Management Officer

	Name: Ray Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Management Years of Service: 12 Work/Travel Locations: Guinea-Bissau, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Peru, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain, France, Italy, South Africa, Angola and Ghana Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
"I get emails from those I lived and worked with overseas wanting to know when I'm coming back. In a sense, I became a part of their whole. I invested in them and they invested in me."

The key to being a successful diplomat is understanding and managing human relationships. For Ray, managing, supervising, and working with employees overseas as a Naval Officer inspired his decision to join the Foreign Service.

From managing a team that reconstructed a building, that was shipped block by block from the United States to Guinea-Bissau, to leading the efforts to facilitate the restoration of embassy operations in Khartoum, Sudan, Ray experiences being part of foreign policy formulation and implementation daily.

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Public Diplomacy Officer

	Name: George Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Public Diplomacy Years of Service: 2 Work/Travel Locations: Egypt, Iraq, Bahrain, Rome, Austria Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey
"I believe my personal experiences as an Arab-American will be a tool to enhance relations between the United States and the Arab world."

Having a desire to serve his country, while working in a fun profession, George joined the Foreign Service. In his role, George has the flexibility to work in a variety of positions while gaining valuable experiences. He served as a Deputy Governorate Coordinator, where he gained first-hand exposure to post-war reconstruction in Iraq.

George has grown professionally and personally through his incredible experiences and meaningful relationships as a Foreign Service Officer. Having chosen the Public Diplomacy career track, one of five Foreign Service tracks available, George is confident his work makes the world a better place.

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Public Diplomacy Officer

	Name: Jinnie Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Public Diplomacy Years of Service: 1 Work/Travel Locations: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, India, Qatar Hometown: New York, New York
"It amazes my parents that a second generation immigrant can be an American diplomat. My father says nowhere else in the world would this be possible."

For Jinnie and her family, representing the United States to the world is synonymous with achieving the American Dream - and they couldn't be prouder. As a Foreign Service Officer in the Public Diplomacy career track, one of five tracks available, Jinnie thrives on developing cultural exchange programs to help shape and change public opinion and policy.

Having studied Korean and Arabic, she has used her language proficiency to train Ministry of Education teachers and hold non-governmental organization workshops.

The most rewarding part of her career is interacting with citizens of the host country and watching the surprise as she explains that as an Asian woman, she is an American diplomat, and that her face is the face of America.

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Economic Officer

	Name: Heidi Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Economic Years of Service: 4 Work/Travel Locations: Honduras, El Salvador, Malaysia, China Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
"This is a career that has a spirit of adventure. It's for those who are willing to go beyond the bounds of their own communities and realize there's a full world out there. It takes intellectual curiosity to want to know more about people and the world."

As a Hispanic-American who spent summers in Honduras watching the women in her family promote civic service and preserve ecology, Heidi developed a natural interest in international relations, economic development, human rights, and the political empowerment of people.

Following her destiny, Heidi joined the Foreign Service through the Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program, which allowed her to finish her undergraduate degree and obtain a Master's degree. Having chosen the Economic track, one of five career tracks available, Heidi lived and worked in El Salvador where she encouraged local businesses to promote dollarization legislation to the government and fostered economic competition. While there, she had the opportunity to experience public diplomacy, economic, political, and consular work.

Heidi recognizes that it's important to remind foreign citizens that the United States is not a homogenous society. "It's multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and, at the end of the day, we're all Americans by virtue of our citizenship, not our ethnicity."

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Economic Officer

	Name: Dayle Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Economic Years of Service: Less than one year Work/Travel Locations: India, Bangladesh, China Hometown: Dallas, Texas
"I was attracted to a career in the Foreign Service for the opportunity to be the face of the United States in foreign countries and the incredible travel possibilities."

Whether arranging a ceremony to commemorate the first tax treaty signing between the U.S. and the host country, or flying twin engine planes in her spare time, Dayle has one of the most significant careers in the world.

Having chosen the Economic career track, one of five Foreign Service career tracks available, she interacts with foreign government officials while implementing U.S. foreign policy. In her short tenure as a Foreign Service Officer, Dayle has met with the top leaders, including the Prime Minister.

