THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 73 AFSA NEWS AFSA Honors 2025 Sinclaire Language Award Recipients Proficiency in foreign languages remains a vital skill for members of the U.S. Foreign Service, essential not only for professional development but also for personal security and effectiveness at post. Each year since 1982, AFSA has recognized outstanding accomplishments in the study and use of difficult languages through the Matilda W. Sinclaire Awards program. AFSA established this program with a generous bequest from former Foreign Service Officer Matilda W. Sinclaire, who sought “to promote and reward superior achievement by career officers of the Foreign Service … while studying one of the Category III or IV languages under the auspices of the Foreign Service Institute.” Any career or career-conditional member of the Foreign Service from the Department of State, USAID, Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Agency for Global Media, or Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is eligible for the award. Recipients are selected by a committee comprising the dean (or designee) of the FSI School of Language Studies and the AFSA Awards and Plaques Committee. Each winner receives $1,500 and a certificate of recognition. This year’s recipients demonstrated remarkable commitment to mastering complex languages through immersive study and engagement with cultural and linguistic communities. We are pleased to announce the 2025 Sinclaire Award recipients: • Barbara Mozdzierz: Russian • Brandon Lee: Arabic • Craig Joiner: Russian • Ehsan Aleaziz: Turkish • Juan-Carlos Johns: Chinese • Kelsey Yanvary Spaulding: Dari • Shane Alexander: Georgian • Sonia Tarantolo: Turkish • Tim Edge: Turkish • Tragdon A. Sexton: Chinese For more information on the Sinclaire Awards, contact awards@afsa.org or visit afsa.org/matilda-w-sinclaire- language-awards. n AFSA Launches Lunchtime Listening Sessions AFSA held the first two events in its new Lunchtime Listening Sessions series in late 2025, creating space for candid, in-person dialogue with members at AFSA headquarters. The inaugural session, held on October 16, 2025, brought together 25 mid-level officers for an open discussion on the challenges facing the Foreign Service and how AFSA can best advocate for its members during a difficult year. On November 20, AFSA hosted a second session for State specialists working in Washington, again welcoming 25 participants for a frank exchange of perspectives on workplace issues, career expectations, and priorities for AFSA’s labor management and advocacy efforts. The listening sessions are designed to foster ongoing conversation between members and AFSA leadership in a small-group setting. AFSA plans to continue the series in 2026, with upcoming sessions for Senior Foreign Service members, first- and second-tour (FAST) officers, and members from other foreign affairs agencies. n AFSA Hosts MSPBFocused Webinars In November 2025, AFSA organized a series of webinars to help members better understand and navigate the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) process. On November 6, former MSPB Vice Chair Raymond Limon led a hybrid session on the MSPB discovery process, providing an overview of how discovery works and offering practical tips for preparing a strong case. On November 10, AFSA’s USAID community was invited to join “Navigating the Filing of an MSPB Appeal,” an informal online session walking participants through each step of filing an appeal, with AFSA staff available to answer member questions. Finally, on November 18, AFSA held its first Rise Up Legal Clinic, during which pro se litigants met one-onone with members of AFSA’s Office of the General Counsel and other volunteer and retired Foreign Service legal professionals for individualized guidance on their MSPB appeals. Recordings and related materials from these sessions are available to members at https://afsa.org/ resources. n
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