The DACOR Bacon House is built on the Indigenous lands of the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) and later Piscataway people. The House was built in 1825 by enslaved laborers. Enslaved people lived and worked in the DACOR Bacon House until 1862 when the District of Columbia Emancipation Act was signed.
DACOR Programs & Policies
LUNCHEON TALKS
Members, along with guests they accompany, are invited to attend luncheon talks which are held weekly throughout the year. Unless otherwise noted, these talks begin at noon with a cash bar reception in honor of the speaker. Lunch starts at 12:30 pm, followed by the speaker’s remarks which conclude by 2:00 pm; attendees are free to leave at that time.
The charge is $35 per DACOR member and reservations are required. (The charge for attending only the speaker portion of the program from 1 – 2 pm is $15.) Changes and/or cancellations to programs are announced in our e-blasts and on our website.
OTHER EVENTS
All members of DACOR are invited to attend ADST/DACOR book launch receptions, receptions for newly-commissioned FSOs, and DCM/PO receptions for DCMs and Principal Officers. There is no entry charge, but reservations are necessary. Members are also welcome at the Sunday afternoon Huston Musicales; a fee of $30 per DACOR member and $35 for guests is collected at the door. Children under 18 are admitted free.
Disclaimer: DACOR encourages vigorous expression and questioning of points of view, while striving for balance. No endorsement of speakers’ views or of their charitable, professional or commercial bona fides should be inferred.
MEMBERS’ LUNCHEONS
Members and their guests are invited to lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, reservations are required. Members' Luncheons include a biscuit/bread, an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea and cost $35. A cash bar is available from 12 and lunch is served from 12:30 to 1:30.
NO-SHOWS & CANCELLATIONS NOT RECEIVED BY 9 AM THE BUSINESS DAY BEFORE AN EVENT WILL BE BILLED.
— TO MAKE OR CANCEL RESERVATIONS — Register through the Calendar of Events at www.dacorbacon.org Or contact us at programs@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500 x120.
DACOR routinely takes photos at its events. Members and guests should notify the DACOR photographer if they want to restrict the use of their names and images.
DRESS CODE
DACOR maintains a professional business attire dress code in the DACOR Bacon House. While suits, ties and heels are always welcome, they are not required. For individual events, or categories of events, DACOR may apply a formal business attire dress code where men are expected to wear a suit or jacket and tie, and women should wear commensurate attire. Promotional material for these events will specify that formal business attire is required. During summer months, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, business casual may be worn.
From the President
During a recent private event I hosted at DACOR Bacon House, several guests who had not visited DBH before expressed delight at its warm ambience. One invitee was particularly taken with the idea of the House as a refuge for thought and civil discourse for our foreign affairs community. How comforting it must be, she said, to have such a “third place” to come to during unsettling, chaotic times.
The new Administration that arrived in town barely three months ago has brought head-spinning changes that all of us are trying to absorb. In contrast to previous transitions, which regularly featured shifts around the edges in the way foreign policy is formulated and executed, we are now witnessing a large-scale overhaul of our underpinnings, our bureaucracy, and our alliances in ways that threaten to undermine them for the long term.
Grants, contracts, and cooperation writ large with international partners have been gutted. Fulbright fellowships, climate change work , and information sharing about communicable diseases have disappeared overnight from the American menu to the world.
The US Agency for International Development has been dismantled for all practical purposes, with most of its programming cut and only minor bits moved under the purview of the State Department. And what state will State itself be in when this is all over? The US Institute of Peace, supposedly an independent ageny, has been forcibly shuttered.
DACOR has long stood for diplomacy, the U.S. Foreign Service, and public understanding of diplomacy. A majority of our members spent their careers in the foreign affairs agencies. How do we make sense of a situation in which our political leaders no longer seem to value the same things that have served the nation so well, if imperfectly, over time?
Our DACOR and our House represent our cherished community. From our perch at 1801 F Street, we observe the rhythmic comings and goings of those going about the government’s business. DACORians of the past and present have shared this vantage point for four decades. The difference now is that somehow the wind has been taken out of our sails. Many of us who have devoted ourselves to public service and particularly international service are wondering what world are we living in.
Our House is still here, a welcome refuge and comfort, a quiet “third place” that still opens its arms to those who wish to join us. 1801 F Street is ready to welcome you. Come in out of the storm.
Assistant Director, Vietnam Public Policy Program, Weatherhead Easat
Asian Institute
REflECtiOns On U.s.-viEtnAm RElAtiOns tODAy
Fifty years after the end of the war in Vietnam, and thirty years after normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam, what characterizes U.S.-Vietnam ties today? A pinnacle of cooperation was reached beginning in 2023 when the U.S.-Vietnam relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, sparking further cooperation in economic, security, and other areas.
To unpack and understand the scope and depth of current ties, DACOR welcomes three panelists to talk about their work with Vietnam. Amb. Ted Osius, president and CEO of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, and ambassador to Vietnam 2014-2017, will reflect on his service in Vietnam, and outline current dynamic trade relations. Susan Hammond, daughter of a Vietnam veteran, is the executive director of War Legacies Project, which addresses the ongoing impacts of unexploded ordinance and Agent Orange. Ms. Hammond will share the challenges and rewards of coordinating humanitarian programs in Vietnam. Hien Le is assistant director of the Vietnam Public Policy Program at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University. Ms. Le has been integrally involved in academic and cultural exchange programs for two decades. She will reflect on the power of academic partnerships, including the Fulbright University Vietnam, in forging enduring ties between the United States and Vietnam.
Full bios may be found in the online program announcement.
Watch Recent and Past DACOR Speaker Programs from Home!
DACOR records many speaker programs, including its virtual programs -- Watching is easy!
• Visit www.dacorbacon.org. Place your pointer over Members Portal in the top menu and click on the Past Programs option in the dropdown menu that appears.
• You will be asked to log in. (For password help, see page 21.)
• A list of recorded programs is visible on this page – they’re organized by season and then reverse chronological order.
• Once you've located your program of choice, simply click play.
• Sit back and enjoy!
If you have questions contact us at dacor@dacorbacon.org.
Development Dialogue at DACOR Hosted by DACOR & USAID Alumni Association
Dr. DANNY LEIPZIGER
Managing Director, The Growth Dialogue; Professor of Practice of International Business, The George Washington University is inDUstRiAl POliCy still A DiRty WORD?
In a world facing numerous economic challenges there is renewed debate about the role of industrial policy and government support for firms and industries deemed strategically important. In addition to being controversial for developing countries, it has of late been seen as part of the arsenal of policies that advanced economies undertake to deal with their domestic issues of inequality, loss of manufacturing jobs, and the pursuit of national economic interests - including the worry about relying on adversaries for critical resources such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
Prof. Danny Leipziger, Professor at GW's School of Business and former Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank, where he launched the Spence Commission on Growth and Development, will address the topic of industrial policy, asserting that it is no longer a dirty word but now one that requires a fresh examination in light of geo-political developments and the resurgence of economic nationalism.
A full bio may be found in the online program announcement.
Foreign Affairs Day
Friday • May 2nd
This year's Foreign Affairs Day will be held in-person at the State Department and virtually.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS DAY INVITATIONS To RSVP for this event, complete the registration form by April 18 at https://tinyurl.com/bddht6jc. Questions about the event may be sent to foreignaffairsday@state.gov.
DACOR is proud to co-sponsor the State Department's annual homecoming event. Inaugurated as "Foreign Service Day" in 1965 to honor and inform Department of State Foreign Service retirees, Foreign Affairs Day was expanded and renamed in 2001 to include Department Civil Service Employees. Attendees include retired Civil Service and Foreign Service generalists and specialists from the Department, as well as retired Foreign Service Officers from other foreign affairs agencies. This year, the event will include the presentations of the Foreign Service Cup by DACOR and the Director General's Cups (Foreign Service and Civil Service) and remarks by a plenary speaker. In addition, the AFSA Memorial Ceremony honoring personnel who have died serving abroad under circumstances distinctive to the Foreign Service will be held.
