For the next event in their evening speaker series, the World Affairs Council partners with the Charleston Library Society to present:
The New Middle East
Speaker: Mary Bell-Ruiz
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
6:00 – 7:00 pm
at the Charleston Library Society
The Middle East is undergoing one of its most significant strategic realignments in decades. From Iran and regional proxy networks to shifting alliances, emerging governments, and renewed great-power competition, the security landscape is changing rapidly.
Drawing on her experience across intelligence, humanitarian operations, and regional engagement, Mary Bell-Ruiz will discuss how these dynamics are reshaping U.S. national security interests, why local partnerships matter more than ever, and where she sees the greatest opportunities—and challenges—for the region in the years ahead. Registration is required for this event. For more information, click here.
Mary Bell-Ruiz, Director of Middle East and Central Asia for Spirit of America, will discuss geopolitical tensions in the region, with a focus on Iran. With more than 25 years of leadership experience across defense, diplomacy, and humanitarian sectors, she leads efforts to expand the organization’s partnerships and deliver solutions in complex environments.
A retired U.S. Navy senior intelligence leader and Arabic linguist, Mary’s career has spanned war zones and diplomatic corridors alike—from managing multimillion-dollar government programs to coordinating crisis responses in Iraq, Jordan, and Afghanistan.
Before joining Spirit of America, Mary founded and led Team Themis, a humanitarian nonprofit that provided emergency relocation, security, and support services to at-risk Afghan women and children. Under her leadership, the organization grew from concept to $2.5 million in operational funding within two years, directly supporting U.S. diplomatic and humanitarian objectives across the region.
The World Affairs Council of Charleston (WACC), formerly the Charleston Foreign Affairs Forum, was founded in the early 1980s as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.
–Tidelines Editors
(Image credit: World Affairs Council)