An Inclusive State Department Is a National Security Imperative
Our public service institutions, whether it’s Peace Corps or the Department of State, must do better. And your work is how we change that. Photo by Freddie Everett / State Department By Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, U.S. Department of State I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Oman nearly four decades ago, and Peace Corps is where I met my husband. Like many of you, Peace Corps changed the trajectory of my life. For me and many colleagues at the Department of State, Peace Corps also launched my career in diplomacy. When I...
Donald Lu Is the New Top U.S. Diplomat for South and Central Asia
In the toolbox for Donald Lu in his new role in South and Central Asian Affairs at the State Department: diplomacy, advocacy, assistance, and learning from the past. Photo by RFE/L By NPCA Staff In September, Donald Lu (Sierra Leone 1988–90) was confirmed as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. He’s the first diplomat to hold that post in four years — it sat vacant during the previous administration — and the first ever to arrive with significant experience in Central Asia. Lu had been serving as U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic since 2018. His new...