Dr. James Armstead, J.D., Ph.D., LL.D., D.Litt., D.H.L.(hc),  is a retired professor of Strategy and International law from the US Naval War College. He has taught international law, strategy and national security policy at 19 universities over 50 years and continues to lecture frequently on international law and national security affairs. He served in Europe as an international election observer in Ukraine, Belarus,  Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and also can speak on his experiences with the United Nations, and as a Dept. of Defense negotiator enlarging NATO in eastern Europe.

Jim Armstead has performed over 300 historical characterizations for 32 years and portrays over 34 characters at Chautauquas throughout the U.S. -- now through his newly formed Sierra Nevada Mountain Chautauqua. In the Chautauqua tradition, prepared character performances are followed up by live question and answer session. Jim's authentic costumes, historical scholarship and remarkable storytelling bring the teaching of history alive through the voices of real people who lived through interesting times.