Tuesday • May 6 • 5:15 - 7:15 pm • In-person
fOREign sERviCE ORiEntAtiOn ClAss RECEPtiOn
Join us at DACOR for a reception to celebrate the latest Foreign Service orientation class! Our reception will feature great company, drinks and light food. The Generalists and Specialists in the class will be part-way through their orientation. This is also an opportunity for new members of the Foreign Service to ask our members about living and working overseas. Drinks will be complimentary for participants in the Foreign Service orientation class. DACOR members will receive one complimentary drink ticket; additional drinks will be available for members to purchase (cash and credit card).
Thursday • June 5 • 10:30 am - 12 pm • Virtual
thE fUtURE Of nAtO
Join us for our next TransAtlantic Dialogue with the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Association, the Canadian Ambassadors Alumni Network, and the Canadian Foreign Service Alumni Forum, our counterparts in the United Kingdom and Canada.
The program will be moderated by Stephanie Smith Kinney, U.S. Foreign Service, retired. The panel will be comprised of Ambassador Kerry Buck, Canada's Ambassador to NATO 2015-2018; Dame Mariot Leslie, the UK's permanent representative to NATO 2010-2014; and Ambassador Robert Hunter, the US's Ambassador to NATO 1993-1998.
Full bios may be found in the online program announcement.
Thursday, May 1st
2025 DACOR ANNUAL MEMBERS' MEETING
Thursday, April 24
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Business to be conducted:
■ Committee Reports
■ President Report
■ Board Election Results
All members of DACOR are invited to attend.
The Bicentennial Year was launched by Bicentennial Honorary Chair Ambassador Thomas Shannon and President Angela Dickey on August 6, 2024, with a celebration of “200 Years of French Connections,” featuring H. E. Laurent Bili, the French Ambassador to the U.S.
Upcoming
May 14, 2025, 12-2 PM, Lunch and Talk
Bicentennial Programs
DACOR Bacon House as Center Stage for the “Washington Salon”: How Women Exercised Influence in 19th and 20th Century Washington
June 10, 2025, 6-9 PM, Evening Garden Party
200th anniversary celebration featuring VIP Speakers and a musical performance by The Washington Tattoo.
October 30, 2025, 6 - 8:30 PM, Dinner and Talk
“DACOR Bacon House and the Civil War; or Reveille in Washington Revisited”
The Carroll family, owners of DACOR Bacon House during 60 years of the 19th century, were one among many local families that contributed men, women and morale to the war effort.
December 7, 2025, 3 - 5 PM, Music Performance
Christmas Musicale
Including a performance of the “Esterhazy Ripple”, a waltz dedicated to our own Sally Carroll, the Countess Esterhazy, and other music performed in the house.
Bicentennial Program Co-chairs: Meredith Whiting and Terry Walz
Bicentennial Garden Party Chair: Dana Linnet
Memorial Day Observance
May 26 • 11:00 am
Please join us for the 2025 Memorial Day Observance at Rock Creek Cemetery
DACOR’s Foreign Service Sections of Rock Creek Cemetery will be the location of the 2025 Memorial Day Observance. Please join us for this year’s ceremony, organized by the Memorial Committee, chaired by Clarke Cooper.
INVOCATION
MUSICAL INTERLUDE
REMARKS
WREATH LAYING
TAPS
BENEDICTION
Reception to follow at the cemetery’s St. Paul’s Parish Hall
Directions to Rock Creek Cemetery
From downtown: Go north on 16th Street. Turn right (east) on Upshur Street and follow to its end at Rock Creek Church Road. Turn left. Around the curve, the main entrance of the Cemetery can be seen.
From Virginia: Go through Rock Creek Park past the Zoo, bear right after an overpass and right on Piney Branch Parkway to its end. Turn right and proceed for a block and a half on Arkansas Avenue, then right on Upshur Street and proceed as above. Alternately, go up North Capitol Street, past the Soldiers Home (on your left) and turn left on Harewood Road, which runs into Rock Creek Church Road. The Cemetery entrance will be on your right.
From Maryland: Take Military Road across Rock Creek Park. It becomes Missouri Avenue. Turn right (south) on North Capitol Street. You will soon see the Cemetery on your right. Bear right, following the curve of the Cemetery fence, when North Capitol Street jogs left. You will come to the Cemetery entrance on the right.
After entering the Cemetery, drive between the Parish Hall on the left and the church on the right. Keep bearing left until you reach the DACOR monument in the northwest corner of the Cemetery.
200 yEARs Of DACOR BACOn hOUsE histORy
DACOR Bacon House is celebrating its bicentennial year 2024-2025 with a series of programs that highlight important events in the house’s history and the contributions its occupants made to our nation’s capital and to our national history. We have divided the two-hundred-year period into significant eras. For this month, April 2025, we continue with the purchase of the house by new owners, Molly and Melville Fuller. The chief justice since 1888, he first lived in rented houses on 14th Street and then Massachusetts Avenue, before buying the Carroll mansion. He was deeply ap-preciative of the association it had with Chief Justice John Marshall, and inaugurated Saturday meetings of the justices at the house where upcoming decisions were discussed. The house was full of the comings and goings of their many daughters and only son, and once again, it was a promi-nent dwelling in the District.
Terry Walz, DACOR Historian
Elizabeth Warner, DACOR Archivist
1896-1910
Home of the Chief Justice
1896
Molly Fuller bought the house in 1896 and hired Hornblower and Marshall Architects to add a western extension, install electricity and an elevator, and add a second floor to the stable in a major effort to modernize the dwelling while retaining its federal period exterior. The South Parlor was transformed into a library for the chief justice, since offices for Supreme Court justices were not available in the Capitol Building where the Court met. It was where the justices convened on Saturday mornings to discuss upcoming cases – as had happened earlier in the century when Chief Justice Marshall and four other justices boarded at the house. This was also the year that the Plessy vs Ferguson decision is made in May in which Fuller voted with the majority; the sole dissenter being Associate Justice Harlan. It presaged the onslaught of Jim Crow laws throughout the country.
1899
Molly spent the early part of the year in Europe and returned again in the summer with Chief Justice Fuller to enjoy the summer in Paris, one of their favorite haunts since they had honeymooned there in 1866. (Among the sites they saw was the tomb of Lafayette in the Cimetiere de Picpus). He had been appointed by President McKinley to be a commissioner on the International Court of Arbitration which was adjudicating the dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela over the border of British Guyana. Recently the case was in the news again as Venezuela contests the boundary decision and claims a large portion of Guyana it had been denied one hundred years ago. Fuller remained a commissioner of the Court for ten years. While Fuller was working on the case, Molly visited her daughter Fanny who was studying music in Germany.
1902
As part of his campaign to instill a feeling of collegiality among Supreme Court justices, the Fullers held a dinner on December 9 at their home to welcome newly confirmed Oliver Wendell Holmes as associate justice. Melville sent a handwritten note inviting President Teddy Roosevelt to join them, mentioning that not only would the associate justices be attending, but he would also invite Secretary of State John Hay, Secretary of War Elihu Root, Attorney General Philander Knox, Sen-ators George F. Hoar (Massachusetts), A. O. Bacon (Georgia), and John C. Spooner (Wisconsin), and Thomas Nelson Page. It is not unknown whether the president attended, but Holmes and Fuller became close friends the remaining years of Fuller’s life, and Holmes would often walk over to the house on F Street to have Sunday lunch with the chief justice.
