message from the president - hecfaa.org · we partnered with executive women at state to host...
TRANSCRIPT
NEWSLETTER | JAN-MAR | 2018
Dear Friends and Colleagues
As we relaunch our newsletter I want to take this opportunity to welcome all HECFAA members and share plans for the coming
year on behalf of the HECFAA Executive Board I also want to express my sincere gratitude to our Leadership Liaison Executive
Board members and Committee Chairs for their hard work resourcefulness and dedication over the past year We would also
like to thank our HECFAA interns and all of you who volunteer to make our activities possible
2017 was a momentous year for HECFAA We partnered with Executive Women at State to host Congresswoman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen for a combined Hispanic Heritage Month and Women‟s Equality Day event Ambassador Hugo Llorens joined us for a
brown bag lunch where he shared lessons from his impressive 30-year State Department career and discussed US policy in
Afghanistan We also had some fun with our annual holiday party and enjoyed co-hosting happy hours with our USAID-HECFAA
and Congressional Hispanic Staff Association partners We also welcomed Congressional interns on three separate occasions to
learn about careers in the Department In conjunction with this newsletter we are also releasing HECFAA‟s 2018-2019 Work
Plan which summarizes our core goals and highlights our priorities through May 2019
Building on last year‟s successes we are setting an ambitious agenda for 2018 with a robust schedule of professional development
social and recruitment activities For our members outside of DC we will prioritize videoconference participation for activities
where possible For those in the DC area we are starting strong with several activities in the coming weeks including our first
Congressional intern visit of the year a visit to the Hill and a lunch for HECFAA members and interested colleagues
Finally we invite you all to volunteer for events participate in our activities and share your ideas with us
by email at HECFAABoard2stategov or at our semi-monthly meetings We look forward to seeing you
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Sincerely
Ivan P Carpio
HECFAA President
2017 HIGHLIGHTS
CONGRESSWOMAN ILEANA
ROS-LEHTINEN AT HISPANIC
HERITAGE MONTH
CELEBRATION
HECFAA and Executive Women at
State invited congresswoman Ros-
Lehtinen to address colleagues on
Women‟s Equality Day during HHM
She spoke about the contributions of
Hispanics and especially Latinas in
international affairs and in all
branches of government
AMBASSADOR HUGO
LLORENS SPEAKS WITH
HECFAA MEMBERS
AT BROWN BAG LUNCH
Ambassador Llorens spoke about
US foreign policy in Afghanistan
his 30-year career at State and gave
advice to the new generation of civil
and foreign service officers This was
the Ambassador‟s last day before he
retired
HECFAA ANNUAL
HOLIDAY PARTY
CELEBRATION
A real feast with various delicious
home-cooked meals and even
coquito It was an exciting event for
member festivity as well as
networking We also had a white
elephant where all had a chance to
exchange holiday gifts
HECFAA MEMBERS AT
ADELANTE STUDENT FORUM
On September 22 HECFAA member
Josue Barrera and others volunteered
at the Adelante 2nd Annual Student
Forum and Career Fair Josue
moderated a forum with federal
senior leaders from OPM on job
opportunities and HECFAA
members spoke with students about
careers at State
EAGs MEETING WITH
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
On September 22 2017 the Department‟s
employee affinity groups (EAGs) met with
Deputy Secretary Sullivan the Office of
Civil Rights and the Director General of
Human Resources Ambassador William
Todd Deputy Secretary Sullivan stated
diversity is very important to him and the
Secretary and that the Department needs to
reflect the diversity of population of the
United States He acknowledged that the
Department has made progress but is not
progressing as quickly as possible He
pledged to ldquodordquo and not just talk He also
said he wants to listen be proactive and
implement He would like to collaborate
with the Department of Defense and see
what best practices the military uses in order
to achieve a diverse workforce
HECFAA President Ivan Carpio and
Leadership Liaison Carmen Cantor spoke on
behalf of HECFAA noting its 35-year
history and mission Ivan noted that
Hispanics make up 17 of the US
population but only 7 of the Department
workforce with senior leadership
representation being even lower He noted
that there were only five Hispanic Chiefs of
Mission HECFAA would like to see an
increase in this representation and support
the Department‟s recruiting and retention
efforts
He also thanked the Office of Civil Rights
for reviving the Hispanic Heritage Month
(HHM) profiles which the Department
highlights on its public facing website
throughout HHM
HECFAA MEETING WITH INTERNS
HECFAA hosted over 50 interns from the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) The
Washington Center and the Hispanic Association of
Colleges and Universities (HACU) at State The event
