John Dinkelman, President

John Dinkelman assumed his duties as president of the American Foreign Service Association on July 15, 2025.

It was his honor to serve in various domestic and overseas positions over his 37 years as a Foreign Service officer with the State Department. His overseas assignments included the United Kingdom, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, Turkey, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Domestically, he served at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Bureau of Administration, and the Bureau of Global Talent Management. Most recently, he served as the diplomat-in-residence at Howard University at the time of his election.

An “army brat,” Mr. Dinkelman was raised in various locations—none of which he can claim as his hometown. Nevertheless, his heart is tugged toward Provo, Utah where he graduated from Brigham Young University in the far too distant past.

Mr. Dinkelman and his wife Elizabeth, an intimidatingly intelligent math professor, are the very tired parents of three allegedly grown children.

Sue Saarnio, Secretary

Sue Saarnio served for 36 years in the Foreign Service retiring in 2021 after serving as Consul General in Tijuana. A career economic officer, she worked at U.S. embassies in Mexico City, Panama, and Ottawa, and at U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem.

Ms. Saarnio has served three previous terms as a State representative on the AFSA Governing Board. She served as principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Energy Resources and deputy assistant secretary for Mexico, Canada, and regional economic policy in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. In the Economic Bureau she served as deputy special representative for commercial and business affairs and special adviser for conflict diamonds.

Prior to government service, she worked as a journalist in Montana and Minnesota. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., and she also spent a year at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, through a study abroad program.

John Naland, Treasurer

John Naland just completed eight years as AFSA Retiree VP and earlier served as AFSA President (twice) and AFSA State VP. He retired from the Foreign Service in 2015 after a 29-year career that included service in Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico (principal officer at U.S. Consulate Matamoros), and Iraq (leading the warzone Provincial Reconstruction Team in Basra).

Washington, D.C. assignments included the State Department Operations Center and the White House Situation Room. He is co-author of Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service (Georgetown University Press, 2021). A U.S. Army cavalry officer serving in West Germany during the Cold War, he is a graduate of the Army War College.

Born in Wichita, Kansas, he grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he graduated from Tulane University. He and his wife have two daughters.

Rohit Nepal, State Vice President

Rohit (Ro) Nepal is a passionate advocate of the Foreign Service, which he has proudly served since September 2002. Most recently, he was deputy chief of mission and Charge d’Affaires in Amman, Jordan. Ro’s prior tours include serving as a consular officer in Mexico City, general services officer in Islamabad, political officer in Chennai and Rome, as well as multiple domestic assignments.

Ro ran for AFSA State VP motivated by his experience of the human toll of the dismantling of the USAID mission in Amman, which was one of our largest globally. Ro hopes to use his knowledge of the Foreign Service and the skills he gained as a civil rights litigator prior to joining the department to defend AFSA’s members during these unprecedented times.

Randy Chester, USAID Vice President

A proud graduate of the University of California at Davis, a former Peace Corps volunteer to Senegal, and a long-term union member, Randy Chester brings 30 years of development experience, nearly 20 years with USAID, and 25 years of experience as a union member, including five years as a teamster in San Francisco, Calif.

As a USAID Foreign Service officer, he has served in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Pakistan (four tours), and Madagascar. Joining USAID as an agriculture officer, Mr. Chester has led diverse technical teams working on food security, governance and trade, energy regulation, humanitarian assistance, natural resource management, and education.

Prior to USAID, he worked for an environmental think tank and a nonprofit supporting small farmers in the California Central Valley.

He holds two master’s degrees from UC Davis, in agriculture economics and international agriculture development. In 2021, he was named the co-winner of the AFSA USAID Post Representative of the Year award.

He is a strong advocate for unions having a loud and active voice, promoting workers’ rights, and advocating for inclusive and constructive dialogue.

Mr. Chester is half of a USAID tandem. Together, they have visited more than 70 countries on five continents and one day hope to settle down in an Airstream trailer.

Jay Carreiro, FCS Vice President

Jay Carreiro is a career Foreign Service officer and a 23+ year veteran of the Commerce Department. He first joined the Commercial Service in 2009, serving as special assistant to the deputy assistant secretary for international operations.

He previously served as AFSA vice president from 2019 to 2022 and most recently as FCS alternate representative during the previous governing board. Other assignments include tours in Düsseldorf, Germany; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C.