To be continued in the May edition
1904
Molly Fuller gave birth to nine children during the years 1867-1880. She also endured poor health and traveled often for her health or to tend to her many daughters and only son. In 1898, the doc-tors advised a trip of relaxation to Europe, during which she also made an excursion to Egypt. She made a will before departing. One of the witnesses was Julia Brooks, one of four Black servants, including a cook and a nurse, who lived in the house and looked after the Fuller family. The social calendar for Molly was onerous, with required visits to ranking government and Congressional members and
attendance at White House official engagements. In January 1904, she and the chief justice were annoyed by being snubbed in a protocol snafu at the White House. At the evening of the annual reception for the judiciary, he and the other justices were held in waiting until the diplomatic corps was first introduced to the president, and both left the reception in a huff. She retreated as usual to her beloved cottage in Sorrento, Maine for the summer. In July, Molly had a heart attack and died. She was 59. She was buried at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.
1908
Justices of the Supreme Court, including the chief justice, were assigned Black “messengers” to facilitate their work. They carried briefs between the court, the Capitol, and the homes of the jus-tices, helped them become enrobed before the sessions of the Court, and brought them lunch during the 2 p.m. break. The messenger assigned to Chief Justice Fuller was Eugene Brooks, a native Washingtonian, who had become part of his life from the beginning of his tenure as chief justice in 1888. Another of the messengers was John Craig, who became a close friend of Brooks. Toward the end of his life, he lived in Brooks’ house on Pierce Place. When he died in December 1907, the funeral in January 1908 at the African Methodist Episcopal Church on M Street was attended by Chief Justice Fuller and Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Chief Justice Melville Fuller in front of 1801 F Street, ca 1910. From Harper’s Weekly.
White House reception during Teddy Roosevelt’s time 1902, from Leslie’s Weekly. Image: Library of Congress.
Chief Justice Fuller’s library (now South Drawing Room) ca. 1910 as renovated by Hornblower and Marshall in 1896 for Mrs. Fuller. Library of Congress.
WORLD AFFAIRS TRAVEL PROGRAM
LEARN MORE
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Cuba and its People led by Don Samford
DACOR
Bacon House Foundation
DREYFUS SCHOLARSHIPS
Logging into DACOR's Website QUICK GUIDE
• Go to www.dacorbacon.org, click Members Portal and then select the menu option you want.
• When the login page appears, enter your username and password if you have them and continue to the last bullet point below. If not, or if you need to reset them, go to the Reset Your Password section and enter your email we have on file. Click the Reset my Password button.
• Look for the reset email in your inbox. Don't see it? Check your spam folder.
• Take note of your username in the email (you can change it if you want to) and click on the reset link.
• Follow the prompts to reset your password.
• Enjoy all DACOR's website has to offer!
Need additional help? Contact Seou at spark@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500 x111.
Travel Committee Update
To my past Embassy employees & lovers of all the glitz & glamour & excitement: Avail yourself of Events@thingstododc.com
Example:
• March 26th---Evening With the Embassy of Ukraine
• April 4th---Evening at the Embassy of Kosovo
• Embassies of Austria & Mexico had Black Tie Events in March
• & so it goes!!!
Enjoy the Embassy Spirit in DC, Bonnie
Save the Date:
November 8, 2025
DACOR Field Trip to the World-Renowned Delaware Antiques Show in Partnership with Winterthur Museum, Library and Gardens
First Thursdays 5 - 7 pm Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie in our lovely house. Features a cash & credit card bar. Members are welcome to bring guests.
WElCOmE nEW mEmBERs
Courtney Shaw CAUTHEN and Jorge Luis VERA MERA
Courtney Shaw Cauthen is currently serving as Vice Consul in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, for her first tour with the Foreign Service. Prior to joining the Department of State, she worked in Public Affairs in Washington DC, managing communications campaigns for domestic and international clients. She also worked for the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, advocating for effective U.S. foreign aid.
Dr. Hussein IBISH
Dr. Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is a weekly columnist for The National (UAE), former columnist for Bloomberg, regular contributor to The Atlantic and The Daily Beast, and frequent contributor to many other U.S. and Middle Eastern publications. In addition, has made thousands of radio and television ap-pearances and was the Washington DC correspondent for the Daily Star (Beirut). He previously served as a senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine, and executive director of the Hala Salaam Maksoud Foundation for Arab-American Leadership from 2004-09. From 1998-2004, he served as communications director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Meredith R. KOZELCHIK
Meredith R. Kozelchik has an extensive domestic healthcare background. She is currently a Foreign Service Medical Provider, awaiting her first post assignment.
Katie LEIS
Katie Leis is a new Foreign Service Officer (MGT Officer) in the January 2025 Orientation Class.
Dr. Thomas R. MCILVAIN
Dr. Thomas R. Mcilvain worked 22 years in federal service, 19 years for the U.S. Department of State, and retired in December of 2023. His career focus was nuclear arms control and nuclear nonproliferation, and he started his career at the Department of State in 2001, at the beginning of the 9/11 era. His other posts include: Foreign Affairs Officer, Office of Regional Affairs, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State,
Washington D.C. (2005-2006); Senior Advisor to Threat Reduction Coordinator, Department of State, Washington D.C. (2010-2011); Senior Scientist, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Department of State, Washington D.C. (2011-2023).
Anthony Drake MUSA
Anthony Drake Musa is a new Foreign Service Officer as of 1/13/25. Prior to that, he was a civil servant at State covering Central Asia in Washington D.C. (2021-2025) and worked at the Office of Foreign Assets Control in Washington D.C. (2016 - 2021).
Adam Douglas ROSS and Abigail Nelson ROSS
Adam Douglas Ross has been a Career Foreign Service Economic Officer since 2003, and he is the current Director of the Bangkok Regional Environment Office. He previously served as Deputy Economic Counselor in Nairobi, as senior South Africa Desk Officer, and as Deputy Chief for Political and Economic Affairs in Lusaka. He covered the macroeconomic portfolio in Hanoi, the intellectual property portfolio in Beijing, and served as Consular Officer in Cape Town. Before joining the Foreign Service, he was an attorney with Lane Powell, practicing in-tellectual property law.
Ekrem Musannif SARPER and Lauren Whiston Eardensohn SARPER
Ekrem Musannif Sarper is a seasoned government affairs expert with over two decades of experience successfully navigating complex policy environments and providing strategic counsel to senior leaders in both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as the Head of International Public Policy at The Cigna Group, focused on improving health and vitality. He spear-heads Cigna's international government affairs engagement, fostering business growth and building relationships with key government and industry leaders worldwide. Prior to joining Cigna in 2021, he held pivotal roles at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), such as: International Relations Policy Advisor (2009 – 2016); Chief Bilateral Relations Liaison (2016 - 2018); Lead Manager, (2018 – 2021).
Jay TRUESDALE and Jacqueline TRUESDALE
Jay Truesdale was a Foreign Service Officer (Political Cone) from (2005-2017). His other career experiences include: Foreign Area Officer, Navy reserve (2010-present); Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company (2017-2022); CEO, Veracity Worldwide (2022-2024); CEO, TD International (2024-present). He was introduced to DACOR by Ambassador Mike Dodman.
Jonathan TUNG and Michael WILK
From 2005 – 2008, Jonathan Tung worked for the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. He planned international tours, collaborating with renowned foreign musicians, and organizing chamber concerts to promote development. At Lotus Gallery (2008-Present), he specializes in Asian antiques and antiquities and has clients from all over the world. While the show schedule currently focuses on the US, the gallery has exhibited internationally in the past, participating in fairs in London, Brussels, and Dubai. He was introduced to DACOR by Jared Hughes.
DACOR Member LinkedIn Group
Join your fellow members to build a stronger network! The group is a private LinkedIn group designed to foster networking and camaraderie among our distinguished community. Join the group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13140159 or scan the QR code.
2025 Membership Dues
Please check your email and/or mailbox for your 2025 membership dues invoice. Can't find an invoice or need help paying? Contact us at dacor@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500.
