The Foreign Service Journal, June 2015

44 JUNE 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Executive Women @ State: Breaking Barriers BY SUSAN STEVENSON E xecutive Women @ State was launched in 2007 by a small group of former U.S. Info rmation Agency officers trying to replicate the agency’s Women’s Action Organization at the much larger and more complex State Department. Seeing the value of a strong women’s professional network and support for women’s advancement, they wanted to pursue those goals at State. At the time, the department had its second female Secretary of State and several women in leadership positions. A 2009 presentation by the Bureau of Public Affairs Office of the Historian reminded us that: • The first woman employee was a typist hired in the 1890s. • The first female FSO was hired in the 1920s but had to resign when she married. • It wasn’t until the 1970s that the “marriage rule” was abol- ished, allowing married women to serve as FSOs. • We now have more female ambassadors, assistant secre- taries, deputy assistant secretaries, directors and Senior Foreign and Executive Service members than ever before. Women comprise 40 percent of the State Department work- force, up from 27 percent in 1994. Many would say the gender wars have been won. But the proportion of women in the Foreign Service has not changed for the past decade, hovering at 30 percent, and the shift to more administrative jobs in the Civil Service has moved many women out of clerical positions—but not necessarily into senior ranks. Partnering with the Office of Civil Rights, EW@S has endeavored to host programs, seminars, focus groups and discussions with senior leaders to explore the barriers that still exist for women. Currently EW@S’s challenge is to demonstrate to State Department leaders—many of whom are female political appointees—that there is a problem. HR has agreed to start in- depth exit interviews to learn why women are leaving State at all levels, and we are working with the Foreign Service Institute to tackle unconscious bias that could be holding women back. We also want to encourage more women to apply for leader- ship positions to serve as role models, catalysts and mentors for the next generation. This year’s Women’s History Month event featured American University Associate Professor of Govern- ment Jennifer Lawless, whose exhaustive research showed that women didn’t run for political office (where they were just as likely to win as men) for the simple reason that no one encour- aged them to do so. When they received encouragement, they were more likely than men to dismiss it; and they felt that they had to be twice as good as men to be taken seriously. That could be why more women are not putting themselves forward for deputy chief of mission or chief of mission roles here at the State Department. EW@S’s mission is to promote, support and mentor women for senior leadership positions in the depart- ment. Specifically, we are committed to: • Advocating an increase in the number of career women in senior positions • Overcoming barriers for advancement and retention of women • Expanding engagement with senior non-career leaders and potential community • Mentoring the next generation of women leaders. EW@S now has 1,500 members and a sister organization at USAID. We’ve become active with women in the intelligence services, who have conducted research to see what is prevent- ing women from reaching senior levels there. We have affiliate groups at the mid-level (Associates) and entry-level/junior levels (EJs) to mentor the next generation. From our humble beginnings as a handful of officers in 2007, it is clear that EW@S is fulfilling a need in the community. Susan Stevenson is the EW@S second vice president. She is a public diplomacy-coned Senior Foreign Service officer working for the under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. Juggling a private-sector spouse and three children, she has spent most of her career in East Asia. Currently EW@S’s challenge is to demonstrate to State Department leaders— many of whom are female political appointees—that there is a problem.