Originally from Massachusetts, he holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from Rhode Island College, and master of public administration and juris doctor degrees from Rutgers University.

He is married with one child, and when in the U.S., lives in Alexandria,Va.

Hon. John O'Keefe, Retiree Vice President

Ambassador (ret.) John O’Keefe served for 32 years in the Foreign Service, beginning in Moscow as a general services officer. He joined the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute as a Global Fellow in 2019.

On retirement from the Foreign Service in 2007, he headed the Open World Leadership Center, a legislative branch agency, for 10 years, then served for two years as counselor to the board of trustees. He expanded the center’s programs from Russia and Ukraine to all countries of the former Soviet Union, the Balkans, Türkiye, and Mongolia.

As ambassador to Kyrgyzstan from 2000 to 2003, he negotiated the treaty allowing coalition forces to establish a base there to support operations in Afghanistan. From 2003 to 2004, he headed the Office of Career Development and from 2004 to 2006 was deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Human Resources, serving as acting Director General of the Foreign Service.

Amb. O’Keefe has received the Distinguished Honor Award, the Replogle Award for Management Improvement, and the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, as well as several Superior Honor Awards and Meritorious Honor Awards. The American University of Central Asia awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. He is married to Monica O’Keefe, a retired public diplomacy officer. This is his second term as AFSA treasurer.

Sandra Abrahamsen, Full-Time State Representative

Sandra (Castillo) Abrahamsen joined the State Department as a Foreign Service office management specialist (OMS) in 2005. After serving in AF/S Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Nassau, and WHA/FO, Sandra was accepted to the Functional Specialization Change Program in 2016 and switched her primary skill code to general services officer (GSO) specialist.

After a directed assignment as an assistant GSO in Brussels in 2017, Sandra served as supervisory GSO in Karachi from 2019 to 2021. In 2022, Sandra was a rotational GSO in the now Bureau of Global Operations A/GO doing stints in Transportation Management, Property Management, and almost a year as a special assistant in the A/GO Front Office.

Sandra is originally from Los Angeles, Calif., and has a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in political science in French. Sandra grew up speaking Spanish at home, studied French all throughout high school and university, and took 6 months of Greek at FSI. Sandra is married, and she and her husband live in Alexandria, Va.

Christina Higgins, State Representative

Christina Higgins is a minister counselor in the Senior Foreign Service, specialized in public diplomacy and human resources. She has served at the U.S. Department of State in leadership roles in the African, European, Western Hemisphere bureaus and Public Diplomacy, and HR offices. She supported U.S. embassies throughout Europe as the acting Director for Public Affairs in Europe and Eurasia. She also served as Chargé d’affaires a.i. and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Djibouti, working closely with military colleagues stationed at Camp Lemonnier.

Christina is proud to have served her public servant colleagues as a career development officer and overseas AFSA representative.

hannah draper, State Representative

hannah draper has been serving in PM/RSAT as a deputy director in July 2024. Prior to that, she served as the MENA lead at the U.S. Mission to the European Union and the regional counterterrorism coordinator/acting political-military chief at Embassy Ankara.

She previously served in Riyadh, Istanbul, and Tripoli, in addition to working on Lebanon policy and Iraq humanitarian issues from Washington. She joined the Foreign Service in 2007 after receiving a B.A. and an M.A. in Islamic History at Washington University in St. Louis.

A native of Arkansas, hannah is a first-generation college graduate who cares deeply about broadening access to federal careers and advancement for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. She speaks Spanish, Arabic, and Turkish well enough to order street food in several countries without offending anyone.

hannah is in Washington with her spouse Eric and their children Charlie and Sam, as well as a cantankerous cat named Poyraz and two inherited (and entitled) dachshunds, Turk and Guinness.

Stephanie Straface, State Representative

Stephanie Straface is your State Department Representative with deep experience in public diplomacy and strategic communications. A proud 2013 Pickering Fellow and International Career Advancement Program alum, she has served in both domestic and overseas assignments, advancing U.S. foreign policy through media engagement and cultural diplomacy.

Stephanie is committed to advocating for entry- and mid-level officers, amplifying the voices of underrepresented employees, and pushing for more inclusive, transparent policies across the Foreign Service. She holds an M.A. in diplomacy from Seton Hall University, a B.A. in international relations from the University of Central Florida, and a certificate in Women’s Leadership from WASHU @ Brookings.

A mother of three, she is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in education. Stephanie believes in the power of storytelling, equity, and public service to drive lasting institutional change.

