2nd Annual Lorne W. Craner Memorial Lecture
A Conversation with Former US Deputy Secretary of State Hon. Stephen E. Biegun
To honor the life and legacy of IRI’s longest serving President Lorne W. Craner, the International Republican Institute (IRI) is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Lorne W. Craner Memorial Lecture. The lecture series exemplifies Lorne’s lifelong commitment to human dignity and political freedom and seeks to pass these values on to the next generation. For the 2nd annual Lorne W. Craner Memorial Lecture, IRI will host Stephen Biegun.
Stephen E. Biegun
Stephen E. Biegun has more than three decades of international affairs experience in government and the private sector, including high-level government service with the Department of State, the White House, and the United States Congress.
In 2021, Mr. Biegun concluded his most recent government service as the Deputy Secretary of State, to which he was confirmed by the Senate with a strong bipartisan vote of 90-3. Prior to his most recent government service, Mr. Biegun served for 15 years as a corporate vice president with Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Biegun began his career as a foreign policy specialist with the United States Congress, with a focus on Russia, the former Soviet Union, and Europe, ultimately rising to a number of senior-level positions including as chief of staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as the national security advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. He served two years as the Executive Secretary of the White House National Security Council, serving as an advisor and deputy to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. From1992-1994, Mr. Biegun was the Resident Program Director in the Russian Federation for the International Republican Institute.
Mr. Biegun has volunteered as a board member for a number of international, national and local non-profit organizations and has led mentoring programs for next generation United States foreign policy and national security leaders. He graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian language and political science.