included a keynote speech by Carmen Cantor Director
of Civil Service Human Resource Management in HR
and a former HECFAA President and a career panel
where various Foreign Service and Civil Service
officers discussed their careers at State and provided
advice on internships and career opportunities
ABOUT HECFAA
Founded in 1982 the Hispanic
Employee Council of Foreign Affairs
Agencies (HECFAA) is a non-profit
organization and chartered employee
affinity group at the US Department
of State that works to advance the
recruitment retention and career
advancement of Hispanics and promote
a foreign affairs workforce that reflects
and values the diversity of the Hispanic
community
OUR CORE GOALS
Achieve and sustain levels of Hispanic representation in the state department‟s workforce which currently stands at 691 percent
Support the department‟s outreach to Hispanic communities
Support Hispanic representation on hiring panels and selection boards for entry-level recruitment programs
Support interns and fellows
Organize social events to promote a sense of community
Promote awareness of the Hispanic community within the state department and US Interagency
Report to members on the department‟s diversity and inclusion metrics
Facilitate access to training and professional development opportunities
Promote awareness of the contributions of Hispanic individuals to the state department‟s work
2018 ACTION PLAN
click to open
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
Veronica Schnotala is currently a Paralegal Specialist for the Office of the Legal Adviser Diplomatic Law and Litigations and the Office of the Environment and Scientific Affairs She previously served in Costa Rica and Hungary working in the Embassies‟ consular sections Veronica is a New York Bar licensed attorney and prior to joining the Civil Service worked as an immigration attorney for approximately 3 years Veronica has a Law Degree and a Political Science degree from Spain and a Masters in Law from George Washington University She speaks Spanish French and Italian
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
Ivan P Carpio is a civil servant in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he oversees criminal justice reform projects in the Caribbean Ivan‟s two-year term as HECFAA President began in May 2017 From January to July 2017 Ivan was detailed to the US House of Representatives where he worked for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Prior to joining the Civil Service Ivan worked on INL‟s Honduras portfolio as a contractor and interned in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Prior to joining the Department Ivan interned with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia served as an Assistant to the Chair of the United National Committee against Torture and interned with United Nations Development Program‟s Washington Representation Office Ivan received his bachelor‟s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz and his law degree and masters in international affairs from American University Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Ivan is a first-generation US citizen of Peruvian descent He and his parents gained asylum in the United States in the early 1990s
VICE PRESIDENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE
Greg Staff is currently serving in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor‟s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs He previously served as a political officer at US Embassy Paris where he covered human rights migration and refugee issues During Greg‟s first assignment he served as a consular officer in Hermosillo Mexico Greg will transfer to the Western Hemisphere Affairs‟ Front Office in Summer 2018 Prior to the Foreign Service Greg served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Luis V Gutierrez (IL 4) from 2004 to 2009 He also worked as a policy director at America‟s Voice an immigration policy and advocacy NGO Greg is the son of Panamanian immigrants and calls Arlington Virginia home He holds a BA degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
2017 HIGHLIGHTS
CONGRESSWOMAN ILEANA
ROS-LEHTINEN AT HISPANIC
HERITAGE MONTH
CELEBRATION
HECFAA and Executive Women at
State invited congresswoman Ros-
Lehtinen to address colleagues on
Women‟s Equality Day during HHM
She spoke about the contributions of
Hispanics and especially Latinas in
international affairs and in all
branches of government
AMBASSADOR HUGO
LLORENS SPEAKS WITH
HECFAA MEMBERS
AT BROWN BAG LUNCH
Ambassador Llorens spoke about
US foreign policy in Afghanistan
his 30-year career at State and gave
advice to the new generation of civil
and foreign service officers This was
the Ambassador‟s last day before he
retired
HECFAA ANNUAL
HOLIDAY PARTY
CELEBRATION
A real feast with various delicious
home-cooked meals and even
coquito It was an exciting event for
member festivity as well as
networking We also had a white
elephant where all had a chance to
exchange holiday gifts
HECFAA MEMBERS AT
ADELANTE STUDENT FORUM
On September 22 HECFAA member
