Convening
2025 Meridian Holiday Soirée: Celebrating Women Leaders
On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Meridian International Center welcomed a distinguished community of women leaders from diplomacy, policy, media, culture, and business for an evening of connection and celebration. The gathering highlighted the impact of collaborative leadership in shaping stronger, more resilient global systems. Meridian’s Interim CEO Deborah Lehr opened the evening by reflecting on the communities that sustain Meridian and the role of its partners in advancing the institution’s mission.
She emphasized that “diplomacy lives in the connections made in rooms like this,” and celebrated the strategic vision, expertise, and cross-sector influence of the women in attendance. Guests were reminded of Madeleine Albright’s words: “We have a responsibility to work together, because no one nation can solve the world’s challenges alone,” a sentiment that resonated throughout the evening. The program highlighted how women leaders are driving progress on today’s most pressing international challenges—from economic competitiveness to technological transformation—while fostering the relationships that underpin effective global engagement.
The gathering offered an opportunity to honor these contributions, strengthen professional networks, and reaffirm a shared commitment to principled, collaborative leadership in the year ahead. The evening concluded with a toast to the connections, old and new, that fuel meaningful impact across the globe, and with warm wishes for a joyful holiday season. From left to right, H.E. Ana Irene Delgago, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission to Panama to the Organization of American States, H.E.
Maguy Maccario Doyle, Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco to the United States, and H.E. Catalina Crespo Sancho, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the United States, at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photos by Eli Turner. Deborah Lehr, Interim CEO of Meridian International Center, giving a toast at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Photos by Eli Turner. H.E. Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States, at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photos by Eli Turner. Deborah Lehr, Interim CEO of Meridian International Center, giving a toast at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photos by Eli Turner. H.E. Maguy Maccario Doyle, Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco to the United States, (left) and DeDe Lea, Executive Vice President of Paramount, (right) at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Photos by Eli Turner. Anita McBride, Executive in Residence at American University, (left) and Joan McEntee, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Middle Kingdom Business Consulting LLC, (right) at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photos by Eli Turner. Guests celebrating at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Photos by Eli Turner. From left to right, Natalie Jones, EVP and COO of Meridian International Center, H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, and Deborah Lehr, Interim CEO of Meridian International Center, at the Holiday Soirée held at Meridian House on December 16th, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photos by Eli Turner. Project summary 2025 Meridian Holiday Soirée: Celebrating Women Leaders Program Areas: Diplomatic Engagement .