Thank you for being a DACOR member!
Have a program idea? We want to hear from you!
In an effort to streamline our program suggestion process and make it easier for any member to suggest a program topic and/or speaker, the Program Committee has a Speaker Suggestion Form.
Simply go to dacorbacon.org, and under the Members Portal menu option, select, “Share a Program (Speaker/Topic) Suggestion.” You will be directed to the form to make your suggestion. ALL suggestions are considered periodically and voted upon by the committee*.
A few FYIs:
• *If your suggestion is better suited for a different committee or task force, it may be considered by a program-organizing-team other than the Program Committee.
• You may be contacted for more information or a request for assistance in bringing your suggestion to fruition.
• Please know that while we appreciate and encourage all your suggestions, we are unable to hold a program/event for every suggestion.
• Contact information is invaluable!
Call for Nominations for the Eleanor Dodson Tragen Award 2025
The Eleanor Dodson Tragen Award honors a spouse, family member, domestic partner or member of household who has effectively advocated and promoted rights, programs, services and benefits for Foreign Service families in the tradition of the AAFSW and its members, as did the late Mrs. Eleanor Tragen.
In the 1960s, Mrs. Tragen and her colleagues were instrumental in calling attention to the lack of rights of spouses (at that time almost exclusively wives); they wrote a brief, entitled, “What If?” that spotlighted the lack of resources wives had should they face a sudden death, illness or divorce. Ele then testified before Congress, using “What If?” as her basis and eventually helped to win important rights for wives such as access to alimony and pension benefits.
While the first recipients of the award (see box) were recognized for this early work in gaining rights for wives, more recent recipients have been honored for their work on issues that face today’s Foreign Service spouses, partners and families.
Criteria:
The recipient, active duty or retired, will be chosen for his/her volunteer efforts to enhance, improve, broaden or make more effective services, rights and benefits provided to FS spouses, families, EFM domestic partners and household members. The initiative to be recognized should benefit more than just a specific mission activity at one post, but offer promise of replication or application throughout the Foreign Service.
2024: Megan Kuhn
Award:
The winner will receive a cash award of $2,000, which will be presented at the AAFSW Annual Awards Program in November or December. If available, the Program will be held at the State Department and the winner will also be honored at a luncheon at the DACOR Bacon House and receive travel costs to and free lodging at DACOR Bacon House if posted outside of DC.
Eligibility:
Nominees must be spouses, family members, EFM domestic partners or members of household of FS employees, active or retired. Previous nominees can be considered if an updated justification sheet is included. Nominees must agree to attend the November/ December awards ceremony if selected.
Nominations:
To make a nomination, please submit the following:
• Nominee’s full name
• Nominee’s relationship to the direct-hire employee or retiree
• Nominee’s email address
• Nominator’s name and relationship to nominee
• Justification for the nomination including specific actions and qualities that fulfill the award criteria
• Name of nominee’s hometown newspaper and U.S. representative in Congress
• Nominations should be submitted as a Word document, not to exceed 3 pages, double-spaced.
Nominations should be sent by e-mail to: jbradshaw@ dacorbacon.org
Submission deadline: April 25, 2025.
Past Tragen Award Recipients
For her leadership in launching the Parallel Professionals
networking group to help Eligible Family Members and Members of Household navigate career mobility in the Federal Government, establishing the group as an official Employee Organization in the State Department, giving a voice to a cohort of hardworking federal employees who previoulsy had no clear advocate and fostering a supportive professional culture for Foreign Affairs' family members.
2023: Michelle Neyland
2022: Alison Davis
2021: Fabiula Maughan
2020: Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen
2019: Melissa Brayer-Hess
2018: Patricia Linderman
2017: Kelly Bembry Midura
2016: Leah Evans
2015: Sheila Switzer
2014: Ann La Porta
2013: Bob Castro
2012: Thomas Gallagher
2010: Mari O’Connor
2009: Mette Beecroft
2007: Leslie Dorman
2006: Jean Vance
For a full list of recipients' contributions, please visit dacorbacon.org/dacor_awards.php.
EDUCAtiOn
Morgan Chen
The University of Oklahoma
Graduate School Focus: International Studies
Undergraduate School: The University of Oklahoma
Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Marjorie Webster and Philip W. Ireland Memorial Fellowship
• What has been the most memorable moment for you during your studies?
My most memorable moment during my studies was completing a term paper focused on the way some Small Island Developing States have begun to redefine sovereignty to allow them to maintain their sovereignty even if they lose territory due to climate change, then being asked by a professor to continue revising the paper for possible publication. To me, this marked an important point in my studies, showing that I am becoming a social scientist capable of asking important analytical questions and designing research that helps us better describe the international system. I am currently in the process of revising that paper, and I look forward to continuing to grow in my abilities as an analyst and social scientist.
• Where have you worked or interned during your studies? What have you gained from the experiences?
I have interned at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and I now work at a refugee services organization called The Spero Project (Spero). The IRC and Spero taught me the intricacies of U.S. refugee and asylee services, provided me experience working directly with refugee communities, and instilled in me a passion for upholding the wellbeing of migrants and their host communities. ASPI taught me how think tanks operate and gave me the opportunity to spend a summer in Washington, D.C., where I learned the importance of having independent organizations dedicated to researching and discussing the most important current issues.
• Where have you traveled during your studies?
I spent one semester studying in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and a summer studying in Taipei, Taiwan. In France, I got to improve my French skills by taking courses on European and world history in French, and I now use my French skills in my research for my courses. In Taiwan, I got to visit the headquarters of each major political party and several major think tanks ahead of the most recent election, offering valuable insight into Taiwanese politics.
• What are your goals for the future?
My goal is to continue my work with refugee and asylee support NGOs, either in a research and advocacy role or in a direct service provision role. My experiences at the IRC and Spero developed my passion for migrants’ rights and my knowledge of U.S. immigration systems, and my education along with my experience at ASPI showed me the importance of research roles alongside direct service provision.
• What has your scholarship/fellowship allowed you to do that you would not otherwise have been able to do?
My scholarship helped me pay my tuition, giving me the flexibility to seek work and internship opportunities off campus rather than seeking on campus roles which would provide tuition waivers. I am deeply grateful for this flexibility because it allowed me to pursue my current role at Spero, which has given me direct experience related to my postgraduate goals and taught me skills necessary for working in a professional workplace.
DACOR Board of Governors Election
DACOR is governed by an elected 25-member Board of Governors whose responsibilities include oversight of the organization's mission, policies, strategic goals, budget and finances; the Board also constitutes the Board of Trustees of the DACOR Bacon House Foundation.
In accordance with the Bylaws, Regular Members elect members to serve as Governors. Terms are for three years and are elected on a staggered basis; this spring, eight seats are up for re-election.
The slate of candidates prepared by the
2025 DACOR ANNUAL MEMBERS' MEETING
Thursday, April 24
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
In-person & Virtual
Business to be conducted:
■ Committee Reports
■ President & Interim Executive
Director Reports
■ Board Election Results
All members of DACOR are invited to attend.
Nominating Committee can be found on the ballot on page 21, their bios are on the preceding pages; members may also cast their vote for write-in candidates. The Nominating Committee is composed of James Benson (Chair), Janice Bay, and Carolee Heileman.
We thank our departing board members Carolee Heileman, Joanna Martin, Keith McCormick, Amb. Marc Wall and Amb. Ashley Wills for their hard work and dedication to DACOR and the DACOR Bacon House Foundation.
Ways to Vote:
☑ Complete the paper ballot found on page 21 and deliver it to DACOR.
☑
Complete the on-line ballot, which will be distributed via email in mid April, and submit it electronically.