Josue Barrera and others volunteered
at the Adelante 2nd Annual Student
Forum and Career Fair Josue
moderated a forum with federal
senior leaders from OPM on job
opportunities and HECFAA
members spoke with students about
careers at State
EAGs MEETING WITH
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
On September 22 2017 the Department‟s
employee affinity groups (EAGs) met with
Deputy Secretary Sullivan the Office of
Civil Rights and the Director General of
Human Resources Ambassador William
Todd Deputy Secretary Sullivan stated
diversity is very important to him and the
Secretary and that the Department needs to
reflect the diversity of population of the
United States He acknowledged that the
Department has made progress but is not
progressing as quickly as possible He
pledged to ldquodordquo and not just talk He also
said he wants to listen be proactive and
implement He would like to collaborate
with the Department of Defense and see
what best practices the military uses in order
to achieve a diverse workforce
HECFAA President Ivan Carpio and
Leadership Liaison Carmen Cantor spoke on
behalf of HECFAA noting its 35-year
history and mission Ivan noted that
Hispanics make up 17 of the US
population but only 7 of the Department
workforce with senior leadership
representation being even lower He noted
that there were only five Hispanic Chiefs of
Mission HECFAA would like to see an
increase in this representation and support
the Department‟s recruiting and retention
efforts
He also thanked the Office of Civil Rights
for reviving the Hispanic Heritage Month
(HHM) profiles which the Department
highlights on its public facing website
throughout HHM
HECFAA MEETING WITH INTERNS
HECFAA hosted over 50 interns from the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) The
Washington Center and the Hispanic Association of
Colleges and Universities (HACU) at State The event
included a keynote speech by Carmen Cantor Director
of Civil Service Human Resource Management in HR
and a former HECFAA President and a career panel
where various Foreign Service and Civil Service
officers discussed their careers at State and provided
advice on internships and career opportunities
ABOUT HECFAA
Founded in 1982 the Hispanic
Employee Council of Foreign Affairs
Agencies (HECFAA) is a non-profit
organization and chartered employee
affinity group at the US Department
of State that works to advance the
recruitment retention and career
advancement of Hispanics and promote
a foreign affairs workforce that reflects
and values the diversity of the Hispanic
community
OUR CORE GOALS
Achieve and sustain levels of Hispanic representation in the state department‟s workforce which currently stands at 691 percent
Support the department‟s outreach to Hispanic communities
Support Hispanic representation on hiring panels and selection boards for entry-level recruitment programs
Support interns and fellows
Organize social events to promote a sense of community
Promote awareness of the Hispanic community within the state department and US Interagency
Report to members on the department‟s diversity and inclusion metrics
Facilitate access to training and professional development opportunities
Promote awareness of the contributions of Hispanic individuals to the state department‟s work
2018 ACTION PLAN
click to open
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
Veronica Schnotala is currently a Paralegal Specialist for the Office of the Legal Adviser Diplomatic Law and Litigations and the Office of the Environment and Scientific Affairs She previously served in Costa Rica and Hungary working in the Embassies‟ consular sections Veronica is a New York Bar licensed attorney and prior to joining the Civil Service worked as an immigration attorney for approximately 3 years Veronica has a Law Degree and a Political Science degree from Spain and a Masters in Law from George Washington University She speaks Spanish French and Italian
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
Ivan P Carpio is a civil servant in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he oversees criminal justice reform projects in the Caribbean Ivan‟s two-year term as HECFAA President began in May 2017 From January to July 2017 Ivan was detailed to the US House of Representatives where he worked for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Prior to joining the Civil Service Ivan worked on INL‟s Honduras portfolio as a contractor and interned in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Prior to joining the Department Ivan interned with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia served as an Assistant to the Chair of the United National Committee against Torture and interned with United Nations Development Program‟s Washington Representation Office Ivan received his bachelor‟s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz and his law degree and masters in international affairs from American University Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Ivan is a first-generation US citizen of Peruvian descent He and his parents gained asylum in the United States in the early 1990s
