About icwa
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 1955,
ICWA is a non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization.
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We've been an active part of the Indiana community for over 60 years.
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Our members come from a rich background of industries including education, corporate, not-for-profit, law, military and the public sector.
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OUR FOCUS
ICWA programs and activities are administered by a volunteer group in cooperation with local, national and global institutions.
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We welcome anyone with an interest in learning about topics that affect our world.
OUR PURPOSE
The purpose of the ICWA is to foster public understanding of world conditions and US foreign policy through forums, lectures, conferences, publications, and now Zooms!
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Indiana Council on World Affairs is to promote international awareness and understanding in order to prepare all Indiana citizens to thrive in the increasingly complex and interdependent world and to further enhance Indiana’s global stature.
Our Story
Our Objectives
In carrying out its mission the Indiana Council on world Affairs strives to:
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Take responsibility for the climate of public opinion on US foreign policy
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Cooperate with national, state and regional organizations
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Present a non-partisan exchange of ideas
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Disseminate of information regarding world affairs and US foreign policy
Dr. Gerry Danquist (RPh) trained as a pharmacist with also an MBA from Harvard School of Business, worked with Eli Lilly and Company, serving extensively in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Gerry has been an advisory board member to the Washington State University College of Pharmacy, providing counsel on issues impacting the college and the future of pharmacy. In 2014, Gerry established an endowed scholarship with the College of Pharmacy, and in 2015 donated to name the Danquist Innovation Conference Room in the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences Building, leading to his being selected as the 2015 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.
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Member since: 2015
Meet Our Board
Janet I. Harris
President
Janet I. Harris serves as President of the Indiana Council on World Affairs. She initiates alliances with allied organizations to take ICWA's educational programs to expanded participants. To this end, she manages Indiana's World Affairs Councils of America's Academic WorldQuest competition for high school students, and the Foreign Policy Association's Great Decisions Briefing Book sales for groups around the State, as well as selected outreach events and endeavors.
Janet holds a Master of Community Planning and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in urban studies from Miami University of Ohio. She achieved her AICP certification in New York City.
Janet I. Haris is President of Harris Marketing, Inc., an Indiana incorporated company, 1992.
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Board Member since 2016.
Betty Tonsing
VP Programs
Dr. Betty Tonsing served as Fulbright Scholar (South Africa, Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon) and Indiana Humanities Scholar. She is Founder and President of Global Visits Inc and Patient Advocates Speak Out.
She taught for both the Indiana and Purdue University systems as well as universities in South Africa, Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan.
For close to 15 years Betty worked overseas in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East on contract with the United Nations, State Department, USAID, Catholic Relief Services and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. Her initiative – Internationalizing the Classroom Without Leaving the Room – received special recognition for ‘excellence in teaching’ from the Institute for International Education.
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Member since 2017.
Ray Montagno
Past President
Term: 2022-2025
Having received his PhD at Purdue University, Dr. Montagno retired as Professor Emeritus of Management at Ball State University. For over the 25 years Ray was associated with Ball State’s international programs, traveling to 30 countries building relationships with global programs. Ray spent a semester in Oxford, England and received a Fulbright teaching and research grant to Jena, Germany.
Deeply connected with the Muncie IN community, Ray served as Community Development Director for the Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity and later as a member of the Board of Directors for the Indianapolis Habitat for Humanity.
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Member since 2018.
Pierre Atlas
Board Member
Dr. Pierre M. Atlas is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Indianapolis. Prior to joining IU in 2021, he spent two decades at Marian University as a Political Science professor, and served as the Founding Director of the Richard G. Lugar Franciscan Center for Global Studies. Pierre earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University and holds Master’s and Bachelor's degrees in Political Science from the University of Arizona and the University of Toronto, respectively. A native of Texas, he grew up in California, is a US Army veteran, and writes a monthly opinion column for the Indianapolis Business Journal.
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Member since 2020.
Claire Collins
Board Member
Claire Collins has been a member of ICWA since 2004, the year she received her B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University. She has been a member of the ICWA Board of Directors since 2016 where she has served as Co-Chair of Great Decisions and Chair of International Dining Adventures. As a graduate of Ivy Tech’s Respiratory Therapy Program in 1982, she has worked at several hospitals for almost 33 years, including Methodist Hospital before retiring. Active in the Lawrence United Methodist Church, she volunteers in the Helping Hands Community Outreach which delivers meals and clothing to unhoused people. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming at the YMCA, painting, drawing, and caring for her two cats.
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Member since 2004.
Gerry Danquist
Board Member
Dr. Gerry Danquist (RPh) trained as a pharmacist with also an MBA from Harvard School of Business, worked with Eli Lilly and Company, serving extensively in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Gerry has been an advisory board member to the Washington State University College of Pharmacy, providing counsel on issues impacting the college and the future of pharmacy. Gerry also established an endowed scholarship with the College of Pharmacy in 2014, and in 2015 donated to name the Danquist Innovation Conference Room in the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences Building. This led to his being selected as the 2015 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.
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Member since 2015.
Kenneth Holland
Board Member
Dr. Kenneth Holland's recent international assignment was in Uzbekistan at the Institute for Advanced International Studies for diplomats to have a better understanding of the U.S. Previously, in Pakistan, he served as Chief of Party for USAID's higher education project. He is President Emeritus of the American University of Afghanistan. His Ph.D. in Political Science is from the University of Chicago, and his M.A. in Government is from the University of Virginia. He is a Past President of the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States, and of the World Affairs Council of Memphis. For the past 14 years, he has been implementing higher education development and partnership projects for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United States Agency for International Development.
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Member since 2018.
Shaun Sheffield
Board Member
Shaun Sheffield is founder and CEO of Austral Education Group specializing in academic travel, international immersion trips, and experiential and virtual programs that foster engagement in business, culture, and the economy. He has served on the executive leadership team at Business News Americas in Santiago, Chile, and previously worked at Medical Foods, Inc., Cambridge, MA. Shaun is a Young President's Organization (YPO) member and has served on the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC Chile) executive committee for the U.S. State Department.
His Executive MBA is from Tulane University School of Business / Universidad de Chili, and his Bachelor of Arts is from Boston University. He has studied at Harvard Business School.
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Member since 2025.
Trevor Williams
Board Member
Trevor Williams is a retired U.S. Army veteran who served as a chaplain assistant. As a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), he helps develop D&I initiatives that create community integration and cultural competence. Beyond his military service, Trevor has also contributed to education as a former elementary substitute teacher, where he applied his skills in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments.
An active volunteer in the Indianapolis community, Trevor is committed to using his skills to enhance various local initiatives and programs, continuing his lifelong dedication to service and community engagement.
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Member since 2022
Thank You!
The Indiana Council on World Affairs would like to thank the following individuals for contributing to our mission.
Donors
Margaret Ahearn
Keira Amstutz
Melissa Beuc & Erik Young
Charles & Cary Boswell
Victor Childers
Larry & Joan Cimino*
Claire Collins*
Thomas A. Egold
Matt Fox
Brendan Fox
Bruce Frank
Henry Fu
Carl & Donna Gahwiler
Jane Gehlhausen
Elenanor Hall
Elizabeth Hamilton
Marta Hamilton
Janet I. Harris*
Cenk Kandemir
Melisa & Todd Keiser
David & Susan Luedtke
Salim Najjar
Jason C. Reinhardt
Paul Roland
Carol A. Schmitz
Randy & Linda Shields
Sharon Sullivan*
Betty Tonsing
Zeno & Amanda Tutino
Patrice & John Waidner
David Woll
Douglas & Barbara Vawter*
*Donors to Educational Outreach