DEADLINE:
To be counted, your ballot must be received by 10:15 am on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
Board of Governors Continuing Members
Shaz Akram
Harry Baumgarten
Jonathan Benton
Deborah Bolton
Tom Brannan
Craig Hall
Paula Jakub
Donald Kursch
Dana Linnet
Thomas Martella
Richard Morford
Lynne Platt
Thomas Staal
W. Stuart Symington
Stephen Thompson
Daphne Titus
Lynn Vega
2025 Candidates for the Board of Governors/Trustees
*indicates the candidate is running for a second term
▶ Hon. GENE CHRISTY
Gene Christy is a retired U.S. Ambassador who served 40 years in the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. He and his family lived outside the United States in Indonesia (twice), Turkey (twice), Malaysia, Turkmenistan, and Haiti. He was Ambassador in the Southeast Asian sultanate, Brunei Darussalam, from 2002 to 2005. Ambassador Christy worked in Washington in the State Department and was also detailed to the National Security Council in 2000-2001.
Following his ambassadorial assignment, Gene was a professor and State Department advisor at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Subsequently, he was foreign policy advisor to the four-star Navy Admiral in charge of U.S. Pacific Command, Honolulu, Hawaii.
He finished his career leading Office of Inspector General management review teams to embassies and State Department offices; he continued to lead inspection teams with the OIG for five years after retirement. His inspections included Pakistan, Iraq, Indonesia, Peru, Brazil, Turkiye, and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Gene speaks Indonesian and Turkish. He is proficient in French.
Gene was born and raised in Midland, Texas. After majoring in history at Rice University and a year at University of Texas Law School, Gene joined the Foreign Service in September 1971. He met his wife, Rebecca, at Rice.
Gene and Rebecca lived in Texas for ten years after his retirement in 2011. They returned to Virginia in 2022 and settled in Barboursville.
▶ Hon. R. CLARKE COOPER*
The Honorable R. Clarke Cooper is the Senior Director of Guard Hill House, LLC, International Affairs Advisor for Hellenic Group, LLC, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and is on the Diplomatic Engagement Advisory Committee for Meridian International. He joined DACOR in 2014, and currently serves as chairman of the DACOR Memorial Committee.
Mr. Cooper has two decades of experience in diplomatic, intelligence, and military roles including service as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs from 2019 – 2021. In previous diplomatic posts, he served as U.S. Alternate Representative to the United Nations Security Council, U.S. Delegate to the United Nations Administration & Budget Committee, Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and Advisor at U.S. Embassy-Baghdad. His active-duty military assignments included tours with
Joint Special Operations Command, Special Operations Command Africa, Joint Special Operations Task Force TransSahara, and Special Operations Command Central. Early in his career, Mr. Cooper served as an Assistant Director of the National Park Service.
▶ GENE HARRIS*
Gene R. Harris is interested in promoting and supporting DACOR’s Strategic Plan and By-Laws. He would concentrate on the needs and interests of existing DACOR members and ensuring the preservation of the historic DACOR Bacon house. He would actively engage in DACOR’s diversity efforts, continuing recruitment of new members, and outreach to Foreign Commerical Service officers and professionals. Mr. Harris has extensive international experience, mainly in developing countries. He was a university professor, oil company and petroleum service company executive, and consultant to foreign governments before his twenty plus years career in the Foreign Service. Most of his assignments involved regional responsibilities. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science and African Studies from Boston University and a B.A. and M.A. in Government and International Affairs from GWU’s Elliott School. Mr. Harris is married (his spouse was an FSO.) They have two daughters and three grandchildren.
▶ MAGGIE NEW
After accepting an appointment at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs to be a Career Counselor and help students join federal service, Amb. Skip Gehnem introduced Maggie New to DACOR. She joined the Education Committee and helped them improve their interview/selection process. She also sat in on the Strategic Long-term planning and Reciprocal Club committees. Maggie is a Founding Member of DACOR’s Legacy Society. First Thursday nights are on her calendar to attend cocktails in the garden and invite students and/or friends to join her. When teaching at Foreign Service Institute she encourages her students to join DACOR either as a Resident or Nonresident member. Her top interests for DACOR are having good, healthy if not excellent food, starting a Jazz supper club, and promoting career networking among members. She is fiscally responsible and interested in having the club grow in membership as well as bank balance. Maggie now helps diplomats transition after leaving government service and enjoys visits to New Mexico where she is a member of Santa Fe World Affairs Forum. After living 30 years in Middleburg, VA she now lives in northwest Washington, DC.
▶
JULIANNE PAUNESCU
Julianne Johnson Paunescu joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1990. She served in Roma-nia, Algeria, the Philippines, Panama, and Moldova. While stationed in Washington, Julianne held a variety of positions in the public diplomacy bureau and in the Secretary's Office of Religion and Global Affairs. She also served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Re-search (INR) as an analyst for Moldova and Belarus for four years and for Greece and Cy-prus for two years. In INR, she also was the director of the Office of Public Opinion Re-search as well as the director of the Office of Analytic Outreach. Julianne served as presi-dent of Executive Women @ State for two years. She retired in 2015.
Julianne serves or has served on a number of boards. She currently serves on the Virginia Conference Board of Church and Society for the United Methodist Church, heading the committee for Peace and NonViolence. She served as the head of the U.S. board for UK-based Hospices of Hope which provides palliative care in Romania, Moldova, Serbia, Albania, Greece, and Ukraine for over a decade until 2025. She has also served on the Rhodes College Alumni Association Executive Board and the board of FAIR Girls, based in Washing-ton, DC, which works to support survivors of sex trafficking.
Julianne lives in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis Ten-nessee.
▶ DANIEL STOLL
Daniel C. Stoll, Ph.D., was a Foreign Service Officer from 1988 to 1998, with postings in US Embassy Baghdad and US Consulate General Johannesburg. In addition, he served in the Bureau of International Organizations Affairs, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Foreign Service Institute. After leaving the Foreign Service, he returned to higher education and had senior administrative positions at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), St. Norbert College, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Georgetown University, including as the academic dean at Georgetown’s campus in Doha, Qatar from 2008 to 2018. He has published in the areas of international water resources management, as well as international higher education administration. He holds a Ph.D. from UMKC in international affairs, with a focus on US diplomatic history in the Middle East.
▶ ELLEN THORBURN
Ellen B. Thorburn retired from the Senior Foreign Service in November 2023 after over 32 years with the Department of State. Her last assignment was as long-term Charge d’Affaires (CDA) in Gabon. Prior to Gabon, she also served as long-term CDA in Congo-Brazzaville and Chad. She served as DCM in Sudan (2018 – 2020) and in Togo (2008-2011). A
Consular officer, Ellen served as Consul in Yemen, Haiti, France, Estonia, Benin and Hungary as well as two tours in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. She was the Senior Consular Representative to the European Union from 2015 – 2018.
Ellen holds a JD from George Washington University, a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, a BA in French and a BA Social Science from Michigan State University.
▶ MEREDITH WHITING*
Meredith Armstrong Whiting served as senior research fellow for government and environmental affairs for The Conference Board from 1989 through 2013, with responsibility for planning and implementing globally based programming for senior executives responsible for government and environmental affairs within their companies, designing and developing research projects, and leading the activities of similarly-themed Conference Board councils. Among the many Conference Board publications she authored were treatises on corporate involvement in and responsibility for environmental policies and sustainability issues, public-private partnerships, and governance.
Prior to joining The Conference Board Meredith served in the office of Vice President George Bush, as a public and congressional affairs officer assigned to the various task forces overseen by the vice president. Among these were the Regulatory Relief Task Force, the Regulation of Financial Services Task Group, the Vice President’s Drug Policy Task Force and the Terrorism Task Force. Previous positions include those of director, public liaison for the U. S. Department of Commerce, public affairs director at Young & Rubicam Cincinnati, director of public relations for the City of Cincinnati’s U.S. Bicentennial Celebration, that city’s Symphony Orchestra and Contemporary Arts Center, and Northern Kentucky University.
