Commencement

OUR 2026 GUEST SPEAKER

The Honorable Marc B. Nathanson
Chairman, Mapleton Investments

Ambassador Marc B. Nathanson was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway on October 29, 2021. Following Senate confirmation, he served in this capacity through February 2024. During his tenure, Ambassador Nathanson strengthened the longstanding relations between the U.S. and Norway, achieving significant milestones such as the establishment of the American Presence Post in Tromso—the northernmost U.S. diplomatic post in the world—signing two U.S./Norwegian supplemental military treaties, establishing the Minnesota National Guard-Norwegian military partnership. He also welcomed the U.S.S. Gerald Ford (CVN-78), the first U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Norway in 65 years, on its maiden voyage. His service also coincided with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, during which he supported NATO unity, including the accession of Finland and Sweden.

Prior to his diplomatic service, Ambassador Nathanson distinguished himself as one of America’s leading communications entrepreneurs and committed environmentalists. In 1975, he founded Falcon Cable TV, which grew to become one of the largest multiple cable system operators in the United States. In 1999, he sold Falcon Cable TV and became Vice Chairman of Charter Communications, the nation’s largest cable operator. Throughout his career he has also served as Chairman of Mapleton Investments, a privately held holding company.

Ambassador Nathanson's public service includes a Senate-confirmed role as Chairman of the United States Agency for Global Media during the Clinton-Gore and Bush-Cheney administrations. In 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed him as her Representative to the Board of Governors of the East-West Center in Honolulu. He also served as the past Co-Chairman of the Pacific Council on International Policy, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), Trustee Emeritus of the Aspen Institute, anda member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

His contributions to business, country, and the environment have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Global Green Millennium Award (2009), the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Lifetime Achievement Award (2011). He was named "Man of the Year" in 2019 by Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (ZBT) and is a member of the ZBT Hall of Fame, Cable TV Hall of Fame, and "Cable Pioneers" (1992). In 1994, INC. Magazine named him as "Entrepreneur of the Year," and University of California, Santa Barbara recognized him as an “Outstanding Alumni” in 1977.

Ambassador Nathanson earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver and a master’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow. In June 2024, he delivered the commencement speech at the University of Denver and received an honorary doctorate. Ambassador Nathanson resides in Los Angeles, Montecito, and Aspen with his wife, Jane. Together, they have three children and eight grandchildren.