The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

88 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS Outreach—Both Virtual and in Person The business of telling the story of the U.S. Foreign Service continues, and over the last few weeks AFSA has been engaged in various forms of public outreach. AFSA President Ambas- sador Barbara Stephenson participated in a webinar for retiree members on Oct. 25. Dozens of members logged in from all around the country, listening in as Amb. Stephenson discussed advo- cacy efforts, trends on hiring and senior appointments, and AFSA’s new program highlighting the importance of economic diplomacy and why it works for America. She then spent more than 30 minutes taking ques- tions from participants and encouraging them to participate in AFSA outreach and educational efforts, which are so important in local communities around the nation. We very much appreci- ate those who took the time to join the webinar and ask thoughtful questions. These webinars are excellent ven- ues for engaging with AFSA members outside the D.C. area. The next one is tenta- tively scheduled for Feb. 27. Stay tuned! The Speakers Bureau continues to arrange events around the country, and many of our retirees have been out and about in the last weeks and months talk- ing about what diplomats do and why it matters. If you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, how about this one: Join the Speakers Bureau and get out there! It’s easier than going to the gym or start- ing that diet you’ve been thinking about, and AFSA has plenty of resources for speakers, including free cop- ies of Inside a U.S. Embassy to use as a door prize or donate to a local school library. If you have been meet- ing with groups of students, retirees, educational groups or any other community group in your area, let us know! We love hearing from those of you who are bus- ily shoring up a domestic constituency for the Foreign Service. Are there specific stories, experiences or anecdotes that are received more positively than others? Please do let us know so that we can share best prac- tices with others; simply email us at speakers@afsa. org. n Success in the Foreign Service: A Panel Discussion On Oct. 11, a panel of Pickering/ Rangel Fellowship alumni participated in a panel discussion on how they achieved success in the Foreign Service. The panel included Ambassador Dereck Hogan, former deputy executive secretary of the department and recently-confirmed U.S. ambassador to Moldova; Julie Chung, currently the director of the Office of Japanese Affairs; and Jeffery Salaiz, the foreign policy advisor to the director of strategic plans and policy at the Pentagon. Pictured above are AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, Amb. Hogan and Julie Chung. AFSA/ASHLEYDUNN