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Political Officer

	Name: Kimberly Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Political Years of Service:   Work/Travel Locations: Egypt, Yemen, India, Washington, D.C. Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
"I help people reunite with their families and foster U.S. business every day."

With the desire to work in an exciting environment that impacts people's lives, while living in and getting to know another country's people and culture, Kimberly became a Foreign Service Officer, having chosen the Political career track, one of five tracks available.

Kimberly interviews citizens, of the host country where she serves, who want to travel to the United States for business or pleasure. She finds it rewarding to exchange ideas - and food - with the people from these countries. Kimberly knows the work she does as a Foreign Service Officer makes the world a better, more secure, more prosperous place.

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Political Officer

	Name: Mark Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Political Years of Service: 3.5 Work/Travel Locations: Colombia, France, Chile, Jordan and other Latin American countries Hometown: Baytown, Texas
The lifestyle, the people I meet, and the life experience is unparalleled in comparison with any other career. It really is one of the most interesting jobs in the world."

From bringing together various governments, energy firms, and other non-governmental industry organizations in Bogota, to promoting the Voluntary Principles on Human Rights and Security, a Department initiative promoting corporate social responsibility, Mark has one of the most fascinating careers in the world.

Having chosen the Political career track, one of five Foreign Service career tracks available, Mark has translated two of his passions - international travel and public service - to a career in the Foreign Service.

Describing it as one of the most interesting jobs in the world, Mark embraces the opportunity to get paid to learn Arabic, French, and Spanish; travel; and live overseas while representing America and its global interests.

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Consular Officer

	Name: Margaret (Meg) Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Consular Years of Service: 2 Work/Travel Locations: Kuwait, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, India Hometown: Falls Church, Virginia
"I manage over 50 people from many different countries. It's allowed me to learn about management, multi-tasking and how to be decisive on-the-fly."

With a desire to serve her country, travel and work with people in a multi-cultural environment, Meg became a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State.

Working with talented, generous, intelligent people, Meg feels challenged and fortunate that she's never been bored on the job. Although Meg chose the Consular career track, one of five career tracks available, she volunteered to help the Public Diplomacy section one weekend.

Meg's altruism took her to another city where she gave a lecture on kinesthetic learning to a group of Saudi English teachers, most of whom possessed PhDs. This resulted in an exchange between interesting women who were eager to learn about one another's culture.

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Public Diplomacy Officer

Name: Storm Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Public Diplomacy Years of Service: 3 Work/Travel Locations: Nigeria, Benin, Namibia Hometown: New York

Storm realized the significance of his new career the day he left for his first post - March 22, 2003 - the day the U.S. entered into a war with Iraq. Though Storm was bound for Lagos, Nigeria, that day was an acute reminder that a career in foreign policy was one of the most challenging and rewarding careers available.

Many moments from his first year of consular duty stand out in Storm's memory, including the smile on the face of a Nigerian teenager as he granted her a visa to study in the United States and the joy of an American family as they finalized the adoption of a Nigerian orphan. Storm's second year as a Foreign Service Officer provided even more rewarding moments as he traveled across Nigeria speaking to groups both large and small about U.S. policy. Storm had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of people including heads of universities, directors of NGO's, members of the business community, students, and families.

Though Storm's career as a Foreign Service Officer is just beginning, he's had the chance to accomplish things that would not have been possible in any other organization. He is proud not only to serve his country, but also to build a career at the forefront of international relations.

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Public Diplomacy Officer

	Name: Jane Position: Foreign Service Officer Career Track: Public Diplomacy Years of Service: 4 Work/Travel Locations: Johannesburg, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, and Mozambique Hometown: Mitchellville, Maryland
"The most rewarding part of my career in the Foreign Service is the opportunity to meet new people, see new places, and assist others."

Whether helping to implement the President's Emergency Plan on AIDS Relief from the U.S. embassy in South Africa, or reaching across cultures in any number of other vitally important tasks, Jane has one of the most fascinating careers in the world. Having chosen the Public Diplomacy career track, one of five Foreign Service career tracks available, she works with international arts, culture, and media, all while meeting new people, learning French and Spanish, experiencing new places, and implementing U.S. foreign policy. Jane knows the work she does as a Foreign Service Officer makes the world a better, more secure, more prosperous place.

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