Person

General Philip Breedlove is a 2018 JINSA General’s and Admirals Program participant. Phil Breedlove is a proven strategic planner, motivational leader and talented communicator. He is a highly decorated retired general of the United States Air Force where he reached

IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish is the Julian and Jenny Josephson Senior Vice President for Israeli Affairs at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). General Ayish served in the IDF for 36 years and retired in 2016,

Brian collaboratively guides corporate strategy, product, and business development in Shield AI, Inc. Brian transitioned from 33 years of service in the U.S. Navy and Special Operations community in 2016. He commanded U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command, U.S. Special Operations

Mr. Henry “Butch” A. Kievenaar, III is a 1985 Distinguished Military Graduate from George Mason University and was commissioned in Armor. He later received a Master’s degree in Military Arts and Sciences. His professional military education includes the Armor Officer

General David M. Rodriguez served over 40 years in the United States Army with his final assignment being the Commander of the United States Africa Command. A native of West Chester Pennsylvania, he earned his commission from the United States

Lieutenant General John “Jocko” Toolan Jr. served as the Commander, Marine Forces Pacific, from August 2014 until August 2016. He retired from active duty on 1 October 2016 and participated in JINSA’s Generals and Admirals Program to the Middle East

Yaniv Menahem is the Jewish Institute for National Security of America’s (JINSA) Director for Middle East Operations, a position he has held since March 2025. He previously served as JINSA’s Middle East Operations Manager from April 2018. Prior to his

Ari Cicurel has been Associate Director of Foreign Policy at JINSA since January 2025. His prior roles at JINSA include as Assistant Director of Foreign Policy from 2023-2025, Senior Policy Analyst from 2020-2023, and Policy Analyst from September 2018-January 2020.

Alan Makovsky is a senior fellow for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress. From 2001 to 2013, he served as a senior professional staff member on the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House

Jack Gardner served in command positions in Europe, Latin America, Korea, Bosnia, Iraq and numerous locations in the US. In his final assignment he served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany and the US military