Meredith is a DACOR Bacon House Bicentennial Program Co-Chair.
Election Ballot 2025
Board of Governors of DACOR
Board of Trustees of DACOR Bacon House Foundation
Regular Members - You may vote for no more than 8 candidates.
Candidate biographies can be found on pages 19-20.
Ballots must be signed and received by 10:15 am April 24, 2025
in & AROUnD thE hOUsE
DACOR hosts a reception for the February orientation class for new Foreign Service officers and specialists.
Above: Christine and Seou man a recruitment table at the orientation fair for new Foreign Service officers and specialists at the State Department.
Left: A scroll and its original box is hung in the Green Room during its recent redecoration. To learn more, see pages 20 - 22 of the January 2025 edition of The DACOR Bulletin.
Above: DACOR Bacon House during a recent snowfall.
Left: Workers begin to prepare the library fireplace and the necessary materials for installing a new burner tray and logs.
COntRiBUtiOns in mEmORiAm
The officers and trustees of the DACOR Bacon House Foundation acknowledge with gratitude the following memorial contributions:
John P. BECKER
Hon. Raymond C. Ewing & Penelope Yungblut
Hon. Clifford George BOND
Edward Spencer Verona
Hon. Paul CLEVELAND
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Tom J. Strong & Catherine Strong
Harry Lafayette COBURN
H.L. Dufour Woolfley
Susan Kay DONNELLY
Hon. Shaun E. Donnelly
Burton GERBER
Hon. William H. Courtney
Stuart Galloway HIBBEN
Mark Rittenhouse Hibben
Hon. Alan LUKENS
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Hon. Richard W. MURPHY
Peter David Eicher
Hon. Daniel Anthony O'DONOHUE
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Bronson Edwards PERCIVAL
Donald A. Camp
James PROSSER
Harold Geisel & Susan Geisel
Ronald “Ron”Feuer ROSNER
Julie Light Githens
Hon. Ed ROWELL
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
John SHUMATE
Paula Jakub
Hon. Terence A. TODMAN
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Hon Howard K. WALKER
Hon. Raymond C. Ewing & Penelope Yungblut
Donald Newton WILBER
Catherine Ruth Lincoln
Hon. Frank George WISNER II
Peter David Eicher
Joanna Woods Witzel Martin
Hon. Johnny YOUNG
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Remember a friend or colleague with a contribution to the
DACOR BACOn hOUsE fOUnDAtiOn
Tax-deductible Tribute Gifts to the DACOR Bacon House Foundation House Operating Fund in memory of / in honor of [living] Foreign Affairs siblings are always welcome. Please note “IMO” or “IHO” along with the Full Name in the memo line of your check or in the appropriate fields on our on-line form available through the QR code.
The officers and governors of DACOR note with deep regret the deaths of the following DACOR members and extend sympathy and condolences to members of the families and to colleagues and friends.
John Philipp BECKER, retired Foreign Service Officer, specializing in political and labor issues, and Curator Emeritus of the DACOR Bacon House, died February 11, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia, at the age of 88.
Mr. Becker was born March 28,1936, in Winchester, Massachusetts. He received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1954 and later received a master’s degree from Boston University in international relations. He served in the US Army from 1958 to 1961 and attended the Monterey Language School in Monterey, California, where he met his future wife, Priscilla Clark. He then embarked on a career as a Foreign Service Officer.
From 1961 to 2005, Mr. Becker’s diplomatic career took him and his family to various postings around the world including Germany (Stuttgart, Berlin, and Bonn), Canada (St. John, New Brunswick and Ottawa), India (New Delhi), Austria (Vienna), Israel (Tel Aviv), and Washington, D.C., where he contributed to the 1977 Panama Canal Treaty and issues related to Micronesia. He concluded his career with the Department of State’s Office of World War II Reparations, working on art restitution issues.
Mr. Becker was an enthusiastic cross-country runner in high school and college and finished the 1968 Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 37 minutes. He was an avid gardener. His life-long passion for music began in childhood. He was a drum major in his high school band and later sang with the Augustinerkirche Choir in Vienna, Austria, and with the Metropolitan Chorus, Arlington Chorale, and the Arlingtones Barbershop Chorus in
Virginia. He was also active with the Arlington Rotary Club.
Mr. Becker was a DACOR Bacon House Foundation Legacy Society member.
Mr. Becker is survived by his wife of 63 years, Priscilla; daughters, Joan Becker Kelsch (Thomas) and Alison Becker Weems (Weyman); sister, Eleanor Becker (Robert Huseby); brother, Robert Becker (Nanette); and his grandchildren (William, Tucker, Adeline, and Mason).
Marion Streett GUGGENHEIM,
spouse of deceased Foreign Service Officer and former ambassador to Singapore Harry Thayer, died January 16, 2025, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 93.
Ms. Guggenheim was born March 6, 1931, in St Louis, Missouri. She received a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College for Women and was working at the St. Louis Art Museum while pursuing a master’s degree in Asian art when she met and married filmmaker Charles Eli Guggenheim. In 1966, the Guggenheim family moved to Washington, D.C., where he could focus on telling stories about the American experience and political biographies for campaigns. After 45 years of marriage, her husband passed away, and in 2013, she married Ambassador Harry Thayer.
Ms. Guggenheim was one of several founders for DC Action for Children, an advocacy organization working to promote early childhood education, and she also served on the board of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF). She was an active contributor to those working in
progressive democratic politics and strongly believed in creating a more compassionate society. Art, classical music, opera, and reading the hard print newspaper editions were her daily passions. When grandchildren arrived, their daily exploits became a source of great joy.
Ms. Guggenheim is survived by three children, Grace Stix Guggenheim, Jonathan Streett Guggenheim, and Davis Guggenheim, and their spouses; and five grandchildren.
Warren Bruce KINSEY,
Foreign Service Officer, writer, marketer, carpenter, and the first civilian volunteer for the Vietnam Training Center, creating what President Lyndon B. Johnson called “warriors for peace,” died February 14, 2025, in Winchester, Virginia, at the age of 84.
Mr. Kinsey was born December 31, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois. He received a bachelor’s degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1962 and joined the Foreign Service shortly thereafter—at that time, the youngest officer ever to have done so.
Mr. Kinsey was posted first to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he did political reporting and consular work under Frances Willis, America’s first female career ambassador. Mr. Kinsey then spent two years in Stuttgart as a consular officer
Early in 1967, Mr. Kinsey entered the Vietnam Training Center in Arlington, an inter-agency facility where civilian and military officers were taught the Vietnamese language and instructed in civil and rural development support (“CORDS”) programs to pacify
rural South Vietnam. They studied everything from bridge-building and health improvement to organizing hamlet defenses. After CORDS training Mr. Kinsey served nearly two years in Long An province, one of the country’s most embattled areas. Later he worked for the Pacification Studies Group under Ambassador William Colby. He received the American Foreign Service Association’s Averell Harriman Award for “courage, creativity and disciplined dissent” in 1970. USAID also awarded him its meritorious service award.
In 1970-71, Mr. Kinsey served in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, briefing Secretary of State William Rogers and others daily on allied efforts to sever the Laos trail network through which North Vietnam funneled military supplies to forces in the South. He also was the State Department’s representative on an interagency task force analyzing possible ceasefire outcomes for the war. He then took a leave from government service and earned a master’s degree from the Darden School of the University of Virginia in 1974, after which he resigned from the State Department, working first for a New York consulting firm, and later Congressional Quarterly and other publishers. He retired in 2001.
In retirement, Mr. Kinsey moved to Golden Pond Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The farm became a frequent unofficial assembly point for veterans of the Vietnam pacification program, informally dubbed “The Good Guys.” Mr. Kinsey called the
Vietnam war itself “our country’s noblest foreign policy disaster.” At the time of his death, he was writing a history and analysis of Vietnamese pacification efforts, based partly on recollections of many Vietnamesespeaking pacification advisors. It is to be titled “Good Guys.”
