Washington, D.C., March 23, 2022 – We are deeply saddened by the passing of ASG’s co-founder and chair, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. She passed away surrounded by family earlier today.

Secretary Albright was an unparalleled force in world affairs, American diplomacy, and the global business community, as well as to countless family members, friends, colleagues, and students. In both the public and private sectors, she epitomized the highest ideals of courage in leadership, never wavering in her admirable pursuit of dignity for all people.

As a refugee arriving in the United States at the start of the Cold War, she understood better than anyone the perils of authoritarianism and the very real human toll of insecurity in the world. As the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, she forever changed the face of American diplomacy and achieved incalculable gains for freedom and democracy globally. As an educator and mentor, she committed herself to empowering the next generation of leaders. As chair of ASG, which she co-founded with Samuel “Sandy” R. Berger and others in 2009, she instilled in all of us the mission of doing well by doing good in the world.

“We have lost a dear colleague, mentor, and friend. She was always so proud of the amazing team and institution she helped build and lead these past two decades at Albright Stonebridge Group and now as part of Dentons Global Advisors. She was also rightly proud of the positive contributions the ASG family has made to the world through our work at the firm, in public service and in our communities,” said Dan K. Rosenthal, the firm’s Managing Principal.

In 1997, Secretary Albright was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. From 1993 to 1997, she served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was a member of the president’s Cabinet. From 1989 to 1992, she served as President of the Center for National Policy. Previously, she was a member of President Jimmy Carter’s National Security Council and White House staff and served as Chief Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Edmund S. Muskie.

Secretary Albright was a Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, Chair of the National Democratic Institute, President of the Truman Scholarship Foundation, and Honorary Co-Chair of the World Refugee Council.

In 2012, Secretary Albright received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Barack Obama. In 2021, she was appointed Chair of the Defense Policy Board.

Secretary Albright will be remembered as a trailblazer, a humanitarian, and a patriot of the highest order. We will dearly miss her.

Condolence notes to the Albright family can be sent to our offices at the following address:

• The Albright Institute at Wellesley College | Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481
• The International Rescue Committee (assistance for refugees in Ukraine and globally) | IRC, Attn: Gift Processing, 122 East 42nd Street, 12th floor New York, NY 10168
• The Madeleine K. Albright Democracy Fund at the National Democratic Institute | Development Office, 455 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001
• The Madeleine Korbel Albright Memorial Fund at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies | University of Denver, P.O. Box 910585, Denver CO 80291-058

Portrait by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders