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Presidential Speaker Series

Upcoming Events


The Implications of Artificial Intelligence on Leadership and Democracy

October 22, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. | H-Wing Auditorium

Featuring: A fireside chat with Mary Legere, Managing Director, Accenture Global Defense

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About Mary: Retired Lieutenant General Mary A. Legere, former Senior Intelligence Officer for the U.S. Army, is a Managing Director for Accenture Global Defense, focused on bringing Accenture’s global capabilities, services and fed-fit best practices to national defense intelligence and cyber clients.

Prior to joining Accenture Federal Services in 2016, Mary served for 34 years in the U.S. Army and Intelligence Community, with experience leading Intelligence, Security and Cyber organizations at the Joint and Service level in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including directing the U.S. Army’s enterprise of 58,000 intelligence professionals, commanding the Army’s 17,000-person global Intelligence Command, and serving as the U.S. Senior Military Intelligence Officer for Multi-National Forces Iraq and in the Republic of Korea for Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea.

As the Army’s Senior Intelligence Officer, she led the development of the U.S Army’s multi-billion-dollar Strategic Plan, expanded its full-spectrum Cyber forces, modernized the Army’s Aerial and Ground ISR fleets, and drove the effort to modernize the Army’s global intelligence information architecture, setting conditions for the Army’s drive to digital, and responsible use of Open-Source intelligence and artificial Intelligence. As the theater J2 in Iraq and the Republic of Korea, she was responsible for the operations, modernization and daily direction of the theater’s joint, multinational and interagency intelligence operations supporting the theater level campaigns, indications and warning and future planning.

Since joining Accenture, she has served as the Senior Advisor to Accenture Federal Services Defense, Intelligence and National Security Portfolios, leading efforts with US Intelligence and Defense clients across a range of modernization efforts. In 2023, she became a Senior Advisor for Accenture’s Global Defense teams, bringing four decades of experience to NATO and INDOPAC alliances to help accelerate multi-national, multi-domain mission command and C4ISR solutions for defense organizations around the world.

The recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star, Legere was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal for exemplary service to the Intelligence Community and the Order of National Security Medal for contributions to the Republic of Korea and United States of America alliance. In 2018, she was awarded the 2108 Women in Technology Award for Excellence, and the AFCEA Gol Shield of St. Isidore Award for distinguished service to national security and the cyberspace community.

Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and mass communication from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Masters’ Degrees from both the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and U.S. Army War College and an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of New Hampshire.


Previous Speakers in the Presidential Speaker Series

March 26, 2024- Senator Jack Reed

February 28, 2024- Don Payerle

December 4, 2023- Dr. Nancy Cantor

October 19, 2023- Mike Marusic

March 29, 2023 – Azza Karam

March 8, 2023 – Nadine Leslie

November 28, 2022 – Ramapo alumni and members of the RCNJ Board of Governors

October 22, 2021 – Alex Gorsky

September 10, 2021 –  Colonel (Retired) Jack Jacobs