VICE PRESIDENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE
Greg Staff is currently serving in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor‟s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs He previously served as a political officer at US Embassy Paris where he covered human rights migration and refugee issues During Greg‟s first assignment he served as a consular officer in Hermosillo Mexico Greg will transfer to the Western Hemisphere Affairs‟ Front Office in Summer 2018 Prior to the Foreign Service Greg served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Luis V Gutierrez (IL 4) from 2004 to 2009 He also worked as a policy director at America‟s Voice an immigration policy and advocacy NGO Greg is the son of Panamanian immigrants and calls Arlington Virginia home He holds a BA degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
EAGs MEETING WITH
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
On September 22 2017 the Department‟s
employee affinity groups (EAGs) met with
Deputy Secretary Sullivan the Office of
Civil Rights and the Director General of
Human Resources Ambassador William
Todd Deputy Secretary Sullivan stated
diversity is very important to him and the
Secretary and that the Department needs to
reflect the diversity of population of the
United States He acknowledged that the
Department has made progress but is not
progressing as quickly as possible He
pledged to ldquodordquo and not just talk He also
said he wants to listen be proactive and
implement He would like to collaborate
with the Department of Defense and see
what best practices the military uses in order
to achieve a diverse workforce
HECFAA President Ivan Carpio and
Leadership Liaison Carmen Cantor spoke on
behalf of HECFAA noting its 35-year
history and mission Ivan noted that
Hispanics make up 17 of the US
population but only 7 of the Department
workforce with senior leadership
representation being even lower He noted
that there were only five Hispanic Chiefs of
Mission HECFAA would like to see an
increase in this representation and support
the Department‟s recruiting and retention
efforts
He also thanked the Office of Civil Rights
for reviving the Hispanic Heritage Month
(HHM) profiles which the Department
highlights on its public facing website
throughout HHM
HECFAA MEETING WITH INTERNS
HECFAA hosted over 50 interns from the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) The
Washington Center and the Hispanic Association of
Colleges and Universities (HACU) at State The event
included a keynote speech by Carmen Cantor Director
of Civil Service Human Resource Management in HR
and a former HECFAA President and a career panel
where various Foreign Service and Civil Service
officers discussed their careers at State and provided
advice on internships and career opportunities
ABOUT HECFAA
Founded in 1982 the Hispanic
Employee Council of Foreign Affairs
Agencies (HECFAA) is a non-profit
organization and chartered employee
affinity group at the US Department
of State that works to advance the
recruitment retention and career
advancement of Hispanics and promote
a foreign affairs workforce that reflects
and values the diversity of the Hispanic
community
OUR CORE GOALS
Achieve and sustain levels of Hispanic representation in the state department‟s workforce which currently stands at 691 percent
Support the department‟s outreach to Hispanic communities
Support Hispanic representation on hiring panels and selection boards for entry-level recruitment programs
Support interns and fellows
Organize social events to promote a sense of community
Promote awareness of the Hispanic community within the state department and US Interagency
Report to members on the department‟s diversity and inclusion metrics
Facilitate access to training and professional development opportunities
Promote awareness of the contributions of Hispanic individuals to the state department‟s work
2018 ACTION PLAN
click to open
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
Veronica Schnotala is currently a Paralegal Specialist for the Office of the Legal Adviser Diplomatic Law and Litigations and the Office of the Environment and Scientific Affairs She previously served in Costa Rica and Hungary working in the Embassies‟ consular sections Veronica is a New York Bar licensed attorney and prior to joining the Civil Service worked as an immigration attorney for approximately 3 years Veronica has a Law Degree and a Political Science degree from Spain and a Masters in Law from George Washington University She speaks Spanish French and Italian
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
