The Foreign Service Journal, February 2012

Last Call for Dissent and Performance Award Nominations Please consider nominating an outstanding member of the For- eign Service for one of AFSA’s prestigious awards for constructive dissent and exemplary performance. Anyone may nominate an FS employee who has shown courage by challenging policy or the sys- tem or has made an extraordinary difference in the lives of others. All winners receive a $2,500 cash prize and are honored at a cere- mony in the State Department in late June. Nomination deadline is Feb. 28. For forms and more information, please go to www.afsa.org/awards or contact Perri Green, Coordinator for Spe- cial Awards and Outreach, at green@afsa.org or (202) 719-9700. AFSA Welcomes Spring Interns AFSA is pleased to welcome a new group of interns who will be with us during the spring semester. The new Foreign Service Journal editorial intern is David Barton, a recent graduate of James Madison University. The advertising intern is Claudia Gerkin, a student at the HAN University of Applied Sciences in Arnhem, the Netherlands. The communications, marketing and outreach intern is Paul Carter, a graduate of Boston University, and the legislative affairs intern is Christy Nguyen, a student at American University. We also thank our departed fall semester interns for their hard work and dedication: Laura Pettinelli, Liron Feldman, Minh- Nhat “Leo” Tran and Harsh Govil. FLO’s Global Employment Initiative for Family Members Wins Top Honors The Global Employment Initiative of the State Depart- ment’s Family Liaison Office is making a name for itself. On Nov. 4, GEI received the Best Family Support Pro- gramAward (for Europe) from the Forum for Expatriate Management. The GEI program faced stiff competition from the World Bank Family Network, U.S. Girl Scouts Overseas and the United Nations, among others. Designed to help Foreign Service family members develop their career and employment options while overseas, GEI’s award-win- ning services include resumé help, interviewing tips, net- working assistance (where available) and career coaching. For family members of direct-hire government employ- ees serving overseas who would like more information on GEI, please e-mail gei@state.gov. 32 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 A F S A N E W S AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Appreciation: Robert J. Wozniak Sr. A FSA is saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Wozniak, a good friend and strong supporter of AFSA. Bob died from cancer on Nov. 13. A native of Michigan, Bob started out as a journalist and joined the U.S. Information Agency in the early 1960s. He served at U.S. diplomatic posts around the world, including Athens, Damascus, Rabat, Nicosia and NATO headquarters in Brussels. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1996 fol- lowing a management position at the Voice of America, and spent a number of years as a Diplomat-in-Residence at American University’s Center for Global Peace. His postings in Mediterranean countries piqued Bob’s interest in antiquities, leading to his service on the board of the Cyprus American Archaeology Research Institute. AFSA will remember Bob fondly from his time as chairman of the AFSA Elections Committee from 1999-2007. AFSA Executive Director Ian Houston comments: “Bob was a wonderful supporter of AFSA through the years. He made excellent contributions on the election front as chair of the com- mittee, but he also contributed his time and talents to the organization in so many other ways. We will surely miss him.” AFSA extends its condolences to Bob’s wife Farida, his children Lisa, Robert, Leila and Farid, and his surviving brothers and grandchildren. Staff: Executive Director Ian Houston: houston@afsa.org Business Department Director of Finance Femi Oshobukola: oshobukola@afsa.org Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Assistant Controller Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Deputy General Counsel Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov Labor Management Counselor Janet Weber: weber@afsa.org Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: parikhna@state.gov Staff Attorney Raeka Safai: safair@state.gov Staff Attorney Andrew Large: largea@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Staff Assistant Stefan Geyer: geyer@afsa.org Member Services Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Member Services Representative Kristy Pomes: pomes@afsa.org Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Communications, Marketing and Outreach Retiree Counseling & Legislation Coordinator Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Director of Policy Edward Dickens: dickens@afsa.org Legislative Assistant Clint Lohse: lohse@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Patrick Bradley: bradley@afsa.org Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Scholarship Program Assistant Jonathan Crawford: crawford@afsa.org Marketing & Outreach Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: sigfusson@afsa.org Special Awards & Outreach Coordinator Perri Green: green@afsa.org Web and IT Assistant Jeff Lau: lau@afsa.org AFSA HEADQUARTERS: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA OFFICE: (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA OFFICE: (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 PRESIDENT: johnson@afsa.org STATE VP: hirschdm@state.gov RETIREE VP: megilroy@gmail.com USAID VP: fzamora@usaid.gov FAS VP: david.mergen@fas.usda.gov FCS VP: keith.curtis@mail.doc.gov AFSA News Editor Donna Ayerst: ayerst@afsa.org (202) 944-5516; Fax: (202) 338-6820 Foreign Service Journal FSJ: journal@afsa.org Editor Steven Alan Honley: honley@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Associate Editor Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Ad & Circulation Manager Ed Miltenberger: miltenberger@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith: journaldesign@comcast.net On the Web AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org FSJ: www.afsa.org/fsj How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: Susan R. Johnson STATE VP: Daniel Hirsch USAID VP: Francisco Zamora FCS VP: Keith Curtis FAS VP: David Mergen RETIREE VP: Mary Ellen Gilroy SECRETARY: Vacant TREASURER: Andrew Winter STATE REPS: Matthew Asada William Bent Grace Choi Les Hickman Kenneth Kero-Mentz Kimberly Krhounek Elise Mellinger Joyce Namde David Zwach USAID REPS: Michael Henning Iris Young FCS REP: Steve Morrison FAS REP: Andrew Burst IBB REP: Andre De Nesnera RETIREE REPS: Robert Houdek Edward Marks Hugh Neighbour Molly Williamson