Have you ever wondered how and when the government classifies and declassifies national security information? Chestertown resident Bill Leary, the former Senior Director of Records and Access Management at the National Security Council, will discuss this and other aspects of the government security classification program at WC-ALL’s next Learn at Lunch presentation entitled “Keeping Secrets at the White House.” The event will take place on Wednesday, March 20, beginning with a catered buffet lunch at 12 noon in Hynson Lounge of Hodson Hall on the Washington College campus. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.
Bill Leary received his BA, MA, and ABD from the University of Virginia and taught American history at the College of William and Mary, the University of South Alabama, and the University of Virginia where he also taught the University’s first course in African American history. He then worked for 20 years at the National Archives, primarily in the Still Picture Branch. From 1992 until his retirement, he worked at the National Security Council as Special Advisor to the National Security Advisor and then as Senior Director of Records and Access Management. After Leary’s retirement, President Obama appointed him to the Public Interest Declassification Board. Since moving to Chestertown in 2012, he has served on the Boards of the Historical Society of Kent County and Sumner Hall.
In his presentation, Leary will discuss his work on major interagency declassification projects such as the Chile Declassification Project and the review of records related to 9/11. He will also share anecdotes from his 20 years at the White House where he worked for Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barak Obama.
The cost of the Learn at Lunch with Bill Leary is $20 for WC-ALL members and $25 for others. Reservations and payment are due by Thursday, March 14. Please send a check payable to WC-ALL to them at 300 Washington Ave., Chestertown, MD 21620 and include name, phone, and email of those planning to attend. Questions can be directed to the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221.
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