Ivan P Carpio is a civil servant in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he oversees criminal justice reform projects in the Caribbean Ivan‟s two-year term as HECFAA President began in May 2017 From January to July 2017 Ivan was detailed to the US House of Representatives where he worked for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Prior to joining the Civil Service Ivan worked on INL‟s Honduras portfolio as a contractor and interned in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Prior to joining the Department Ivan interned with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia served as an Assistant to the Chair of the United National Committee against Torture and interned with United Nations Development Program‟s Washington Representation Office Ivan received his bachelor‟s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz and his law degree and masters in international affairs from American University Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Ivan is a first-generation US citizen of Peruvian descent He and his parents gained asylum in the United States in the early 1990s
VICE PRESIDENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE
Greg Staff is currently serving in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor‟s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs He previously served as a political officer at US Embassy Paris where he covered human rights migration and refugee issues During Greg‟s first assignment he served as a consular officer in Hermosillo Mexico Greg will transfer to the Western Hemisphere Affairs‟ Front Office in Summer 2018 Prior to the Foreign Service Greg served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Luis V Gutierrez (IL 4) from 2004 to 2009 He also worked as a policy director at America‟s Voice an immigration policy and advocacy NGO Greg is the son of Panamanian immigrants and calls Arlington Virginia home He holds a BA degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
ABOUT HECFAA
Founded in 1982 the Hispanic
Employee Council of Foreign Affairs
Agencies (HECFAA) is a non-profit
organization and chartered employee
affinity group at the US Department
of State that works to advance the
recruitment retention and career
advancement of Hispanics and promote
a foreign affairs workforce that reflects
and values the diversity of the Hispanic
community
OUR CORE GOALS
Achieve and sustain levels of Hispanic representation in the state department‟s workforce which currently stands at 691 percent
Support the department‟s outreach to Hispanic communities
Support Hispanic representation on hiring panels and selection boards for entry-level recruitment programs
Support interns and fellows
Organize social events to promote a sense of community
Promote awareness of the Hispanic community within the state department and US Interagency
Report to members on the department‟s diversity and inclusion metrics
Facilitate access to training and professional development opportunities
Promote awareness of the contributions of Hispanic individuals to the state department‟s work
2018 ACTION PLAN
click to open
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
Veronica Schnotala is currently a Paralegal Specialist for the Office of the Legal Adviser Diplomatic Law and Litigations and the Office of the Environment and Scientific Affairs She previously served in Costa Rica and Hungary working in the Embassies‟ consular sections Veronica is a New York Bar licensed attorney and prior to joining the Civil Service worked as an immigration attorney for approximately 3 years Veronica has a Law Degree and a Political Science degree from Spain and a Masters in Law from George Washington University She speaks Spanish French and Italian
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
Ivan P Carpio is a civil servant in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he oversees criminal justice reform projects in the Caribbean Ivan‟s two-year term as HECFAA President began in May 2017 From January to July 2017 Ivan was detailed to the US House of Representatives where he worked for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Prior to joining the Civil Service Ivan worked on INL‟s Honduras portfolio as a contractor and interned in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Prior to joining the Department Ivan interned with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia served as an Assistant to the Chair of the United National Committee against Torture and interned with United Nations Development Program‟s Washington Representation Office Ivan received his bachelor‟s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz and his law degree and masters in international affairs from American University Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Ivan is a first-generation US citizen of Peruvian descent He and his parents gained asylum in the United States in the early 1990s
VICE PRESIDENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE
Greg Staff is currently serving in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor‟s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs He previously served as a political officer at US Embassy Paris where he covered human rights migration and refugee issues During Greg‟s first assignment he served as a consular officer in Hermosillo Mexico Greg will transfer to the Western Hemisphere Affairs‟ Front Office in Summer 2018 Prior to the Foreign Service Greg served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Luis V Gutierrez (IL 4) from 2004 to 2009 He also worked as a policy director at America‟s Voice an immigration policy and advocacy NGO Greg is the son of Panamanian immigrants and calls Arlington Virginia home He holds a BA degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
