TAMPA, Fla. — September 30, 2026 — he Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) today announced its first group of confirmed Diplomacy Track speakers, bringing together leaders in government, military affairs, diplomatic security, citizen diplomacy, international development, and sports. The announcement follows earlier speaker reveals for the summit’s Main Stage, Trade, and Innovation programs.
TIDES will take place November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center. The citywide initiative is led by Mayor Jane Castor as Chair of the TIDES Host Committee and organized by Tampa Sister Cities. TIDES Summit
The Diplomacy Track will examine how international relationships are built and sustained at multiple levels — from formal diplomacy and allied military cooperation to citizen diplomacy, educational exchange, sports, international development and the security required to keep global engagement possible.
Confirmed Diplomacy Track Speakers
The first group of confirmed speakers includes:
- Mayor Jane Castor, Mayor, City of Tampa and Chair of the TIDES Host Committee
- Brigadier General Olivier Célo, French military representative connected to U.S. Central Command
- Michael Evanoff, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
- Sherman Banks, Honorary Consul of Ghana for Arkansas and the Delta Region and President Emeritus of Sister Cities International
- Greg Howell, retired Senior Foreign Service Officer and former senior USAID official
- Heather Eaton, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer and Fulbright alumnus
- Joy Shanaberger, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Central Command
- Rachel Arin, Director, Women, Peace and Security Program, U.S. Central Command
- Lidia Iyassu, retired U.S. Air Force officer and former State Department political affairs and Women, Peace and Security policy professional
- Jessica Yahn, Special Operations veteran and Co-Founder & CEO of ALLTRU
- Dr. Carmen Gauthier, PhD, Fulbright Scholar, Professor Emerita and President of the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association
- Tricia Taliaferro, Head Coach, U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team and Executive Director, Tampa Bay United Soccer Club
- Ryan Helfrick, President, Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Jason Aughey, Senior Vice President of Sports Tourism, Tampa Bay Sports Commission
- Tommy Poston, Founder and President, Intendere et Cor
- Sali Osman, technology, cyber risk, AI governance and critical infrastructure executive
- Catherine Hill-Herndon, Catherine Hill Herndon, retired U.S. Foreign Service officer and former Policy Advisor to the Commander of U.S. Central Command
- Denny Robertson, former senior U.S. Foreign Service officer with USAID and former Mission Director in Romania and the Caucasus
Additional Diplomacy Track speakers will continue to be announced as confirmations are finalized.
About TIDES
The Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) is a citywide initiative bringing together leaders from business, government, diplomacy, education, innovation and culture to strengthen Tampa Bay’s international connections and create opportunities for collaboration.
TIDES will be held November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center and will feature main-stage discussions, specialized tracks, workshops, international delegations, networking opportunities and an international expo. TIDES Summit
For registration, program information and continuing speaker announcements, visit TIDESTampa.com.
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