Diplomats in Residence
Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) are career Foreign Service Officers and Specialists located throughout the U.S. who provide guidance and advice on careers, internships and fellowships to students and professionals in the communities they serve. DIRs are available to answer questions and share insight with those interested in Foreign and Civil Service careers, internships and fellowships.
Please take the time to get to know our site. When you’re ready, contact a DIR closest to your geographic location who will answer your questions. Just rollover the interactive map below and click on your region. You can also find local events under the “Connect” section.
Please refer to the Department’s privacy policy if providing personally identifiable information in your email inquiry.
Dorothy Ngutter, Diplomat in Residence
(AK, Northern CA, OR, WA)
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| Region: Northwest |
| Location: University of California, Berkeley |
 
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| Tours: National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford, CA; Deputy Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey; Office of the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Washington, DC; Peru Desk, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Washington, DC; State Department Operations Center, Washington DC; U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium; U.S. Embassy, Bamako, Mali |
| Career Track: Political |
| Years of Service: 15 |
| Prior Experience: NGO: Immigration Program Assistant, Executive Assistant; Software Companies: Technical Writing intern |
| Languages: Turkish, Spanish, and basic French and Swahili |
| Education: Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Medford, MA; BA, Northeastern University, Boston, MA |
| Interesting Experience: I joined the Foreign Service as it presented a career that synched my interest in international affairs, curiosity about other cultures, love of languages, and commitment to public service. It was, however, the incredible experiences on my first tour in Bamako, Mali that got me “hooked” on the Foreign Service. Whether taking a visiting U.S. delegation on a tour of the Mosque of Djenné, liaising with our military to provide training to Malian forces, or standing on the tarmac as part of the diplomatic corps to welcome visiting heads of state, my first tour provided a great foundation for me to engage and grow as a professional. It also solidified my decision to serve my country as a U.S. diplomat. As a Consular-Political Officer, I came to appreciate one of the core missions of the State Department — helping American citizens. In subsequent assignments I worked with diplomats from Allied countries in the multilateral work of U.S. Mission NATO, and had the opportunity to work on a Press Team leading up to the 2006 NATO Summit in Riga, Latvia. As Peru Desk Officer, I learned to work with other U.S. government agencies, think-tanks, and non-government organizations on issues related to the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with Peru. In Turkey, I was honored to serve as part of a great team of professionals on vital issues that impacted U.S.-Turkey relations, including the Syria crisis. The varied assignments I’ve had in Foreign Service have enhanced my knowledge, skills, and ability to understand different perspectives, while telling America’s story abroad. |
| Last Post: National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution |
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Cecilia Choi, Diplomat in Residence
(Southern CA, HI, NV)
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| Region: Southern California |
| Location: UCLA |
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| Tours: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Washington, D.C.; National Security Council, Washington, D.C.; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Washington, D.C.; Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Washington, D.C.; Seoul, Republic of Korea; Ankara, Turkey |
| Career Track: Economic |
| Years of Service: 13 |
| Prior Career: Finance |
| Languages: German, Korean, Persian, Spanish |
| Education: M.Sc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics; B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Claremont McKenna College |
| Interesting Experience: I remember the dat-dat-dat-dat of the blades of the Black Hawk helicopter flying over a remote area of Honduras. Five hours of flying for 45-minutes on the ground. I was going as the face of the American people to the town that was participating in medical training with our military. I didn’t even need to say my prepared speech. The fact that my team and I were there got the point across: The United States is your trusted partner. The amazing part of this job is that not only do you deliver remarks, you get to be the message. |
| Last Post: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Washington, D.C. |
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