Mr. Kinsey is survived by his wife, Joan Anderson; his sons Scott Graves and Geoffrey Howard Kinsey, and his daughter, Jacqueline Norris; and by grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He was predeceased by his son Matthew and sister Betsy Alton.
Robert MacCALLUM,
retired Foreign Service Officer with the rank of Minister Counselor, died October 19, 2024, in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the age of 81.
Mr. MacCallum was born August 24, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wabash College in 1965 and a master’s degree in systems analysis from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971. Inspired by the immortal words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” he joined the Foreign Service in 1965.
Early in his career, Mr. MacCallum served as vice consul in Nagoya, Japan; area development officer in Cu Chi and Bien Hoa, Vietnam; political-military officer and personnel officer at the State Department; and administrative officer in Vientiane. In 1977, after 18 months of Japanese language training,
he was political-military officer, deputy chief of the mutual defense assistance office, and general services officer in Tokyo.
In 1981-82, Mr. MacCallum took leave from the Foreign Service to work as Director, Asia/Pacific Region for CPT Corporation of Minneapolis. He returned to the Foreign Service in 1982 as supervisory general services officer in Manila, later serving as administrative counselor of the United States Mission to the United Nations, executive director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and counselor for administration and security in both Manila and Tokyo. His final full-time post was in Hong Kong, where he led operations at the Consulate General in the face of massive staff turnover with the reversion of Hong Kong to Chinese rule. During his career, he was also instrumental in the opening of U.S. embassies in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; and Dili, East Timor; and the Amman, Jordan support center for Mission Iraq. After retiring to Charlottesville in 1998, Mr. MacCallum continued serving with the State Department, most notably managing support services for U.S. delegations at five APEC conferences across the Pacific Rim from 1999 to 2006. He and his wife of 54 years Alice were avid travelers, including bucket list trips to Kenya, Machu Picchu, Norwegian fjords, and the Panama Canal. They also enjoyed countless theater, music, and live sporting events together, especially
Memorial Services
Pittsburgh sports, as he was a lifelong fan.
Mr. MacCallum is survived by his wife; daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth; granddaughter, Adelina; and sisters, Heather, Laurie, and Tracy.
Bronson
Edwards PERCIVAL, retired Foreign Service Officer and professor, expert on national security issues including U.S. relations with Southeast Asia, maritime security issues in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, and the Islamic revival and terrorism in Asia, died December 25, 2024, at the age of 76.
Mr. Percival was born July 19, 1948, in Bremen, Germany to a U.S. diplomatic family and grew up primarily in Europe until his high school years. He received a bachelor’s degree in international relations, earning membership in Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California Berkeley in 1970. He did post graduate work at the University of Chicago, which included studying Hindi while doing research in India. Later he received a master’s degree in national security strategy from The National War College, Washington, D.C. He joined the Foreign Service in 1974.
From 1974-2004, Mr. Percival served as a political officer in Lebanon, Iraq, Malaysia, and Indonesia. He was, among several positions at the Department of State, the senior Indonesia desk officer. As a professor of Strategy and Policy at the U.S Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island from 1999-2001, he designed and taught a seminar on modern Southeast Asia. After 9/11, he directed the Southeast Asia office, Bureau of Intelligence and Research to focus on terrorism in Asia, and subsequently coordinated State’s counterterrorism and maritime security policies and programs for the East Asia and Pacific Bureau.
After retiring from the Foreign Service, Mr. Percival was an adjunct at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at the Johns Hopkins University, where he taught a course
on China and Southeast Asia. He was the Senior Advisor for Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic Studies, Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), and he spent over a decade coordinating the intensive courses on Southeast Asia at the Foreign Service Institute.
“The Dragon Looks South: China and Southeast Asia in the New Century” (2007) is Mr. Percival’s book on China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia. In addition, he accepted appointments as a visiting senior research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and as a visiting fellow at the East-West Center in Washington, D.C. He spoke regularly in the United States and abroad on China’s goals and activities in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean and a strategy for U.S.-Indian maritime cooperation and on piracy in the Indian Ocean.
Mr. Percival retired to a home on the Chester River in Chestertown, Maryland, where he continued his public service as a member of the Democratic Central Committee of Kent County and his passion for map collecting through his association with the Washington Map Society, of which he was once president. Other favorite pursuits were tennis, growing heritage roses, Mid-Atlantic beaches, and world travel.
Mr. Percival is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susan; their daughter, Barbara; two sisters and a brother.
A reception for members of the Foreign Affairs Family who knew or admired Bronson, will be held at the Historic DACOR Bacon House on April 2 from 3PM – 5 PM. If you are able to attend, please be sure to RSVP here: tinyurl.com/BronsonPercival.
The Percival Family requests charitable contributions in Bron's memory be made to the DACOR Bacon House Foundation's Education Fund via the secure link www.DACORBacon. org/Donate or via check made payable to "DACOR Bacon House Foundation" with "IMO Bronson Percival - EDU" in the memo line.
David B. RIVKIN, Jr.,
a Washington attorney who worked for republican presidents and argued in prominent environmental cases, died December 27, 2024, in Falls Church, Virginia, at the age of 68.
Mr. Rivkin was born December 15, 1956, in the city of Pskov in what was then the Soviet Union. He made his way to America alone as a 19-yearold in 1976 amid the wave of Jewish emigration (he later converted to Catholicism). He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Soviet affairs from Georgetown University in 1980 and 1984 and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1985.
Mr. Rivkin had an early career in government service, with positions at the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Energy, as well as with the White House and the Office of the Vice President. In private practice, Mr. Rivkin represented clients in highprofile cases on constitutional and environmental issues at all levels of federal and state courts.
Mr. Rivkin was also a prolific writer of opinion pieces, with frequent columns on the pages of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, and an on-air commentator, including appearances on The Journal Editorial Report, CNN, Fox News, and PBS.
Upon learning of his passing, then President-elect Donald Trump posted that Mr. Rivkin was a "Superstar Attorney," a "great lawyer," and a "scholar."
Mr. Rivkin is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Diana McCaffrey. He is also survived by his brother Andrey (Iana) and nephew Yevgeni. Mr. Rivkin was predeceased by his parents Boris and Svetlana.
Ronald “Ron” F. ROSNER,
Foreign Service Officer, died February 8, 2025, in Silver Spring, Maryland, at the age of 89.
Mr. Rosner served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1954-56. He received a
bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1959. He joined the Foreign Service shortly thereafter.
Mr. Rosner’s overseas assignments from 1961 to 1970 included Kathmandu, Nepal, Bogota, Colombia, and Karachi, Pakistan. A specialist in Afghan and Indian Subcontinent affairs, he subsequently became senior vice president of the International
Commodities Export Corporation (ICEC) in charge of the sale of fertilizers and raw materials to Asian and other buyers.
Mr. Rosner belonged to numerous clubs and associations, including the Explorers Club in New York, the East India Club and the Royal Society for Asian Affairs in London, and DACOR in Washington, D.C. He was also a member of the Society of Maritime Arbitrators
David BOREN,
in New York and a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and Royal Asiatic Society in London.
Mr. Rosner is survived by his wife, Jacqueline “Jackie” Martell.
The officers and governors of DACOR were saddened to learn of the deaths of the following colleagues and friends.
a conservative Democrat who was elected governor of Oklahoma at age 33 and went on to serve three terms in the U.S. Senate, where he helped steer debates on national intelligence before resigning to lead his state’s flagship university, died February 20, 2025, outside Newcastle, Oklahoma, at the age of 83.
