Tours: Consular in Bogota; Public diplomacy (Cultural Affairs and Press) in Tokyo, Guatemala City, La Paz, Sao Paulo, Havana, and Caracas

Career Track: Public Diplomacy

Years of Service: 18

Prior Career: During undergrad and grad school, I waited tables to help pay the bills. Believe it or not, that experience actually helped to prepare me for the Foreign Service. Servers – just like Foreign Service Officers – have to juggle multiple demands simultaneously, have to use strong interpersonal skills to deal with tough customers, and always have to remain flexible. It never ceases to amaze me how those skills dealing with customers and working as part of a team are directly relevant to what I do today.

Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, French

Education: BA in Political Science, French, and Spanish from Franklin College; MSFS from Georgetown University

Interesting Experience: I love dogs. One of my big concerns before joining the Foreign Service was whether or not I could take my fur baby with me. Not being able to take him would’ve been a deal breaker for me. I connected with a group of Foreign Service pet owners, who helped me figure out how to navigate the various requirements for traveling internationally with a pet. I’ll never forget the first time I went overseas with him. We went to Guatemala City. As soon as we got there, he started to smell EVERYTHING. Each place we go has different vegetation, different birds and animals, different soil – so naturally, his instincts kick in and he starts investigating the new territory. It’s pretty cool to watch. Walking him in my neighborhood, I got to know a lot of my Guatemalan neighbors who also had dogs. There’s no way I would’ve met these people had it not been for the fact that we were out walking several times a day. It helped me integrate quickly into the community. What’s really fun is that because he’s lived in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, my dog learned a few commands in those languages, so when Brazilian friends would come over and say “Senta!”, he would know he needed to sit. Families come in all shapes and sizes and being able to hike volcanoes and go to the beach with my pup has made my Foreign Service experience even richer.

Last Post: Cultural Affairs Officer in Caracas

Why I Chose a Foreign Service Career: There were several things that attracted me to the Foreign Service. It’s a career that allows (in fact, requires) lifelong learning. Each place we serve is unique and therefore even if you serve in the same position at different posts, the way you do your job will be completely different because the country and bilateral relationship are different. For example, doing press work in Guatemala was very different from doing press work in Tokyo. I like learning languages and this job allows me to do that full time – and get paid for it. Before I moved to Brazil I didn’t speak Portuguese, so I spent six months studying the language full time while still earning my paycheck. For me, the chance to explore, learn, and challenge myself all came into play in deciding to join the Foreign Service.