Annual Report 2016 | American Foreign Service Association

Foreign Service plays in maintaining American global

leadership. In 2016, AFSA President Ambassador Barba-

ra Stephenson met with retirees in Colorado, Virginia

and Texas.

HONORING OUR BEST

As is the custom each year, AFSA honors members of

the Foreign Service community for constructive dis-

sent, exemplary performance, language ability, writing,

and lifetime contributions to American diplomacy.

The inspiring speech by Ambassador Ruth Davis, the

2016 recipient of AFSA’s highest award, was a good

reminder of the importance of diplomacy, good leader-

ship, diversity and mentoring. We commend it to our

readers; you may experience it at

AFSA’s continued commitment to fostering a Foreign

Service environment where dissent is not only tolerated

but championed resulted in a new set of guidelines for

dissent, which importantly also explain what does NOT

constitute dissent.

Ambassador

Stephenson with

Foreign Service

retirees in Austin,

Texas.