The Foreign Service Journal, March 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2016 29 W hen the Federal Women’s Program coordinator vacancy was advertised this past fall in Panama, three women applied: a second- tour officer, an FS-2 and an FS-1. The management counselor, also a woman, consulted the applicants, Federal Women’s Program for the Future FOCUS WOMEN IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE and an innovative assignment resulted. The second-tour officer was appointed as the official FWP coordinator, with specific mentoring and support offered by more senior officers to bolster the program. The result has been a robust interagency effort that may serve as a model for the kind of infrastructure needed to help support female members of the Foreign Service in pursuing successful careers. Seizing the Opportunity The FWP’s roots go back to 1961 when President John F. Ken- nedy created the Commission on the Status of Women to exam- ine barriers facing women in the federal government and to enhance employment opportunities for women in every area of federal service. In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson established Foreign Service women in Panama are rejuvenating the Federal Women’s Program as a platform for career development. BY THAO ANH TRAN AND KR I ST I N STEWART Thao Anh Tran (at left) is a political officer, and Kristin Stewart is the public affairs counselor at Embassy Panama City. The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of State. On International Day of the Girl last October, Thao Anh Tran (front, second from right) visited the Instituto Nuestra Señora de la Merced high school to highlight the importance of adolescent girls’ education and empowerment in shaping a stronger Panamanian society. COURTESYOFPUBLICAFFAIRS/U.S.EMBASSY INPANAMA