Days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv evacuated U.S. citizens, staff, and temporarily relocated operations to Poland. Our guest Lynette Behnke, then the Deputy Political Counselor at the embassy, saw firsthand, and reported on, the increasing tensions leading up to the invasion. It led to a challenge U.S. diplomats have faced all too often—evacuating embassy staff and American citizens. 

Join our October 25 chat with Lynette to hear more about her career at the U.S. Department of State, her time in Ukraine, and to learn about the important role of political officers at U.S. embassies as they quickly evaluate and respond to events on the ground. Click here to register.

Questions? Please contact events@afsa.org

Lynette Behnke joined the Foreign Service in May 2006. She has been Unit Chief for the Republic of Korea and Mongolia in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs since July 2022. From August 2020 to June 2022, she served as U.S. Embassy Kyiv’s Deputy Political Counselor. In this role, she managed the section’s evacuation from Ukraine and the process of rebuilding the team as the Embassy resumed in-country operations. Prior to Kyiv, she worked on financial sanctions and counter-terrorist financing at U.S. Embassy London. Her overseas tours also include Hungary and Haiti. Lynette has served as a Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellow at the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Europe Director at the National Security Council, and NATO Desk Officer. Originally from California, Lynette holds a BA in International Relations and French from Tulane University in New Orleans. 

This virtual series introduces audiences to the Foreign Service through storytelling. We host members of the Foreign Service to share with us their stories of life and work in the Foreign Service.