teaching and speaking
Pat is a natural teacher and public speaker who loves engaging and challenging his students and audience. His affinity for teaching and speaking started with his first career as a naval diplomat in the U.S. Navy, where he led conferences and met frequently with senior foreign representatives. During two decades as a career naval officer, his responsibilities extended from Latin America, to Africa, to Asia, and Europe. He taught in the History Department at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he instructed undergrads on subjects ranging from international relations to Latin American history. As Associate Dean at the National Defense University until 2025, Pat taught civilian and military leaders from all over the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. With his passion, wit, and confident delivery, Pat connects with his audiences, making them care about the issues as much as he does.
What others say about Pat's lectures and speaking engagements:
“Professor Pat Paterson is unquestionably the most proficient and effective speaker/presenter in the group. His command of the material, use of inflection, attention-getting techniques, Q&A facilitation, and organization of material is unparalleled among the faculty.”
“He is a master at teaching and facilitating.”
“I learned more history about Latin America in this brief than I've learned in my entire life. Pat presented the complexity of this region in a clear manner that highlighted the need for America's global awareness.”
“Excellent management as a teacher, reaches the student in a brilliant way, has the knowledge and experience in all subjects, complementing them with experiences in the US Armed Forces, perfect teaching-learning methodology.”
“I think the facilitator, Professor Paterson, has been excellent. He always motivated group participation, exchange, and discussion of the contents of the presentations and texts. Excellent!”
“Pat guided the debate with a very effective methodology. Kept it clear and concise… an excellent speaker!”
Pat has spoken at numerous conferences, universities, and ceremonies in the U.S. and in Latin America. He has moderated panel discussions and given media interviews. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he frequently lectures and keynotes in both languages.
LECTURES INCLUDE:
Climate Change
Human Rights
Conflict Resolution
Counterinsurgency
Lessons Learned from Iraq: Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
Latin America: Political and Security Challenges
Coping with Opposition to the U.S. in Parts of Latin America
Transnational Criminal Organizations and the Mexico Security Crisis
Differences in the Roles of the Police and the Military in Latin America
Use of the Armed Forces in Support of Police Operations: Implications for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
National Emergencies and States of Exception
Challenges for the Armed Forces: Fulfilling Homeland Security Roles
Contemporary Challenges in the War on Drugs
Perspectives on Global Antiterrorism
For a complete list of Pat's previous lectures and speaking events, visit his presentations page. To view his CV, click here. And to inquire about Pat's availability, contact him here.