Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, will deliver a keynote address at the Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, hosted by Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security. The Summit will be held in downtown Nashville on April 23-24, 2026.
Raimondo brings deep experience at the intersection of economic policy, technology, and national security—an increasingly critical domain as states compete through supply chains, industrial policy, and economic leverage as much as through military force. Her perspective aligns closely with this year’s Summit theme, The Shadow of War, The Illusion of Peace: National Security in the Age of Asymmetry, which examines how power is exercised below the threshold of traditional conflict.
“Secretary Raimondo brings an essential economic and strategic lens to today’s national security challenges,” said General Paul M. Nakasone (Ret.), Founding Director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security.
Raimondo served as the 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce, where she helped advance U.S. competitiveness, strengthen supply chains, and support key technology and industrial initiatives. She previously served as the 75th Governor of Rhode Island, becoming the first woman elected to that office.
Now in its fifth year, the Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats convenes senior leaders, policymakers, scholars, and practitioners to examine the evolving global security environment and develop interdisciplinary approaches to today’s most complex challenges.
Additional speakers and registration details will be announced in the coming weeks. Attendance is by invitation only. Those interested in learning more may complete the Summit interest form.