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The work of diplomacy is as old as our republic itself. For nearly 250 years, Americans have served far from home—in embassies, consulates, field offices, and conflict zones—representing the United States and advancing its interests around the world.
Every career comes with stories. The Foreign Service has some of the best.
Join AFSA on Tues., June 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET for a virtual conversation with Christopher Wurst and Christopher Saenger, Foreign Service officers-turned-podcasters who are committed to preserving and sharing the stories of American diplomacy and development.
We'll discuss why they started their podcasts, hear about some of their favorite stories, and explore what these experiences reveal about the people behind the profession.
This event is open to the public and will include an opportunity for Q&A.
About the Guests
Christopher Wurst is the producer and host of the weekly podcast/radio program SoftPower/FulStories, which uses first-person narrative stories to highlight U.S. soft power efforts around the world for the past 60+ years. Previously, he served more than two decades as a U.S. diplomat, primarily as a cultural and press attaché, in seven countries across four continents—including Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Zambia, India, Pakistan, and Guatemala. Read more.
Christopher Saenger is a former USAID Foreign Service Officer and current producer and host of the podcast “It Was Never a Job.” During his time at USAID, he has served in Ecuador, Iraq, Washington, D.C., USAID’s Middle East regional platform covering Tunisia and Libya, Colombia, and Ukraine. Mr. Saenger grew up in Delaware but has been a proud District of Columbia resident since 2003. He holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in international development from American University. His wife, Caroline Adams Saenger, is a landscape painter. They have two children.
About the Series
This event is part of AFSA’s new Service Disrupted virtual series, spotlighting the accelerating institutional challenges facing the Foreign Service. The events are free and open to the public.
Questions? Contact us at ServiceDisrupted@afsa.org.