Markos Kounalakis, Ph.D.

Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf ends bid for state treasurer after Kounalakis enters race Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has ended her campaign to become state treasurer and endorsed Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis for the role. Schaaf had a fraction of the campaign funds of Kounalakis.

Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has ended her campaign to become state treasurer and endorsed Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis for the role. Schaaf had a fraction of the campaign funds of Kounalakis.

Yes!

I'm with Eleni.

Wallis Annenberg represented the best of California. Business success coupled with a lifetime of visionary philanthropy.

Her contributions to our state will forever serve as a testament to her extraordinary life.

Foreign Minister of #Ukraine says it’s time to recognize Russia as a terrorist state @GLOBSEC #globsec2025

@AndriiSybiha makes case, incl. Russia’s abducting Ukrainian children.

Re-upping my 2014 Russia as terrorist state argument.

amp.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

Good to be at GLOBSEC 2025 in Prague. 20 years strong! My first Forum since joining the International Advisory Board.

Impressed by CZ President Petr Pavel’s clarity and commitment to regional security and transatlantic relations.
@globsec.bsky.social

So excited to be at @cademocrats.bsky.social’s #CADEMConvention this weekend with democratic volunteers, delegates, leaders and activists who are ready to fight, organize and take back our country 💪🏼 #CAStrong

Women’s leadership matters, role models matter, and lifting up the next generation of female leaders matters.

As of today, 49% of California legislators are women, which is up from 22% in 2022. This is progress but the work doesn’t stop here! 💼

#FemaleLeaders #WomenLeadership

YouTube video by Markos Kounalakis, PhD The War Prayer

Every #MemorialDay I post my short feature film, "The War Prayer". A short story by Mark Twain, it is a scathing indictment of #war - particularly of blind patriotic and religious fervor as motivations for war.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRVo...

In California, we don’t just defend the right to choose—we lead the fight to protect it. That is why I’m proud to co-sponsor Assemblymember Cecilia Aguilar-Curry’s #AB260 to ensure Mifepristone remains legal & available in CA.

Great to see this bill pass the Assembly & move forward to the Senate.

Sending prayers to President Biden and his family as he battles this diagnosis.

Thanks to his leadership with the Cancer Moonshot and NIH and NCI investments as President, there are new and more effective therapies than ever 🙏

Horrified by news of the bombing of a reproductive health clinic in Palm Springs today.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Palm Springs community during this difficult time.

This is a politically motivated attack on reproductive freedom, period. Mifepristone has been FDA-approved for 20+ yrs & is used in 60%+ of abortions nationwide.

CA will keep fighting for safe, legal reproductive care & every person’s right to make their own medical decisions.

Honored to celebrate #EuropeDay with @ec.europa.eu @euintheus.bsky.social —reaffirming California’s deep and growing partnership with the #EU.

With $65.5B in two-way trade and the EU as our #1 source of foreign investment, California is proud to be your most trusted transatlantic ally.

Proud to co-sponsor #AB379 by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell, which passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee today—a step forward in protecting victims of sex trafficking. At the same time, I’m deeply disappointed that a key provision was stripped: 🧵👇🏽

Today, we honor the resilience & strength of the Armenian people as we remember the Armenian Genocide. California is home to a vibrant Armenian community, and we stand in solidarity in ensuring that history is never forgotten or repeated. We are mindful of those who have lost their homes in Artsakh.

Honored to welcome African climate leaders to SF for the CA-Africa Climate & Economic Forum during #SFClimateWeek. With partners from Kenya, Nigeria & beyond, we can explore bold solutions in clean energy, sustainable transport & trade.

California is ready to go far, together. 🌍💚

Great visit to Cal Maritime — my 22nd @calstate.bsky.social campus visit 🚢
As the only maritime academy on the West Coast, Cal Maritime delivers world-class education that prepares cadets to lead in a global industry.

Proud to support its exiting future as it merges with Cal Poly SLO.

