AFSA NEWS 66 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Please reach out to him at ferrysmith@afsa.org if you have any questions, would like to chat, or need assistance with any issues you are experiencing. AUSTAN MOGHARABI USAID REPRESENTATIVE Austan Mogharabi brings deep pride in Foreign Service excellence and unwavering commitment to supporting fellow officers during this challenging transition. During 15 years with USAID, he served with distinction across some of the world’s most complex environments—from post-earthquake Haiti to conflictaffected Syria and Iraq, from post–civil war Côte d’Ivoire to the volatile Sahel region. Austan has sought to exemplify the Foreign Service’s finest traditions through his career, including strategic thinking under pressure, cultural adaptability, and dedication to advancing American values abroad. Now representing USAID on the AFSA board, he is committed to advocating for the colleagues who dedicated their careers to making America safer and more respected worldwide. He understands firsthand the challenges we face and brings both the passion of someone who lived our mission, and the experience, stubbornness, and creativity needed to fight for our community. He has a master’s degree in international development from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in government and leadership from Claremont McKenna College. Austan believes the Foreign Service has always been about service above self. Today, that means serving each other as we navigate this unprecedented moment together. JOSHUA BURKE ALTERNATE FCS REPRESENTATIVE Joshua Burke is an action-oriented officer with a proven ability to drive measurable impact for the International Trade Administration’s Global Markets (GM) division. With private sector and government experience deeply rooted in strategy and operations, he has assisted three-star generals in combating the Islamic State terrorists, outmaneuvered malign influence in Eastern Europe, and has helped to create nearly a million U.S. jobs through advocacy and investment deals. Joshua has served in Lagos, Bucharest, Ankara, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C., and was elected by his peers to serve as AFSA’s Foreign Commercial Service VP on the 2023-2025 Governing Board. He is a skilled and passionate people developer and coach, and those on his team have earned several notable Commerce and State awards, including several Meritorious Honor Awards, Locally Employed Staff of the Year, and the Department of Commerce Silver Medal. His results-driven approach to problem-solving has become the foundation of the Commercial Diplomacy courses at both Global Markets (GM) and State. Joshua holds a BS from Iowa State, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and a Mastering Trade Policy certificate from Harvard. He has served on boards of several charities and nonprofits, and is an avid triathlete, yoga teacher, real estate investor, and best-selling author. He and his wife are still dating after nearly two decades of marriage and have two resilient daughters and a Vizsla. JOSEPH M. RAGOLE APHIS REPRESENTATIVE Joseph Ragole is the plant health attaché for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), posted in Mexico City. He began his Foreign Service career at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels. He subsequently served in Santo Domingo, where he helped coordinate the initial response to an outbreak of African swine fever, and in New Delhi. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Joseph worked on domestic regulatory programs with APHIS, including export certification and emergency programs such as fruit fly outbreak eradication. He also served as an agriculture specialist with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Joseph holds a BA in ecology and German from the University of Colorado, Boulder. An avid motorcyclist and enthusiast of all things mechanical, he is joined in Mexico by his wife and their son. GUNTER SCHWABE USAGM REPRESENTATIVE Gunter “Eric” Schwabe is on his second term as the AFSA Board Representative for the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Eric was most recently posted at the agency’s station in the island nation of Sao Tome & Principe. A member of USAGM’s Senior Foreign Service, he has served on the agency’s Afghan Crisis Response Team, among other previous postings.
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