The Foreign Service Journal, December 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2020 51 Born in the United Kingdom, James Yorke was first hired by AFSA in 1992 after 30 years of service in the British Navy. He worked with AFSA until 1995, when he accompanied his FSO wife, Jean Louis, on an assignment to Bogotá. He returned to AFSA in 1998, where he has worked ever since. He has been living and working from North Carolina since 2010. 2020 AWARDS RUNNER-UP Nelson B. Delavan Award Runner-Up for an Office Management Specialist Jean Monfort Boosting Morale in Conakry S erving at U.S. Embassy Conakry in Guinea, Office Management Specialist Jean Monfort stretched far past the responsibilities listed in her job descrip- tion. Stationed in the Regional Security Office, she has made strong contributions to the mission, helping to build morale and improving perceptions of the post. With no prior training, Ms. Monfort took on the role of ePerformance human resources officer for the mission, working remotely with the regional human resources officer to handle the Employee Evaluation Report season. For a time, she was the only OMS at the mission. She found a way to split responsibilities between the front office and the RSO. She has also helped other sections, including assisting the political-economic section as a control officer for an ambassadorial trip upcountry. In the absence of a community liaison office coordinator (CLO) at post, Ms. Monfort stepped up to keep the mission engaged. She organized a dining club to show newcomers and temporary duty employees the city. She put together trips both in and out of the capital, encouraging people to shed their preconceived notions of Guinea. Her coworkers nicknamed her “Shadow CLO.” One of her biggest achievements was creating Conakry’s new post video, which has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Ms. Monfort also participated in the public affairs Eng- lish language program as a regular volunteer at the Thurgood Marshall Information Resource Center. She made it a point to bring in USAID and other organizations when she took over as chair of the First and Second Tour (FAST) Officer and Specialist’s committee. In short, her personal modus operandi is one where there are no “tribal” departments, but a singular mission. “Posts are like ecosystems,” she tells the Journal . “This means in tough places—and Conakry can be tough—it’s important to build a community, one that stretches out past your office or section. If we are one team, that means we have to contribute when we are able. It is the only way, not just to survive, but thrive. This is not easy. It can be infuriating. It requires being stubborn and unashamedly optimistic.” Jean Monfort brings an eclectic background to the State Department. She has worked as a college professor, children’s puppeteer and singer, legal admin- istrator and editor in chief, among other things. She and her husband were mar- ried via Montana proxies while living in Guinea. She joined the Foreign Service in 2018 and is excited about where this life will lead her. n Jean Monfort. James is an essential member of the AFSA Labor Management team. We could not keep up with all the demands placed on the Labor Management team without James’ consistent and tireless efforts, his encyclopedic knowledge of the rules and regulations, and his willingness to help his LM colleagues out. —AFSA General Counsel Sharon Papp