The Pitch 2022: A Competition of New Ideas

Congratulations to Mycal Ford, Best in Show

On Wednesday, June 15, CNAS hosted the Grand Finale of The Pitch during the CNAS 2022 National Security Conference. Finalists from the first round presented their pitches to a panel of judges that included, Richard Fontaine, Adm. Cecil Haney, Heather Nauert, and Kate Koett. Jacqeuline White Menchaca won the People's Choice Award for her pitch to institutionalize climate diplomacy. And the Best in Show winner was Mycal Ford, for his pitch for The CRISP Initiative, a framework for improving the efficacy of U.S. sanctions policy.

Watch the Grand Finale:

On May 4, CNAS hosted the first round of its annual premier event to elevate emerging and diverse voices in national security: The Pitch: A Competition of New Ideas. Selected applicants will make their pitch for innovative policy ideas to meet new challenges in U.S. national security policy in front of a distinguished panel of judges and a live virtual audience. There was interactive polling, and the audience will be able to vote for the "People's Choice Award." Finalists from each round and the winner of the "People's Choice Award" will move on to compete at the grand finale during the 2022 CNAS National Security Conference: Security in the Balance.

First round winners of The Pitch:

Watch the first round of the 2022 competition:

CNAS 2022 National Security Conference: Security in the Balance

On June 14-16, 2022 the CNAS annual conference was held virtually, free and accessible to all.