Tourism is vital to California’s economy, and our friendship with Canada runs deep. From Palm Springs to wine country, we proudly welcome Canadian visitors who support our local businesses and communities. 🇨🇦❤️🇺🇸
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Read my full statement in support of @cagovernornewsom.bsky.social & @robbonta.bsky.social recent legal action to block President Trump's unlawful tariffs and protect California’s economy.

Read the full press release here: ltg.ca.gov/2025/04/16/l...

It was an honor to welcome Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason, to San Francisco.

She reminded us all that when friends work together, there is always a way to deepen and strengthen our personal and business engagement 🇮🇪🇺🇸

Wishing a meaningful and joyous Passover to all who celebrate in California and beyond! May this season of reflection, renewal, and freedom inspire us to continue fighting for justice and unity in our communities. Chag Sameach!

✨ International House Celebration Gala ✨ A heartfelt thank you to our global community and honorees,
@markoskounalakis.com, Excellence Anurika Joshua, The University Section Club. We enjoyed the welcome & toast🥂by @chancellorlyons.bsky.social & Shaun Carver, and much more! See highlights reel:

César Chávez dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of laborers and farm workers across America.

On #CésarChávezDay, we honor his lasting legacy by coming together to uplift our communities. Let’s continue the fight for justice, equality, and dignity for all. @ufw.bsky.social

Kevin Drum Dead: Influential Early Political Blogger Was 66 (Gift Article) Writing on his own and for Washington Monthly and Mother Jones, he earned a reputation as a serious policy thinker. He also invented Friday cat blogging.

RIP, Kevin Drum, our former blogger and employee while I was publisher at the Washington Monthly.

Exec. Editor Paul Glastris made this great hire at Josh Marshall's recommendation (Josh went on to build the TPM empire). Kevin was a gentleman, a scholar, a polymath, and a brilliant, kind soul.

Ron Nessen, Ford’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 90 He pledged a new era of openness in the wake of the Watergate scandal, but his relationship with the press corps proved rocky.

We had our share of verbal run-ins during my time in the USSR as Moscow correspondent for NBC-Mutual News (he was an executive), but I respected his work as a foreign correspondent.

RIP Ron Nessen.

Markos Kounalakis (IH 1977-78) honoree for I-House Alumnus of the Year

Excellence Anurika Joshua Honoree for Executive Director Community Impact Award

The Betsey and Sherry Warrick Mission Service Award The University Section Club

Gala March 9, 2025 Chevron Auditorium - Join us for a festive evening celebrating valued members of our global community and honoring their support and service to International House.

✨ Join us at the International House Gala on March 9th for a festive evening celebrating valued members of our global community and honoring their support and service to International House. ✨
Learn more and purchase your tickets at i-housegala2025.eventbrite.com?aff=social
@markoskounalakis.com

Utah Bans Collective Bargaining for Public Workers Utah joined two other states in prohibiting collective bargaining for teachers, police officers and other public employees in a move that was seen as a possible blow to the country’s labor movement.

Utah just stripped collective bargaining rights from the people who sacrifice so much to serve our communities—teachers, firefighters, &police officers.

This is union-busting, plain and simple. Workers deserve better.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/u...

🌟 Alumni Spotlight: Markos Kounalakis 🌟 On March 9th, Dr. Markos Kounalakis (IH 1977-78) will be honored at the I-House 2025 Celebration & Awards Gala as the I-House Alumnus of the Year! With 40 years of experience, Dr. Kounalakis is an award-winning, nationally syndicated foreign affairs columnist, author, and scholar. Join us for a festive evening celebrating Dr. Kounalakis's accomplishments and other valued members of our global community. Read more about his incredible story below and learn more at ihouse.berkeley.edu/gala!

Alumni Spotlight: Markos Kounalakis
With 40 years of experience, Dr. Kounalakis is an award-winning, nationally syndicated foreign affairs columnist, author, and scholar. On March 9 he will be honored at the I-House Celebration & Awards Gala ihouse.berkeley.edu/gala
@markoskounalakis.com
#Calalumni

Today on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we shine a light on one of the darkest periods of human history, the more than 6million lives lost,& the enduring spirit of those who survived

Let today remind us of our shared responsibility to stand up against prejudice, intolerance, & discrimination everywhere