Mickey Bergman

Michael "Mickey" Bergman is the CEO of [https://www.reach.global/ Global Reach] and the Vice President and Executive Director of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, where his graduate level courses focus on the art of emotional intelligence in international relations and negotiations. Previously, he served as Executive Director of the Global Alliances Program at the Aspen Institute and founded the Solel Strategic Group (SSG).

Bergman has advocated for numerous political prisoners and hostages, including Paul Whelan (security director), Brittney Griner, Trevor Reed, and Taylor Dudley from Russia; Danny Fenster from Myanmar; Otto Warmbier and Kenneth Bae from North Korea; Xiyue Wang, Michael R. White (U.S. veteran), and Robert Levinson from Iran; and the Citgo Six, Eyvin Hernandez, and Savoi Wright from Venezuela.

For his efforts alongside Bill Richardson, Bergman was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and again in 2023. In 2023, Bergman received the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation American Hostage Freedom Award from the Foley Foundation.

Pioneering the field of ''Fringe Diplomacy'', Bergman has developed a unique approach to global engagement that connects individuals in areas typically overlooked by governments and NGOs. He aims to create new political capital by leading professional exchange programs to frontier countries such as North Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, Lebanon, and others.

Bergman is also an accomplished author and commentator. He wrote ''In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad'' and has published numerous articles and opinion pieces. He frequently provides media commentary on cases of Americans held hostage, hostage diplomacy, and international relations, and is recognized as an expert in the fields of Cuba, North Korea, and Myanmar. Provided by Wikipedia