Welcome to the AFSA President’s page! The AFSA Governing Board pledges to do its best to represent the American Foreign Service and to promote understanding of and respect for the principles on which it was founded. The 2011-13 Board combines members of the 2009-2011 board as well as new members with fresh perspectives. In addition to the basic priority tasks of securing resources and protecting benefits, broadening and deepening AFSA’s role in developing the policies governing FS careers, improving the image of the Foreign Service, and streamlining AFSA operations as identified by the previous board; the 2011-13 board will be focusing on five strategic planning areas -- governance, image & outreach, professionalism & effectiveness, core advocacy, and membership & development.
The Governing Board is committed to building on the work and momentum of past boards to build the 21st century Foreign Service that our country needs. The serious challenges American diplomacy and the Foreign Service face today will deepen. We will need to be more determined, more creative and bolder in presenting the case that diplomacy and development are key instruments of national power and that allocating adequate resources for the Foreign Service, the backbone of our diplomatic service, is a good investment for the US taxpayer, even against the backdrop of a very tough fiscal environment.
We have in AFSA an important tool for the Foreign Service. We need to utilize its full potential as a professional association and as a union. For AFSA to be an effective voice of the Foreign Service, and for us to tell our story more convincingly both to the American public and to our Congress, we need your broad and sustained engagement. With this engagement and support we can continue to grow an AFSA that is a powerful advocate for diplomacy and the Foreign Service. Together we can also make AFSA a catalyst for reforms that improve service conditions within and the overall effectiveness of our diplomacy and development.
I welcome your comments and suggestions on these and any other issues of concern or interest. Our members are more than our eyes and ears around the world – you are a rich source of experience, insights and skills, as well as our motivation. Please feel free to contact me at johnson@afsa.org.
Major Ongoing Initiatives:
"President's View" Columns from The Foreign Service Journal
From the 2009-2011 Governing Board term:
Additional Information: