with the event. The audience of 350 (remarkable for Iowa) was filled with the who's who of Des Moines. Here is a note we received from Congressman David Young's State Director (he spoke at our VIP reception) that I think captures the day:


"I was uplifted with the luncheon program and forum but was actually disappointed that I couldn't "work the room" fast enough before and after the event! There were so many prominent, influential, key leaders of Iowa and the nation in the room yesterday. From every angle of the room, I saw people I wanted to catch to say a few words! The synergy was dynamic and the resolve to help the world was solidified. Please keep up these wonderful events, knowing that many of us are willing to step forward and do what is needed to make this a better world for all."


3. New Hampshire Impact 2016 Event with GOP Surrogate Forum. Next Friday, December 4, we will be hosting our second Impact 2016 event in Manchester, NH featuring Admiral Mike Mullen followed by a Surrogate Forum for GOP Presidential candidates moderated by the top reporter from the top New Hampshire TV show who will be broadcasting live. The line-up is shaping up to be incredible. Here is who is attending so far (and not for publication please):

§ Bush Campaign - Michael Mukasey, former U.S. Attorney General

§ Kasich Campaign - former Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-NH)

§ Trump Campaign - Dr. Sam Clovis, Campaign Co-Chair and Senior Policy Advisor

§ Fiorina Campaign - Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)

§ Rubio Campaign - Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT), member of SFOP

§ Carson Campaign - Major General Robert F. Dees (Tentative)

§ Christie Campaign - TBD

If you can join us in New Hampshire next Friday, please do so as it will be an incredible event. You can fly into Manchester on Thursday night and be out by noon on December 4 and have an opportunity to meet with nearly every GOP campaign at the highest level. Let Emily Benovitz (ebenovitz@usglc.org<mailto:ebenovitz@usglc.org>) know if you are attending. If not, we will be live-streaming on our website.

We continue to watch the tragic events around the world and raise these issues constantly with the campaigns and elected officials as yet another reason why strategic investments in development and diplomacy are more important than ever before. To all of our partners on the front lines, particularly in helping with the Syrian refugee crisis, I thank you and your colleagues for your life saving work.

Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday,

Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC