The Foreign Service Journal, September 2017

86 SEPTEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS AFSA EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE AWARDS AFSAAward Runners-Up MARK PALMER AWARD RUNNER - UP MARIA BARRÓN At the start of Maria Barrón’s posting to Embassy Kathmandu in 2011 as the director of USAID Mission Nepal’s Democracy and Governance Office, the country’s political leaders signed an agreement that furthered the peace process begun five years earlier which had ended a decade of civil war and stalled development. The new agreement called for reintegrating Maoist combatants, drafting a new constitution, holding new elections and restructuring the state. Ms. Barrón played an instrumental role in interpreting the opaque political landscape and advising where U.S. involve- ment could best help achieve the peace process milestones. Ms. Barrón’s insight and ability to quickly reorient pro- gramming enabled the U.S. government to take advantage of new opportunities. With the support of her team, Ms. Bar- rón managed a complex portfolio of programs that have had tangible and far-reaching impact, such as the reintegration of nearly 20,000 Maoists into society and assistance in the November 2013 elections. Following the earthquakes in 2015, Ms. Barrón also cre- atively expanded Embassy Kathmandu’s counter-trafficking in persons and local governance programs into the most- affected districts. Ms. Barrón skillfully guided and shaped U.S. foreign policy, married development and diplomacy skills, and navigated the complex political structures to support Nepal through a defin- ing moment in its history. Ms. Barrón’s previous posts include USAID missions in Afghanistan and Mexico. M. JUAN I TA GUESS AWARD RUNNER - UP MICHAEL MURPHY In the last two years, U.S. Embassy Algiers has undergone a massive transition from a hard-to- fill post to one that is family-friendly, brimming with community and cultural activities. Com- munity Liaison Officer Mike Murphy led the wave of change, demonstrating extraordinary leadership as the embassy transformed itself. An unaccompanied posting for many years due to terrorist threats, Embassy Algiers had no resources in place to support families. Mr. Murphy improved the embassy’s approach to community support, from sourcing baby supplies to recruiting English speaking nannies. He researched local preschools and organized a playgroup for children from the diplomatic com- munity. With tight security restrictions still in place, Mr. Murphy persuaded members of the community to contribute to its social activities. Thanks to him, embassy community mem- bers now volunteer to lead salsa lessons, crossfit workouts, cooking lessons and other activities. He also established a wellness committee to address morale concerns. Algiers was one of the few posts without a video in the Overseas Briefing Center, so Mr. Murphy developed one, showing the joys and challenges of living in Algeria. Several new arrivals stated that the video had persuaded them to bid on a post they might never have considered otherwise. Mr. Murphy is an eligible family member married to Carolyn S. Murphy and has previously been posted to the U.S. Mission to NATO. Prior to that, he served for 22 years as U.S. Army offi- cer, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2013. NELSON B. DELAVAN AWARD RUNNER-UP JUDITH BROWN While the Republic of Cameroon fought Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad Basin region, Judith Brown served with great distinction as office management specialist (OMS) to the chief of mission (COM) at U.S. Embassy Yaoundé. As U.S. security assistance increased in Cameroon, and with the everyday work of promoting security and good governance, managing pandemic health risks and promoting private sector investment, the pace of the front office became frenetic. But Ms. Brown “brought Zen calm” to the chaos, according to her nomination. Arriving as the political-economic OMS, Ms. Brown stepped into the role of COM OMS following a sudden retirement.When staffing gaps left Ms. Brown as the sole OMS at post for several months, she quickly adapted, transforming the front office from a place of tension and drama to a place people enjoyed visiting. In addition to her regular duties, Ms. Brown chairs the Interagency Housing Board, ensuring fairness to the point that not a single appeal has been raised to the front-office level during her tenure. Though it is unusual for a second- tour OMS to chair the IAHB, Ms. Brown’s position reflects the broad respect she commands across all sections and agen- cies at post. n