February Speaker: Dr Andrew Reddie

Technology and War: National Security Under a New Administration

Dr. Andrew Reddie is an Associate Research Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. He works on projects related to cybersecurity, nuclear weapons policy, wargaming, and emerging military technologies. He is also the founder and faculty director for the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab.

This talk explores the evolving dynamics of national security in light of renewed leadership priorities and the transformative role of emerging technologies. It will address how advancements in artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, autonomous systems, and space technologies are reshaping the nature of conflict and global power competition. The discussion will focus on the Trump administration’s potential approaches to leveraging these technologies, the implications for U.S. military strategy and international stability, and the potential challenges posed by adversarial use of technological innovation. By examining these developments, the talk will provide insights into the intersection of policy, strategy, and technological change in an era of heightened geopolitical tension.

March Speaker: Colonel Brendan P. Kearney

The War in Ukraine: Causes and Current Status With an Emphasis on Conflict Resolution

A San Francisco native, Brendan is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Government. He served 31 years as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps. Commanded at the Company, Battalion, and Regimental Levels. Operations Officer at Battalion, Regiment, and Marine Expeditionary Brigade Levels. Also served as Commander and Chief of Staff at Combined Joint Task Forces in the Philippines and Thailand. A designated Joint Specialty Officer, Brendan also served multiple tours at Headquarters Marine Corps and a Joint Tour at U.S. Pacific Command. Career culminated as Chief of Staff at Marine Forces Europe. Over half of his career was served overseas to include a combat tour in the Persian Gulf during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM.

Following military retirement, he worked in the high-tech industry with a specialization on Humanitarian, Disaster Relief, and Emergency Mass Notification. Also previously worked for Sonoma County administering a Federal Anti-Terrorism Program for Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Marin Counties. Final employment was with the Marines Memorial Association of San Francisco as the Director of the Living Memorial.

Brendan, and his wife Katie, have resided in Santa Rosa, California since 2006.