Members in the News

Each of us finds our own way to be of service to our society and nation.  My father, brothers, nephews, and their fathers before them chose the Armed Services. I chose to serve the American public and my country as a Foreign Service Officer.

My career in foreign affairs began as a volunteer teacher in a USAID-funded project in Vientiane, Laos, during the Indochinese War. A few years later, I joined the Foreign Service, and the State Department sent me back to a much-changed Laos after the fall of the Royal Government and assent of the communist regime (above photo, 1997 in Laos). Over the next 30 years, I enjoyed several assignments, including promoting human rights in the Congo under Mobuto Sese-Seko's brutal regime, boosting American investments in Malaysia, working on Israeli Palestinian affairs and counter-terrorism in the State Department and National Security Council, as well as serving as Ambassador to Laos and Pakistan. I am often asked which assignment gave me the most satisfaction. It is a difficult question to answer because I deeply respected the colleagues with whom I worked and their dedication to our shared mission of protecting and furthering U.S. interests abroad. 

But perhaps on a personal level, my last role in the American government as Assistant Administrator for the Middle East and Asia at USAID was the most gratifying. Seeing how USAID assisted women, children, the disadvantaged, and the dispossessed around the world gave me much pride as an American. I had the privilege of representing my country as Deputy High Commission of Refugees when I retired from the Foreign Service. After returning to Washington DC from Geneva, I continued my interest in foreign affairs as President of The Middle East Institute for the next 12 years. 

After a lifetime focused on Foreign Affairs, I realized something was missing. So many accomplished, amazing women were making consequential contributions in fields I had little contact with. Joining the International Women's Forum eight years ago has been an invaluable way to meet fascinating professional women in diverse fields. One of my favorite resources IWF offers is participation in book clubs. Reading has always been a source of joy for me, but sharing thoughts and hearing from different perspectives is invaluable. In the coming year, I hope to combine my love for travel with my interest in meeting other members of IWF by attending one of the fantastic international conferences IWF sponsors annually.