John Kerry
Former Secretary of State of the United States
John Kerry drew from this experience to provide the State Department with global stewardship on issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation to radical extremists, to humanitarian challenges and the rising threat of climate change. In 2013, Kerry became the first Secretary of State to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister since the Iranian revolution of 1979. He negotiated a path to renewed talks and cooperation between the two countries. This meeting was the highest-level U.S. diplomatic contact with Iran in more than six years, and a key moment on the journey towards the eventual signing of the landmark 2015 agreement to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon. Kerry was able to maneuver the complexities of such difficult negotiations by leveraging his experience, expertise, and insights from decades of service and diplomacy.
Faced with the rising threat of global climate change, Kerry was also a key architect of the Paris Climate Accord, negotiating on a global platform to finally sign the historic agreement to reduce carbon emissions in 2016. Kerry drew upon a lifetime of public service during his tenure as Secretary.
A best-selling author of A Call to Service: My Vision for a Better America and This Moment on Earth, Secretary Kerry released his first memoir, Every Day Is Extra, in 2018.
Kerry was the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 2004.
