Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL) Relaunches to Amplify the Power of BridgeUSA Exchanges to Advance U.S. Interests

Non-profit organization strengthens BridgeUSA programs and promotes how they advance U.S. diplomacy, national security, and economic prosperity.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL) last week announced its relaunch with a focus on education, best practices sharing, and storytelling in support of the BridgeUSA (J-1 visa) community.

BridgeUSA encompasses thirteen programs for which international participants can obtain a J-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa category on which approved individuals can combine work or study with cultural exchange. These programs operate at no cost to U.S. taxpayers, as participants are typically self-financed or financed by their home government or hosting institution.

Founded in 2020, CAPDL is an independent nonprofit whose mission today is to strengthen and expand the U.S. Department of State's BridgeUSA programs by:

• Educating key constituents on the history and power of BridgeUSA to advance U.S. public diplomacy, national security, and economic prosperity, and
• Cultivating a global network of supporters who promote best practices in BridgeUSA program delivery.

CAPDL membership is open to host employers, international agents, sponsors, alumni, families, service providers, chambers of commerce, community groups, and allies of all sizes and locations.

"I am excited to see CAPDL bring together so many constituencies and beneficiaries of BridgeUSA," said CAPDL Board Member and Former Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Rick Ruth. "I am honored to be on the board of CAPDL, because – in my mind – all BridgeUSA programs are about learning [which] leads to understanding, the most valuable commodity in the world."

Thanks to the generosity of its incubating host, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), CAPDL will not assess dues for the first year of operation. Instead, all support during this time will go to the new Scholarship Fund for BridgeUSA. The Scholarship Fund will support individuals participating in any of the thirteen BridgeUSA exchange categories via any CAPDL member.

As part of its relaunch, CAPDL also welcomed a new Board of Directors:

• Jon Baselice, Vice President of Immigration Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Denise Beckson, Vice President of Government Affairs and Human Resources, Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks
• Carye Duffin, Senior Vice President for External Affairs, CIEE
• Russ Hedge, President and CEO, Hostelling International USA
• Rick Ruth, Former Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs
• Bastian Weinberger, Board Chair, HanoverCRM
• Bettina Wiedmann, Executive Director, Experiment in International Living in Germany (Experiment e.V.)

"Our BridgeUSA community grows stronger when we engage all stakeholders," says Carye Duffin, CAPDL Board Chair and CIEE Senior Vice President of External Affairs. "By cultivating an inclusive environment focused on best practices, we create a powerful culture of shared learning and accountability – ensuring that we uphold the highest standards to protect and expand these life-changing programs. Additionally, through our commitment to storytelling, we can complement others' work and ensure that more communities across the U.S. recognize the transformative impact of BridgeUSA programs."

Learn more about CAPDL, find resources, and sign up for an upcoming event at www.capdl.org.

About CAPDL
Founded in 2020, the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL) relaunched in 2025. Its mission is to strengthen and expand the US Department of State's BridgeUSA programs by:

• educating key constituents on the history and power of BridgeUSA programs to advance US public diplomacy, national security, and economic prosperity
  and
• cultivating a global network of supporters who promote best practices in BridgeUSA program delivery.

With the many opportunities, as well as challenges, facing BridgeUSA, the community is stronger together. For this reason, CAPDL aims to engage all BridgeUSA stakeholders – of all sizes and from all regions of the world – in its work. CAPDL focuses on education, best practices sharing, and storytelling to improve our important collective work.

Media contact: Carmen Iezzi Mezzera, [email protected] 

SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)