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BEAUTIFUL CAREER The Honorable Gisselle Castillo-Veremis, Dominican Consul General in Chicago, Shares her Diplomatic Experience By James A. Winship, Ph.D.
Few diplomats prepare for their career by training in dentistry, but that is precisely what the Dominican Republic’s Consul General in Chicago, Gisselle Castillo-Veremis, did. She is a dentistry graduate of Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and did further graduate study in pediatric dentistry in Santiago, Chile. continued on page 10
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The Honorable Gisselle Castillo-Veremis Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Chicago
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Pedro Martinez is greeted by a dance troupe after deplaning at the Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo on January 10, 2015. Thousands greeted the new baseball Hall of Famer after he landed in his homeland aboard a private plane bearing his country’s flag.
2014 est. or roughly $4.5 billion from remittances, the bulk of them from workers in the United States]. The American diaspora is a great asset to the Dominican economy because these people, by their remittances, are helping to generate funds for the country. Diplomatic Connections: The Dominican Republic is the most visited tourist destination in the Caribbean, and at the same time the Dominican Republic is often near the top of the list of countries with high violence levels in the region. How do those 12
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contradictory realities complicate the work of promoting tourism to the Dominican Republic? Consul General Castillo-Veremis: We are one of the top tourist destinations in Latin America. We have sun, water and beautiful stunning beaches. Most importantly, we have outstanding hospitality and friendly people. If you compare other islands, they all have beautiful beaches, but it is the human part of the Dominican Republic that takes us to another level.
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Carlos R. Alvarez/WireImage
King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia receive United States Ambassador James Costos (L) during the annual Foreign Ambassadors Reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain. 26
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I write each name on a little sticky note and then start playing around on a big poster board, going back and forth, constantly changing, assigning tables and then table neighbors, until I find my perfect combination. There are general rules of precedence you can apply, but there is so much more to the perfect seating arrangement.
for her strength, her determination, and her ability to prevail successfully and with confidence in a male-dominated political arena. I respect her for the leader she is and for the role model she portrays for our daughters, showing that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and your dreams.
You need to know your guests, their background, have inside knowledge and always be up-to-date on what is going on in politics and Washington. You can’t just go by the book, you have to immerse yourself in the seating plan and imagine every person at that table and the conversations they might have.
Diplomatic Connections: Would you share with us the behindthe-scenes stories of some of the most successful events you have organized?
The best feeling for me is when guests are seated and I look into the room and see engaged conversations at each table, guests enjoying themselves and each other, fruitful discussions, exchange of business cards and — depending on the occasion — laughter. You can feel the energy. When guests are leaving and tell me what a great evening and conversations they had, this is when I’m happy and satisfied with the work I have done.
Bundesregierung/Bergmann
Diplomatic Connections: What have been the peak experiences of your career? Karin Fleschner: The peak experiences of my career were the visits of our German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. She has come to Washington, D.C., several times, including one state visit. She is an amazing woman — intelligent, confident, congenial, down-to-earth and a genius. Working close up with someone of her magnitude is humbling. I admire her
Karin Fleschner: In October 2006, I organized the Day of German Unity. The guests of honor were Dr. Helmut Kohl, former German Chancellor, and George H.W. Bush. Having two such instrumental figures join us for this special celebration was unforgettable. If you have VIPs like this, your event is taken to a whole new level and your protocol skills are tested thoroughly. Logistics, security, guest lists, press coverage and your event management become much more complicated. But it’s all worth it. In February of this year, I organized a women’s empowerment breakfast for Chancellor Merkel with Melinda Gates, Senator Susan Collins, Justice Elena Kagan, Special Assistant to President Obama Valerie Jarrett and other impressive women. This was a highlight, so many amazing women in one place discussing an issue dear to my heart. In addition, I got to work with some of my favorite people in protocol, Randy Bumgardner, General Manager of Blair House, and his staff. Official meeting at the White House.
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