THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2023 61 AFSA NEWS Bureau’s Office of Policy and Regional Affairs. Ms. Wong brings to AFSA her experience advising U.S. government partners and leveling the playing field for American companies in infrastructure, telecommunications, agricultural, and defense sectors in emerging markets. She is also a mentor on diversity and inclusion efforts across the State Department and interagency to increase underrepresented groups in international affairs. Her overseas tours included Beijing and Mexico City. Her previous domestic assignments included economic adviser, public diplomacy, and policy roles in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Bureau of International Information Programs, and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Ms. Wong is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish. She received her master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University. She served as a State representative to the AFSA Governing Board from 2021 to 2023. RANDY CHESTER USAID VICE PRESIDENT A proud graduate of the University of California, Davis, and a former Peace Corps volunteer to Senegal, Randy Chester brings 30 years of development experience, nearly 20 years with USAID, and 25 years of experience as a union member, including five years as a teamster in San Francisco, Calif. As a USAID Foreign Service officer, he has served in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Pakistan (four tours), and Madagascar. Joining USAID as an agriculture officer, Mr. Chester has led diverse technical teams working on food security, governance and trade, energy regulation, humanitarian assistance, natural resource management, and education. Prior to USAID, he worked for an environmental think-tank and a nonprofit supporting small farmers in the California Central Valley. He holds two master’s degrees from UC Davis, in agriculture economics and international agriculture development. In 2021, he was named the co-winner of the AFSA USAID Post Representative of the Year award. He is a strong advocate for unions having a loud and active voice, promoting workers’ rights, and advocating for inclusive and constructive dialogue. Mr. Chester is half of a USAID tandem. Together, they have visited more than 70 countries on five continents and one day hope to settle down in an Airstream trailer. JOSHUA BURKE FCS VICE PRESIDENT Joshua Burke has served the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service for more than 11 years in roles in the domestic field, Ankara, Bucharest, Lagos, and at headquarters in Washington, D.C. He has developed strategies that have assisted three-star generals in combating the ISIL terrorist group, countered malign influence in Romania, supported three Secretary of State visits and two bilateral POTUS meetings, and helped to create or retain nearly a million American jobs through advocacy and investment promotion efforts. While at Commerce HQ, Mr. Burke led initiatives that will save the U.S. government more than $5 million annually and developed a detailed operations assessment for the Office of Talent Management. He has received numerous awards, including the Department of Commerce Silver Medal. Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Mr. Burke worked as a strategy and operations consultant and, earlier, served as a Peace Corps volunteer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Iowa State, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and a certificate in mastering trade policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He holds Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Global Business Professional certifications. He is proficient in Romanian, Turkish, and Spanish. Mr. Burke has started several charitable enterprises and served on the boards of nonprofit organizations. He is an avid triathlete and yoga teacher, and dabbles in real estate investing and the Native American flute. He and his wife, Anca, have been married for 17 years and have two daughters and a Vizsla named Cooper. LISA AHRAMJIAN FAS VICE PRESIDENT Lisa Ahramjian joined the AFSA Governing Board as FAS VP in 2021 and was reelected in 2023. A key focus of her tenure has been on renegotiating the FAS–AFSA collective bargaining agreement, which was last substantially renegotiated almost three decades ago. In addition, she has worked to significantly improve human resources support, safeguard the future of FAS’ Foreign Service, and improve morale and retention. Ms. Ahramjian is proud to be a member of FAS’ small but mighty Foreign Service, with only approximately 150 FSOs worldwide. She has been a fierce advocate for her constituents and is honored to continue serving as vice president.
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