The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2017

48 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS CALENDAR January 15 Deadline: Sinclaire Language Award Nominations January 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day: AFSA Offices Closed January 20 Inauguration Day: AFSA Offices Closed February 1 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting February 6 Deadline: AFSA Merit Award Applications February 13 12-1:15 p.m. Recruitment Luncheon: 12th Consular Fellows Class February 20 Presidents’ Day: AFSA Offices Closed February 28 Deadline: AFSA Dissent and Performance Award Nominations March 1 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting AFSAThanks Outreach Participants On Dec. 7, AFSA welcomed close to 30 members for a reception at its headquarters. The purpose was to thank those individuals for their role in public outreach campaigns on behalf of AFSA and the Foreign Service in 2016. During the holiday-themed reception, AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Ste- phenson offered remarks, specifically thanking Ambas- sador Lino Gutierrez and the Una Chapman Cox Founda- tion for their partnership with AFSA, which has allowed us to add an outreach staff mem- ber and dramatically increase our capacity in this area. “No matter how hard we work on outreach initiatives here at AFSA, they simply would not be possible without you all,” said Amb. Stephen- son. “You are the people who answered the call and took on the challenge to meet with people in your local commu- nities to tell the story of the Foreign Service. “You have spoken at Road Scholar programs, supported the essay contest, partici- pated inWorld Affairs Council high school education pro- grams, offered events in this very room and even met with community college students in Kodiak, Alaska!” Ambassador (ret.) Patricia Butenis, a member of the AFSA Governing Board, spoke of her own experiences doing outreach in her home state of New Jersey. There is a clear interest in hearing frommem- bers of the Foreign Service in places ranging frommiddle schools to universities, she reported. Amb. Butenis recounted a story from her visit to the Trenton Catholic Academy, where the teacher thanked her by saying that without AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson (center) with members and staff who made 2016 such a successful year for AFSA outreach. AFSA/ÁSGEIRSIGFUSSON AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION From left: AFSA State Representative Alison Storsve, Retiree Vice President Ambassador (ret.)Thomas Boyatt, State VP Angie Bryan and Retiree Representative Ambassador (ret.) Patricia Butenis, chatting at a reception to thank those who reach out for AFSA. AFSA/ÁSGEIRSIGFUSSON Continued on page 51 P. 62