Veronica Schnotala is currently a Paralegal Specialist for the Office of the Legal Adviser Diplomatic Law and Litigations and the Office of the Environment and Scientific Affairs She previously served in Costa Rica and Hungary working in the Embassies‟ consular sections Veronica is a New York Bar licensed attorney and prior to joining the Civil Service worked as an immigration attorney for approximately 3 years Veronica has a Law Degree and a Political Science degree from Spain and a Masters in Law from George Washington University She speaks Spanish French and Italian
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT
Ivan P Carpio is a civil servant in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) where he oversees criminal justice reform projects in the Caribbean Ivan‟s two-year term as HECFAA President began in May 2017 From January to July 2017 Ivan was detailed to the US House of Representatives where he worked for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Prior to joining the Civil Service Ivan worked on INL‟s Honduras portfolio as a contractor and interned in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Prior to joining the Department Ivan interned with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia served as an Assistant to the Chair of the United National Committee against Torture and interned with United Nations Development Program‟s Washington Representation Office Ivan received his bachelor‟s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz and his law degree and masters in international affairs from American University Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Ivan is a first-generation US citizen of Peruvian descent He and his parents gained asylum in the United States in the early 1990s
VICE PRESIDENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE
Greg Staff is currently serving in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor‟s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs He previously served as a political officer at US Embassy Paris where he covered human rights migration and refugee issues During Greg‟s first assignment he served as a consular officer in Hermosillo Mexico Greg will transfer to the Western Hemisphere Affairs‟ Front Office in Summer 2018 Prior to the Foreign Service Greg served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Luis V Gutierrez (IL 4) from 2004 to 2009 He also worked as a policy director at America‟s Voice an immigration policy and advocacy NGO Greg is the son of Panamanian immigrants and calls Arlington Virginia home He holds a BA degree in Foreign Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
Miriam Gonzalez
RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE
Eila Sepulveda and Greg Pardo
SOCIAL CHAIR
Kelly Cruz
2017 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CHAIR
Josue Barrera
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Aleksey Sanchez
LEADERSHIP LIAISON
Carmen G Cantor is the Director of the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State Previously she served as the Executive Director for the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs Her 25-year federal career includes several positions in the Office of Civil Rights and in the Bureau of Human Resources at the US Department of State and at the US Postal Service in Washington DC Orlando Florida and San Juan Puerto Rico
In 2014 she received the Secretary
of State‟s EEO Award for her work
with HECFAA More info here
TREASURER
E Giovanni Vizcardo L is one of
two Instructional Systems Specialists
who are currently working within the
10 Divisions that the School of
Professional and Area Studies
comprises He has been with the US
Department of State since 2005 He
started out as Language and Culture
Instructor in the Spanish Section then
worked as Training Specialist for the
French Section Born and raised in
Peru he holds a BA in
Communication Sciences majored in
Journalism from University of San
Martiacuten de Porres In addition to his
work at FSI he is also a columnist for
Hispanic media in Washington DC
and a TV International Correspondent
for Peruvian Media as part-time jobs
SECRETARY
Alesandra Trilivas currently works
in the Front Office of the Bureau of
Legislative Affairs Her
extracurricular activities show just
how passionate she is when it
comes to inclusion and diversity
She has been a part of HECFAA
since 2014 and has been a member
of the Junior League of
Washington a women‟s group in
the DC-metro area that helps
women and children since 2016
Her work as Secretary and Social
Media lead promotes HECFAA‟s
mission and diversity in general
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
MEETING MEMBERS
