The Foreign Service Journal, June 2009

J U N E 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 49 I an M. Houston has been named the new executive director of the Ameri- can Foreign Service Association. Houston has been instrumental in pro- viding interim leadership since Decem- ber. After a competitive and careful selection process, Houston was selected, says AFSA President John Naland, “be- cause we believe him to have the skills and abilities required to leadAFSA’s staff in the coming years.” Houston is no stranger to AFSA and its policy and Foreign Service manage- ment issues. As legislative affairs director since 2006, his knowledge of and famil- iarity with complex legislative issues are respected throughout the organization and beyond. He has worked on foreign policy, international development, poverty reduction and advocacy with nonprofits and government agencies for more than 14 years. Houston is excited about building on AFSA’s past successes and traditions, while helping move it into a new era. “We are amembership organization,”he points out,“andwe are here primarily to consciously serve and represent our members and their interests.” When it comes to management style, Houston cites an inscription over the door of an old Scottish arch—“Whate’er thou art, act well thy part”—as his phi- losophy for an effective organization. “Everyone plays a certain role in an or- ganization likeAFSA,”he explains,“and if each person takes that role seriously — even a role that is the most mundane— it will serve the organization well.” Born in the San Francisco area, Houston is the son of immigrants from Scotland and England. He holds un- dergraduate and graduate degrees from BrighamYoung University and the Uni- versity of Kent (Canterbury, England) with a focus in policy, political science and international relations. Houston is on the faculty at the Lutheran College Washington Seminar program and formerly at NorthernVir- ginia Community College, teaching sub- jects ranging from public policy to international affairs. A volunteer soccer coach formany years, he is also a self-de- scribed “struggling artist.” Houston’s hobbies include following the Green Bay Packers and reading: he especially loves the novels of Charles Dickens. He lives in Lake Ridge, Va., with his wife Jolene and three children, Aidan, Griffin and Grace. A F S A N E W S T he substantial renovation of AFSA’s offices at 2101 E St. NW has finally been completed after more than a year. Having weathered a challenging work situationduringwhich they faced re- location, then several months of displace- ment, AFSA staff eagerly began moving back into the new space in lateMarch. In April, working operations quickly returned to a normal stride, and em- ployees appreciated the simple dynam- ics of a functioning office that allows closer interaction among colleagues, such as being able to walk just a few feet to get a question answered face-to-face. In a “back to business” spirit, AFSA’s professional staff immediately began hosting board meetings and member- ship lunches in the main floor’s spacious conference room. A warm combination of tile and wood, taking up most of the front entry wall, greets staff and visitors when they enter the building. Tall windows make the space light and bright, and neutral carpeting covers all floors. The second and third floors contain offices, cubicles, a small conference room, seating areas, efficient staff kitchens and bathrooms. An elevator affords easy access to the upper floors for members, guests and bulk deliveries. “This is a new chapter for AFSA,” says Executive Director Ian Houston. “By returning to our offices, we’re in a better position to serve our members, which is our core mission.” He hopes that members will stop by and visit the renovated headquarters. “This is, after all, their building.” The new and improved AFSA conference room, left. Executive Director Ian Houston, left, confers with Member Services Representative Michael Laiacona, in Houston's newly renovated office, right. SEASONED LEGISLATIVE EXPERT STEPS INTO LEADERSHIP ROLE Ian Houston Named AFSA Executive Director BY FRANCESCA KELLY AFSA Headquarters Building Reopens BY FRANCESCA KELLY SHAWN DORMAN SHAWN DORMAN