About AFoCR
An American Voice of Support
American Friends of the Czech Republic (AFoCR) is the voice of the American community supporting close and strong Czech-U.S. relations. We advocate for the Czechs as a bulwark of freedom and democracy in Central Europe, a region vital to U.S. interests. We foster ties in the areas of diplomacy, governmental affairs, business, security, and education. AFoCR, a non-profit, tax exempt organization, was founded to advocate for Czech admission into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
What We Do
Government
Sponsor visiting Czech Parliamentarians to shadow members of the U.S. Congress and meet with U.S. government officials. Work with Czech caucuses and conduct briefings for the U.S. Congress and State Department.
Organize Congressional visits to the Czech Republic. Host and receive Czech government officials visiting the U.S.
Meet in person with high level officials in the Czech Republic.
Cooperate and partner with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington.
Academia and Policy
Host lectures and seminars by leading U.S. and Czech academics and subject matter experts.
Co-host the annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture.
Promote exchanges between U.S. and Czech academic and subject matter experts.
Stream panel discussions and webinars from Czech and American scientists and academic leaders.
Collaborate with policy focused institutions in the US and the Czech Republic to promote our mission.
Business
Sponsor business conferences focused on bilateral business interests.
Promote contact between business leaders and businesses in both countries.
Stream panel discussions and webinars from Czech and American industry leaders.
Leadership
Officers
Thomas A. Dine
Chairman, Washington, DC
Former President, Radio Free Europe, Prague (1997-2005); Former Assistant Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development (1993-1997), Washington, DC
Roger Kodat
President, Greenville, SC
Senior Project Director, National Academy of Public Administration, Washington, DC
Barbara Gibian
Vice President, Sandy Spring, MD
Principal at Pen-y-Bryn Partners LLC
Former Associate General Counsel for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Jan Smilek
Secretary and Treasurer, Leesburg, VA
Managing Partner, Skala, LLC
Patricia Stack
Executive Vice President, New York, NY
Former President, International Women’s Assoc of Prague; Editor-in-Chief, The Bridge Magazine, Prague; Former Teacher, New York, NY
Directors
Joseph Balaz
New York, NY
President, JBA, Ltd, New York, NY; President, Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association, New York, NY
Elliot Berke
Arlington, VA
Managing Partner, Berke Farah LLP, Washington, DC. Director of the Vaclav Havel Library Foundation, New York, NY.
Daryl Bohac
Waverly, NE
President and CEO, Bohac Consulting Group. Former commanding general of the Nebraska National Guard.
Alexander Braun
Arlington, VA
Managing Director, SKDKnickerbocker, Washington, DC
Hana Slamova Callaghan
Scottsdale, AZ
Director, Callaghan Family Foundation, Bryn Mawr, PA; Former Advisor, Goldman Sachs & Co., New York, NY
Robert W. Doubek
Washington, DC
Co-Founder and Past President, AFoCR
Kristyna Pellouchoud Driehaus
Chicago, IL
Managing Director, of Sazava Partners LLC, Chicago, IL; President The KMD Foundation, Chicago, IL
George Drost
Arlington Heights, IL
Attorney, Drost Kivlahan McMahon & O’Connor LLC, Arlington Heights, IL: Chairman, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, IA
Fritz L. Duda
Dallas, TX
President, Fritz Duda Company, Dallas, TX
Richard W. Graber
Milwaukee, WI
President and CEO, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Former US Ambassador to the Czech Republic
John F. Kotouc
Dallas, TX
Executive Co-Chairman and CEO, American National Bank
Jiri Maly
Washington, DC
President and CEO, Louis Berger Services, Inc.
Michelle Malek Olson
McLean, VA
Advisory Council Chair for the Executive Roundtable of the Republican Governor’s Association. Co-Chair, The Foundation for Democracy.
Cecilia Rokusek
Cedar Rapids, IA
President and CEO, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, IA
Joseph Seliga
Chicago, IL
Partner Mayer Brown LLP. Director of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, Cedar Rapids, IA
Jordon Sims
Washington, DC
Founding Partner, Imperium Global Advisors, Washington, DC
Michael Svec
Greenville, SC
Professor of Education, Furman University, Greenville, SC.
Directors Emeritus
Milton Cerny
Midlothian, VA
Co-Founder and Past President, AFoCR; Director, Vaclav Havel Library Foundation, New York, NY; Former Partner, Caplin & Drysdale, Attorneys, Washington, DC
Phillip M. Kasik, P.E.
Charlottesville, VA
Co-Founder and Past President, AFoCR; Former Partner, MPR Associates Engineers, Alexandria, VA
Peter Bisek
Prague, Czech Republic
Former Publisher, Americke listy, New York, NY
Bill Cabaniss
Birmingham, AL
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2003-2006)
Richard F. Schubert
McLean, VA
Former President, American Red Cross, Washington, DC; Former President, Points of Light Foundation
Advisors
Adrian A. Basora
Former U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1992-95)
Christine Bedoret
Educator, Washington, D.C.
Petr Gandalovič
Former Czech Ambassador to the U.S. (2011-17)
Henry Kissinger
Former U.S. Secretary of State
Petr Kolář
Former Czech Ambassador to the U.S. (2006-2010) Former Czech Ambassador to Russia ((2010-12)
Wendy W. Luers
Director, Vaclav Havel Library Foundation.
James A. Lovell, Jr.
Astronaut
Marlene Malek
Philanthropist
Gail Naughton
Former President of National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
Martin Palouš
Former Czech Ambassador to the U.N. (2006-2011)
Former Czech Ambassador to the U.S (2001-06)
John L. Pellouchoud
Managing Principal, SCGroup Real Estate, Chicago
Paul Rusesabagina
Humanitarian & Activist
Andrew H. Schapiro
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2014-17)
Peter Sis
Author and Artist, New York, NY
Sissy Spacek
Academy Award Winning Actress
Jack Stack
Former CEO, Česká Spořitelna Bank
Craig Stapleton
Former U.S. Ambassador to France
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2000-03)
Jan Svejnar
James T. Shotwell Professor of Global Political Economy
Director, Center on Global Economic Governance, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Brian A. Vanicek
SPJST President
Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic to the state of Texas
Alexandr Vondra
Former Minister of Defense, Czech Republic, Former Deputy Prime Minister, Former Czech Ambassador to the U.S. (1997-2001)
Magdaléna Vošalíková
Public Relations Consultant, Czech P.R., Prague, Czech Republic