The Savannah Council on World Affairs presents: 

Ambassador (ret.) Alice Wells, "The Global Energy Transition and Challenges." 

Ambassador (ret.) Alice Wells, Senior Director in International Government Relations at ExxonMobil Corporation, former Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, former Special Assistant to the President for Russia and Central Asia.

Thursday, February 20, 2025, 7:30pm

Georgia Coastal Center, 305 Fahm Street, Savannah, GA 31401

Please note that this event will NOT be recorded.

Program Abstract: 

How can the U.S. best meet the challenges of the global energy transition to advance U.S. interests?  Come hear Ambassador Alice Wells, Senior Director for International Government Relations at ExxonMobil Corporation, offer her analysis and views on how the world tries to balance society’s needs for energy and related products while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.  Amb. Wells will discuss why the global energy transition is not progressing as scheduled and how it can progress in the future.  She will address the role private industry is taking in developing the technology for an effective transition and what policy support governments can provide for technological innovation.  Prior to her corporate position, Amb. Wells was a career Foreign Service Officer, serving as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Special Assistant to the President for Russia and Central Asia, and as a U.S. Embassy official in Moscow, New Delhi, Islamabad and Riyadh.  She will be happy to share her expertise and discuss issues related to South Asia and Russia in the question and answer period. 

Speaker Bio:

Alice G. Wells joined ExxonMobil as Senior Director in International Government Relations in June 2020.  Her area of responsibility includes Europe and the Eurasia region.

Previously, as a career U.S. diplomat, Ms. Wells served as Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia from 2017-2020; Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from 2014-2017; Special Assistant to the President for Russia and Central Asia in the White House from 2012-2013; Executive Assistant to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from 2011-2012; and Executive Assistant to Under Secretary for Political Affairs William J. Burns from 2009-2011.  Ms. Wells had additional overseas postings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, and Russia, as well as multiple assignments in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

Ms. Wells has a B.A. from Stanford University and a joint M.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles/Rand Corporation.