Admiral James W. Nance
Foreign Policy Lecture Series
The Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture Series is named in honor of Admiral James “Bud” Nance, a lifelong friend and professional associate of Senator Helms. Admiral Nance was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, whose commands in the Navy included the U.S.S. Forrestal aircraft carrier. The admiral also served as deputy national security advisor to President Reagan and as the chief of staff to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Bud Nance joined the Navy in 1941 and retired after 38 years as a rear admiral. He was on active duty for three wars. In the private sector, he was head of naval systems for Boeing. He served as President Reagan’s deputy assistant for national security affairs before joining Senator Helms’ staff, in 1991, as the chief of staff for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. While working for Senator Helms, Bud refused to take anything but the minimum government salary of $153 per year. When Bud died on May 11, 1999, many distinguished members of the Senate spoke about his dedicated service to our country. Senator Helms said, “ I think I have never heard such eloquence in my 27 years in the Senate. It was a glory to me just to sit here and hear the evaluations of a man whom I have known and loved all my life.”
Featured Speakers
China is Preparing for War, America is Not: Gordon Chang
Gordon Chang is one of the foremost experts on China living in the United States today. The author of The Great U.S.-China Tech War, Chang lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for almost two decades. He is frequently called upon to give briefings to U.S. officials on China. Chang has appeared before the National Intelligence Council, CIA, State Department, Pentagon and congressional committees.
Chang is an author, columnist, lawyer and frequent news commentator and contributor on Fox News, CNN, PBS, BBC and other broadcasting outlets. His writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Review, Barron’s, and The Daily Beast.
Chang says the United States and China are locked in a “cold tech war,” and the winner will end up dominating the 21st Century. He is the 11th featured speaker in The Admiral James W. Nance Lecture Series. In this lecture Chang will share about the important geopolitical and strategic issues at stake with China and the defense of Taiwan.
Fighting for the America I Love: 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Mike Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State of the United States and as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency during the Trump Administration from 2017 to 2021. He is the only person ever to have served as both America’s most senior diplomat and the head of its premier espionage agency.
As the only four-year national security member of Donald Trump’s Cabinet, Pompeo worked to impose crushing pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran, avert a nuclear crisis with North Korea, deliver unmatched support for Israel, and bring peace to the Middle East.
His newly-released book Never Give an Inch tells of how Pompeo helped the Trump Administration craft the America First approach that upended Washington wisdom – and made him America’s enemies’ worst nightmare.
America’s Place in the World: Vice President Mike Pence
Mike Pence served as the 48th Vice President of the United States (2017-2021), 50th governor of Indiana (2013-2017), and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2001-2013). He delivered the ninth lecture in the Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture Series.
Pence’s newly-released autobiography So Help Me God recounts his journey from his youth in Indiana to the White House. It’s the inside story of the Trump administration by its second-highest ranking official. In So Help Me God, Pence shows how the faith that he embraced as a young man has guided his every decision.
Recognizing Cyber Threats and Protecting Your Family
Speaker: Theresa Payton
Cybersecurty expert Theresa Payton delivered the eighth lecture in The Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture Series on June 16, 2022. Payton is one of the nation’s most respected authorities on cybersecurity. In this lecture she shared battlefield stories from the global war being conducted through clicks, swipes, internet access and massive espionage schemes. Payton served as the first female Chief Information Officer at the White House during President George W. Bush’s administration and is currently CEO and founder of Charlotte, N.C.-based Fortalice Solutions.
Russia’s Plan to Defeat America
Speaker: Rebekah Koffler
Intelligence expert and national security commentator Rebekah Koffler delivered the seventh lecture in The Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture Series on February 23, 2022. Koffler, who grew up in the Soviet Union, is a former Russian doctrine and strategy specialist with the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency. In her virtual lecture she shared insights into Russian leader Vladimir Putin's motives and strategies and the threat posed to the United States by Russia today. Koffler is the author of the book, "Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America."
A Conversation with Senator Rick Scott
Hot Spots around the World
U.S. Senator Rick Scott was our sixth Nance Lecture speaker. A virtual event held on December 7, 2021, Senator Scott shared his insights on U.S. Foreign Policy interests and the importance of a strong national defense.
Ambassador Marshall Billingslea
Our first in-person Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture of 2021 featured Ambassador Marshall Billingslea. He most recently served as President Trump’s Special Envoy for Arms Control, holding the rank of Ambassador. The event was held in Raleigh at the N.C. State University Club on June 17, 2021.
Dr. Michael Pillsbury
On February 25, 2021, we hosted a virtual lecture featuring Michael Pillsbury, the senior fellow, and director for Chinese strategy at Hudson Institute. He is a distinguished defense policy adviser, former high-ranking government official, author of numerous books and reports on China, and FOX News contributor. Pillsbury discussed China Under the Biden Administration.
Dr. Michael Rubin
On March 4, 2020, we hosted a luncheon featuring Dr. Michael Rubin, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in Iran, Turkey, and the broader Middle East. Dr. Rubin spoke on “The Promise and Peril of Maximum Pressure on Iran: What can work? And at what cost?”
Walter Lohman
On October 23, 2019 in Raleigh, NC. the Helms Center co-hosted with The Free and Open Societies Project, the luncheon featured Mr. Walter Lohman, Director of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation.
Inaugural Lecture - Marc Thiessen
On May 30, 2019, the Helms Center, along with the John William Pope Foundation, hosted the inaugural Admiral James W. Nance Foreign Policy Lecture. The event was in Raleigh, NC with Marc Thiessen as the featured speaker. Audio is available below.