The Foreign Service Journal, May 2004

2 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2004 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS AFSA AUDIT 2003 The AFSA Audit will be posted on the AFSA Web site by May 14 and will not be published in AFSA News. Worldwide Availability & Iraq Before the close of the first real Baghdad bidding season, over 800 bids had been logged for Baghdad positions. This overwhelming response to Secretary Powell’s call for volunteers affirms what AFSA has been emphasizing to the media, on the Hill and with the public: the Foreign Service is available for worldwide service, no matter how dangerous or difficult the post, and will meet the diplo- matic challenge. This is an important rebuff to our critics. Life in the Foreign Service BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER Welcome to New Staff AFSA was pleased to welcome two new staff members in March. Meijing Shan has joined the membership staff in the new position of Web site and database associate. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Xuzhou Normal University in China. Before moving to the U.S. in 2000, she worked as a coordinator at the Foreign Affairs Office of the Nanjing University of Economics. She received her M.A. in computer science from Southeastern University in 2002. Before joining the AFSA staff, she worked as a database assistant at the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association in Washington, D.C. She can be reached at shan@afsa.org or (202) 338-4045, ext. 523. Cory Nishi has joined the AFSA staff to replace Lindsay Peyton as membership representative. Born and raised in Hawaii, he came to the Washington area for college. He graduated from George Mason University in 2003 with a B.S. in management information systems. He can be reached at nishi@afsa.org or (202) 338-4045, ext. 525. FCS AFSA in the Loop FCS AFSAVice President Charles Ford has established weekly meetings with the director of human resources and has an informal system to consult and resolve issues of concern to AFSAmembers. He also meets monthly with the deputy direc- tor general. He welcomes suggestions on how to best use these occasions to address member concerns. The next midterm bargaining session will take place in August, and FCS AFSA encourages members to send input as to the three most important issues AFSA should try to advance. Please send input by mid-July to charles.ford@mail.doc.gov or by fax to (202) 482-9088. Briefs • Continued on page 5 “I THINK MY REAL STRENGTH WOULD BE DOING PUBLIC OUTREACH.” Staff: Executive Director Susan Reardon: reardon@afsa.org Business Department Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Accounting Assistant Steven Tipton: tipton@afsa.org Labor Management General Counsel Sharon Papp: papps@state.gov Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: badrichz@state.gov Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: yorkej@state.gov USAID Senior Labor Management Advisor Douglas Broome: dbroome@usaid.gov USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: asigfusson@usaid.gov Grievance Attorneys Harry Wilkinson: wilkinsonhg@state.gov, an d Charles Henderson: hendersonch@state.gov Office Manager Christine Warren: warrenc@state.gov Law Clerk Marques Peterson: petersonmo@state.gov Member Services Director Janet Hedrick: hedrick@afsa.org Representative Cory Nishi: nishi@afsa.org Web site & Database Associate Meijing Shan: shan@afsa.org Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org Outreach Programs Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: brown@afsa.org Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: switzer@afsa.org Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: nakamura@afsa.org Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant Austin Tracy: tracy@afsa.org Scholarship Director Lori Dec: dec@afsa.org Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: berger@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 AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org AFSA E-MAIL: afsa@afsa.org AFSA NEWS: afsanews@afsa.org FSJ: journal@afsa.org PRESIDENT: limbert@afsa.org STATE VP: cranelk@state.gov RETIREE VP: jones@afsa.org USAID VP : wcarter@usaid.gov FCS VP: charles.ford@mail.doc.gov FAS VP: Laura.Scandurra@usda.gov AFSA News Editor Shawn Dorman : dorman@afsa.org (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 On the Web : www.afsa.org/news How to Contact Us: Governing Board: PRESIDENT: John W. Limbert STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Charles A. Ford FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Laura Scandurra RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: George F. Jones SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris TREASURER: Danny Hall STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Pamela Bates, Cynthia G. Efird, Scot L. Folensbee, Raymond D. Maxwell, John C. Sullivan, Jim Wagner USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Thomas Olson FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Crawford RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Gilbert Sheinbaum, David E. Reuther, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III, Stanley A. Zuckerman IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Alex Belida FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Michael Conlon