I-House & The Council on Foreign Relations Host a Conversation with Dr. Mariko Silver

On November 18, International House partnered with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in welcoming Dr. Mariko Silver for a special crossover of CFR’s Lessons Learned Series and the I-House Distinguished Speaker Series.

Silver is a CFR term member and currently serves as president & CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She joined residents in the Home Room to share reflections on her career, insight into the choices she’s made along the way, and advice for those who want to improve in their professional practice.

I-House President & CEO Sebastian Fries offered opening remarks, thanking CFR members for their attendance and lauding the Lessons Learned series.

“Lessons Learned is not just a polished, eloquent way of walking us through a distinguished résumé. Instead, I think it’s a unique opportunity to get to know the full human being behind the career,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for our speakers to be open, sharing not only their successes, but also some of the unavoidable ups and downs that we all experience in our careers and the hard lessons that teach us grit and resilience.”

Catherine Eng, a CFR term member and public policy manager at Meta, served as guest moderator. Throughout the conversation, Silver offered a wide range of advice for resident attendees, including how to cultivate positive mentor-mentee relationships.

“I would say the whole story of my career is mentor-driven. I followed good bosses,” she said. “If you can, find people who care about you. Advice without a little bit of love is not mentorship—it’s just telling you what to do!”

She added that mentorship should be passed on, and that we should always be prepared to recommend a deserving mentee, friend, or colleague for the next exciting opportunity. “Always be ready to lift up the next person,” she said. “It will come back around to you.”

The Q&A session with residents explored a diverse set of topics, from how power-sharing shapes decision-making and measures of success within foundations, to the role of innovation and the arts in fostering cross-cultural communication. Residents also asked for advice on finding meaningful service opportunities and stewarding career growth.

“The most general advice I would give you is to build real relationships, which you are all doing by being here at I-House and being a part of this community,” Silver said. “I’ve always reminded myself that relationship building is essential, and not just with people you like. You have to figure out ways to build relationships with people who may not be your people. And that requires being able to see the humanity, the interest, and the engagement in someone who is not aligned with you.”