Donald Emerick, State Representative

Donald “Donny” Emerick recently joined IO/UNP as a UNGA coordinator, bringing extensive management expertise across several bureaus. Before assuming this role, he served as deputy director of the INR Watch and supervisory GSO in INR/EX, supporting the interagency intelligence demands related to the Israel/Gaza conflict. His career includes supporting the Ukraine crisis response, reopening the Embassy in Kyiv, and supporting missions in Poland and Moldova as post management officer in EUR-IO/EX. He also shared his procurement expertise as a GSO instructor at FSI.

Donny's overseas tours include Hermosillo, Managua, and Buenos Aires (Argentina), complemented by consular service in Kraków. Throughout his career, he has developed specialized experience in crisis management, visit logistics, and multilateral summit coordination.

A Vienna, Va., resident, Donny lives with his wife Heather, an FSI training facilitator, and their three teenage daughters. His home’s intentional proximity to the Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center fulfills his passion for experiencing live music performances whenever possible.

Connor Ferry-Smith, State Representative

Connor is a first-tour construction engineer and joined the department in April of 2023. He was posted in Merida, Mexico where he served as the construction manager on the New Consulate Compound. He returned to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2025 to work in OBO as a construction executive for NEA/SCA. He is thrilled to be the first entry-level professional elected to the AFSA governing board.

Connor is very passionate about collective bargaining, labor rights, and labor relations. He is proud to be part of a historic federal employee union, and excited to be taking a role in leadership. He plans to focus on member engagement, FAST professional issues, and specialist issues.

He was at post with his wife who was fortunate to be able to telework. They are delighted to have a new son who was born while they were in Mexico.

Please reach out to him at ferrysmith@afsa.org if you have any questions, would like to chat, or need assistance on any issues you are experiencing.

Austan Mogharrabi, USAID Representative

Bio coming soon.

Joshua Burke, Alternate FCS Representative

Joshua Burke is an action-oriented officer with a proven ability to drive measurable impact for Global Markets (GM). With private sector and government experience deeply rooted in strategy and operations, Joshua has assisted three-star generals in combating ISIS, outmaneuvered malign influence in Eastern Europe, and has helped to create nearly one million U.S. jobs through advocacy and investment deals. He has served in Lagos, Bucharest, Ankara, St Louis, in HQ, and was elected by his peers to serve as the AFSA VP.

Joshua is a skilled and passionate people developer and coach, and those on his team have earned several notable Commerce and State awards, including several MHAs, LES of the Year, and the DOC Silver Medal. His results-driven approach to problem solving has become the foundation of the Commercial Diplomacy courses at both GM and State.

Joshua holds a B.S. from Iowa State, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and a Mastering Trade Policy certificate from Harvard. He has served on boards of several charities and non-profits, and is an avid triathlete, yoga teacher, real estate investor, and best-selling author. He and his wife are still dating after nearly two decades of marriage and have two resilient daughters and a vizsla.

Joseph M. Ragole, APHIS Representative

Joseph M. Ragole is the plant health attaché for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, posted in Mexico City. He began his Foreign Service career at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels. He subsequently served in Santo Domingo, where he helped coordinate the initial response to an outbreak of African swine fever, and in New Delhi.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Ragole worked on domestic regulatory programs with APHIS, including export certification and emergency programs such as fruit fly outbreak eradication. Mr. Ragole also served as an agriculture specialist with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Mr. Ragole holds a B.A. in ecology and German from the University of Colorado, Boulder. An avid motorcyclist and enthusiast of all things mechanical, he is joined in Mexico by his wife and their son.

Gunter Schwabe, USAGM Representative

Bio coming soon.

Julie Nutter, Retiree Representative

Bio coming soon.

Hon. Michael Kirby, Retiree Representative

Michael Kirby joined the Foreign Service in November 1980 as a member of A100 -1. He served as the local AFSA representative in early consular tours in Dar es Salaam and Copenhagen. Michael sandwiched four years as PDAS in Consular Affairs around ambassadorships in Moldova and Serbia. He retired in 2016.

Michael grew up in a Foreign Service family—his father joined the Foreign Service in 1948 and retired after Michael joined the Foreign Service—so he is keenly aware of the importance of our suite of benefits to both current and retired members.

Michael is married to Sara Powelson Kirby; they met in eighth grade at the American School of Paris. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.