Six-time U.S. Amb. Ryan Crocker (Career Ambassador and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient) looks back on his experience working with the military in some of toughest assignments and most fraught conflict zones ever. He also looks to the future and analyzes the nature of expeditionary diplomacy, the current state of geopolitics and the international system, and shares his thoughts on how the Foreign Service might evolve through generational change, namely by talking about diversity, mental health, and work-life balance.  **Brought to you as part of an Una Chapman Cox Foundation projec ..read more

She has fought Ebola in Liberia, sexism in the State Department, and the closing of political space in Uganda.  U.S. Ambassador Deborah Malac talks about problem-solving, leadership, multi-functionality and clarity. She begins with her serendipitous entry into the Foreign Service that morphed into an incredible career in Africa and global health.  Speaking from a diversity of experiences, Malac discusses the qualities required of a globe-trotting FSO, the rewards and challenges associated with the job, how you know when it's time for the next challenge, and knowing oneself ..read more

Amb. Herro Mustafa explains her love of diplomacy, underscores the need for emotional intelligence and adaptability, and cites her sources of support and resilience. She talks about rejecting limitations and developing her own “card” full of lessons.  She discusses her growth as a diplomat, as she journeyed from Kurdish-Iraqi refugee in Minnesota to a young, female U.S. ambassador in Europe with young kids. **Brought to you as part of an Una Chapman Cox Foundation project on American diplomacy and the Foreign Service ..read more

Ambassador Chris Hill discusses growing up in the foreign service, working as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, and formative experiences working with Secretary Eagleburger and Amb. Holbrooke. Ambassador Hill also discusses leading Six-Party talks with N. Korea, his ambassadorship in Iraq, and the importance of diversity in today's Foreign Service. Interview excerpted from the forthcoming book: Modern American Diplomacy: A Field Guide to Success in The Foreign Service ..read more

Ambassador Beth Jones discusses attending local schools in Moscow and Berlin, her first tour in Afghanistan, and working as a control officer for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Ambassador Jones also discusses rising to the top of the Foreign Service, lessons learned from Ambassadors Pickering and Platt, managing the European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau following 9/11, and Benghazi ..read more

Ambassador Nancy Jo Powell discusses her childhood in rural Iowa, gender discrimination at the State Department in the 1970's, and her first big break as Acting Consul General in Lahore, Pakistan in 1988. Ambassador Powell also discusses cultivating high morale in difficult posts, serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan in the wake of 9/11, the importance of mentorship, and lessons learned during her stints as the State Department's Senior Coordinator for both the Avian Influenza and Ebola ..read more

Ambassador William Brownfield discusses his family's history in West Texas, life as a Junior Officer in Maracaibo, how to engage with the media, his tumultuous years as U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, and accusations of Venezuelan involvement in the U.S. presidential elections. Interview excerpted from the forthcoming book: Modern American Diplomacy: A Field Guide to Success in The Foreign Service ..read more

As Director General of the Foreign Service and ambassador to three countries in three different bureaus (Philippines, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe), and having served in DC leadership positions on the 7th floor and White House, Amb. Thomas saw U.S. diplomacy from multiple perspectives. He reflects on crisis management, leadership, and career progression. He talks about the blatant discrimination he encountered early in Peru and later in Zimbabwe, his adventures in rural Nigeria, and his time working for Sec. Rice and moments with Pres. Bush after 9/11 – all the while he conveys a sense of humor, d ..read more

Liliana Ayalde reflects on a long and accomplished career in assistance, public health, and diplomacy. Beginning with her first posting with USAID in Bangladesh, Amb. Ayalde traces lessons learned and her abiding contributions to international development and diplomacy in the U.S. Foreign Service. She bounces back from serious medical leave; she gets help from allies like Amb. Roberta Jacobson; and she confronts tension relations following the Snowden disclosures. Amb. Ayalde speaks to the importance of mentorship, identifying leadership talents, and personal flexibility when it comes to seizi ..read more

Leola Calzolai-Stewart, Rachell Shapiro, Kiley Kraskouskas talk about the careers of three outstanding African-American diplomats – ambassadors Edward Dudley, Terence Todman, and Carl Rowan – as well all that was involved in bringing the story of these pioneers to life in “The American Diplomat” on PBS. The discussion covers the history of African-Americans in the Foreign Service from Reconstruction to the modern day, as well as the barriers they faced in a State Department that initially confined them to just a few posts in predominantly black countries, maintaining racial inequality from off ..read more