What do you do at the
State Department and why
did you decide to join the
State Department
I am currently a Security
Program Analyst and I
collect analyze and report
on data pertaining to the
Worldwide Protective
Services contract for DS I
decided to join the State
Department because I
believe in our mission to
create a more secure and
prosperous world for the
benefit of the American
people and the international
community
Can you name one person
yoursquod like to meet and tell
why
I would love to meet
Madeleine Albright I would
love to learn about her
experiences as the first
female Secretary of State and
how she overcame gender
bias and leadership
challenges during that time
Isabel currently works as a Security Program Analyst for Overseas Protective
Operations within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security She previously worked
for the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a Special Assistant for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Resources She has also worked as a program analyst at
the Foreign Service Institute for the Consular Training Division at the Foreign
Service Institute Isabel is currently finishing her Master‟s degree in
International Security at George Mason University and she received her
undergraduate degree in Global Affairs from Mason
What is one unique thing
about you
I have a twin sister I also
volunteer through the State
Department tutoring
program at Miner
Elementary assisting third
and fourth grade students
with reading
comprehension
What motivates you
I am motivated by helping
others I like to do
everything I can to make
someone‟s day better or
help alleviate someone‟s
workload
I strongly believe that
working as a team benefits
the organization and it is
not about one person‟s
advancement but
achieving goals that can
create better processes for
the future
What has been your favorite moment working at the State Department
My favorite time working at the State Department has been my experiences working with Locally
Employed Staff when I was a Program Analyst at the Foreign Service Institute I enjoyed interacting
with various cultures and assisting them through training while they were in DC often for the first time
I was able to visit the Kentucky Consular Center and the National Passport Center with a group of
twenty and I helped coordinate all the logistics for the trip It was great to get outside the office and
experience training with a diverse group of people with various hopes and goals for their careers
Isabel Romero
ldquo
ldquo
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
CONTRIBUTION
HECFAA invites members to make
an annual voluntary contribution in
support of HECFAA activities
Contributing members are eligible to
vote in Board elections serve in
elected Board positions and enjoy
priority registration for HECFAA-
facilitated training networking and
social activities Did you know
that you can contribute in support of HECFAArsquos
activities There are many advantages to
becoming a
To contribute via PayPal please direct payments to hecfaadosgmailcom
(Note To avoid a transaction fee please select bdquoFAMILY and FRIENDS‟ not
bdquoBUSINESS payment‟) Suggested annual contributions range from $20 for GS-09
FS-05 and below $40 for GS-11 - GS13 FS-04 - FS-03 and $60 for GS-14 FS-02
and above
Please email HECFAABoard2stategov with any questions
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details
bull Thursday 15 MAR Interagency happy hour with USAID at Reagan building
bull Tuesday 20 MAR HECFAA member lunch at HST
bull Monday 26 MAR Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute interns visit State Department
bull Thursday 29 MAR Building Partnerships on the Hill
We regret that due to technical
difficulties some of our
members have not been
receiving emails from
HECFAA We have identified
the problem and are working to
resolve this issue going
forward If you or someone you
know is missing HECFAA
emails please do not hesitate to
reach out to the Board at
HECFAABoardstategov
STAY UPDATED DOCUMENTING OUR HISTORIES
Read about the histories of some of the most influential diplomats in US history
We feature two of HECFAA‟s distinguished
members
PODCASTS
Check out Ambassador Pete Romero‟s ldquoAmerican Diplomatrdquo podcast to hear the incredible behind the scenes stories of FSOs
dealing with some of the most complex issues
Email SanchezAstategov with your kudos We want to
congratulate and share the successes of our members
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us to get the latest news and updates
Ambassador Lino Gutierrez
and
Ambassador Peter Romero
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
The Adopt a US Embassy is
an initiative that provides an
opportunity for high school
students to learn first-hand
about foreign policy This is a
once a month digital exchange
between diplomats and high
school students Click on icon
for more detailed information
about the program
N E W I N I T I A T I V E
F O R S T U D E N T S
N O E M A I L S
L E T U S K N O W
Check out wwwHECFAAorg
for further updates and details