The Foreign Service Journal, October 2024

AFSA NEWS Employee Spotlight 25 Years of Service: Zlatana Badrich This month, we shine a spotlight on Zlatana Badrich, senior staff attorney in AFSA’s Office of the General Counsel. She has been with AFSA since 1998. Growing up as a firstgeneration American in Washington, D.C., Zlatana is a native Washingtonian. She cultivated an early passion for international affairs with a bachelor’s degree from the Elliott School at George Washington University and a law degree from the Catholic University of America. Before joining AFSA, Zlatana held a part-time job at GW’s Engineering School and interned for a judge at the Court of Claims during law school. A pivotal summer internship as a law clerk at the Federal Labor Relations Authority introduced her to federal sector labor law. Zlatana Badrich served as AFSA’s deputy general counsel for 17 years and continues to make a significant contribution in her current role as senior staff attorney. She assists members daily with grievances related to tenure and promotion, low rankings, and EER issues, as well as disciplinary matters and security clearance suspensions and revocations. Zlatana also provides vital support during DS and OIG investigations. Her experience includes serving on negotiating teams for the CBAs of the State Department, FAS, APHIS, and USAGM constituencies. Zlatana has also played a key role in numerous Bylaw amendments and Governing Board elections, serving as a staff liaison for the relevant committees. What stands out most about working for AFSA? “The people are the heart of AFSA, both my colleagues and our members. If I did not work with such a dedicated, conscientious, and caring set of colleagues, I would not have stayed for 25 years,” Zlatana shares. Zlatana is fluent in four languages, cherishes traveling with her family, and takes great pride in her role as a mother. Additionally, she is an avid fan of Arsenal FC. When asked where she sees herself in the future, Zlatana reflects on her deep commitment to AFSA: “Hard to say, but given how the last 25 years have gone, it’s quite likely I will still be at AFSA in some form or another!” Here’s to many more years of dedicated service! n AFSA Welcomes New Program Coordinator Indigo Stegner has joined AFSA as a program coordinator on the membership engagement team. There, she will focus on supporting AFSA’s scholarship and awards programs. She joins AFSA from Meridian International Center, where she spent two and a half years implementing and designing cultural exchanges and professional development programs funded by the U.S. State Department, Fortune 500 companies, and other U.S. government agencies. Before joining Meridian, Indigo interned at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group and the office of Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). Indigo graduated from The George Washington University with a BA in international affairs, concentrating in conflict resolution and minoring in Spanish and cross-cultural communication (anthropology). At GW, Indigo was a part of the global bachelor’s program and studied abroad at the Queen’s University Belfast, where she researched the Northern Ireland peace process. You can reach Indigo at stegner@afsa.org. n AFSA’s flagship publication, The Foreign Service Journal, has been honored with a 2024 APEX Award for Publication Excellence in the Magazines, Journals & Tabloids print category. The award was given for the May 2023 edition of the Journal: “Public Diplomacy— The Cold War and Beyond.” The APEX Awards evaluate excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and overall communication effectiveness. The annual awards program is sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., consultants on business writing and communications. n AFSA’s FSJ Wins APEX Award for Publication Excellence NEWS BRIEF 64 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Zlatana Badrich Indigo Stegner

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