David Lyle Boren was born April 21, 1941, in Washington, D.C., where his father, Rep. Lyle H. Boren, served in Congress from 1937 to 1947. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1963 from Yale University, where he was a member of the Skull and Bones secret society and president of the Yale Political Union. Following graduation, he attended the University of Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, earning a master’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics in 1965. Three years later, he received a law degree from Oklahoma University.
By 1966, Mr. Boren had already won his first political race for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. During his tenure in the statehouse, he served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, attaining the rank of captain, and taught in the government department at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee. He became governor of Oklahoma in 1975 and then was elected to the U.S. Senate.
During his three terms in the Senate (1978-1994), Mr. Boren was a key voice
on intelligence issues. He emerged as an influential voice on taxation, foreign affairs, and national security, serving for six years — a record, later tied by California democrat Dianne Feinstein — as chair of the Intelligence Committee. He became a prominent anti-apartheid advocate, championing Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in South Africa, and was an influential mentor to George Tenet, an Intelligence Committee staffer who later became the director of the CIA. In 1994, he stepped down from the Senate to become president of University of Oklahoma. He retired in 2018.
Mr. Boren is survived by his wife, Molly Shi; two children from his first marriage, Carrie Headington and Dan Boren, who followed his father and grandfather into politics, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives 20052013; and two grandchildren.
Lo Pan Pamela COLM,
spouse of deceased Foreign Service Officer Peter W. Colm, died October 19, 2024, in Annandale, Virginia, at the age of 95.
Ms. Colm was born September 20, 1929, in Tamsui, Taiwan. She was a third generation Taiwanese whose family had immigrated to the island from Fujian Province, China, during the 1800s. As the eldest of 10 children, she developed strong survival skills early in life. During World War II, she
helped her mother move the family to a mountainside cave to escape U.S. bombing but then returned to Tamsui on her own to cook for her father, who had stayed behind to continue supporting the family as a fisherman.
In 1968, Ms. Colm moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where she lived for much of the rest of her life. Her travels took her to Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In 1981, she married FSO Peter Colm, who was serving as chief of the political section at the U.S. consulate general in Hong Kong. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1987.
In retirement, the couple moved to Lusby, Maryland, where they enjoyed crabbing, kayaking, and visits with their grandchildren.
Ms. Colm was predeceased by her husband of 34 years in 2014. She is survived by three sisters and two brothers, four stepchildren, 16 nieces and nephews, and 6 grandchildren.
Mark J. DAVIS,
retired deputy director of Enterprise Network Management at the State Department, died January 12, 2025, in Ashland, Virginia, at the age of 61.
Mr. Davis was born May 1, 1963. From 1982-1986, Mr. Davis served in the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of sergeant. He joined the Foreign
Service in 1990.
Mr. Davis’s overseas assignments included Sana’a, LaPaz, Zagreb, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Baghdad, and Kabul. He served as a deputy director in the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology’s Enterprise Network Management office before retiring after 30 years of service.
Mr. Davis enjoyed fishing, swimming, working out, video games, and Bible study.
Mr. Davis is survived by his wife, Lily, and daughter, Sarah.
George C. HLOSEK,
retired facility manager with the Foreign Service, died October 7, 2024, in Prague, Czech Republic, at the age of 84.
Mr. Hlosek’s overseas posts included Maputo, Bucharest, Ankara, Rome (twice), Dhaka, Prague, Paris, Tunis, Berlin, Athens, Rangoon, Amman, Vienna, and Istanbul.
Mr. Hlosek was passionate about exploring new cultures and enjoyed meaningful conversations and helping others.
Mr. Hlosek is survived by his wife,
Julia; and four children, Andria, Christina, Christopher, and Alexander.
Robert “Bob” Bruce MORLEY,
retired Foreign Service Officer, died January 19, 2025, in Sugarland, Texas, at the age of 89.
Mr. Morley was born March 7, 1935, in Clinton, Massachusetts. He received a bachelor’s degree from Central College in Iowa in 1957. He then worked as a teacher for five years before joining the Foreign Service in 1962.
During his career, Mr. Morley served in Norway, Barbados, Poland, Venezuela, and as deputy chief of mission in Ecuador before spending two years attached to the National Security Council under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Morley returned to Venezuela as deputy chief of mission just before retiring at the rank of ambassador in 1995.
In retirement, he earned a master’s degree from George Mason University and continued to be active in his community—working election polls, serving on committees, starting book clubs, and volunteering.
Mr. Morley was predeceased by two sons, David and Dennis. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his son, Tim; and his daughter, Karen.
Ellen Largent PERLMAN,
spouse of retired Foreign Service Officer with U.S. Information Agency (USIA) Alvin Perlman, died October 27, 2024, in Delray Beach, Florida, at the age of 96.
Ms. Perlman was born in 1928 in Winchester, Virginia.
She received a bachelor’s degree from Westhampton College, University of Richmond in 1950. She taught school in Winchester before moving to Washington, D.C., where she worked as a researcher and writer at the National Geographic Society and then for Richard Scammon, a political scientist who was appointed director of the Bureau of the Census by President John F. Kennedy. In 1962 she married Al Perlman.
Over the next 25 years, Ms. Perlman accompanied her husband on tour to India, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and Romania. She taught English as a second language at all posts. When he was assigned to Hue, during the
DACOR maintains two burial sections at Rock Creek Cemetery in honor of DACOR members who served their country through Foreign Service. Currently, ground and niche sites are available; each site accommodates two caskets or urns. The sections are wellmaintained by the DACOR Memorial Committee and include a granite monument inscribed “In Remembrance of their Service to their Country” as well as a sitting and reflection area. For more information, contact Rock
Vietnam War, she safe-havened in Bangkok.
In 1986, Mr. Perlman retired from USIA, and the couple moved to Winchester, Virginia, and then to Huntington Point in Delray Beach, Florida in 1994. There, Ms. Perlman joined the Delray Beach Chapter of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee and enjoyed serving as the editor of its bulletin from 1999 until 2004. She also presented in several study groups, focusing on King Richard III’s lineage as well as documenting the achievements of women painters throughout history, an interest that continued for the rest of her life.
Ms. Perlman was preceded in death by her siblings and their spouses. She is survived by her husband, Al, of 62 years and many nieces and nephews from both the Perlman and Largent families.
Derek Staughton SINGER,
retired Foreign Service Officer with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), died December 24, 2024, near Washington, D.C., at the age of 95.
A second-generation American, Mr. Singer was born in 1929 on Staten Island, New York. Long interested in international affairs, he attended graduate school at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He joined USAID in 1954.
Mr. Singer served as CARE country director in Bolivia. He was then assigned to the Mutual Security Mission to China in Taiwan, and from there to Japan. In 1958 he was transferred to Costa Rica. He then helped open the USAID mission in the Congo. In 1961, Mr. Singer left USAID to work with the fledgling Peace Corps. After exploring and negotiating the first Peace Corps programs in South America, he was named country director in Bolivia, where he had earlier served with CARE, and then to Indonesia
for a short stint before the looming civil war there forced the program to close. Mr. Singer became Peace Corps country director in Tunisia until 1966, when he resigned from the Peace Corps.
For the next 15 years, Mr. Singer worked in the private sector, including a long stint in the Chicago area with PBS station WTTW. In 1980 Mr. Singer rejoined USAID. He was first assigned to Zaire, where he served for four years, and subsequently served in Kenya, Ecuador, and Cameroon. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1994.
Hon. Frank WISNER,
elder statesman of American foreign policy who worked as an ambassador to four countries, advised corporations on global affairs and came out of retirement to help with delicate negotiations in Kosovo and Cairo, died February 24, 2025, in Mill Neck, New York, at the age of 86.
Ambassador Wisner was born July 2, 1938, in Manhattan. The son of a decorated spy who helped found the CIA, he mingled with Cabinet secretaries and Pentagon officials as a boy, shaking hands with General George C. Marshall and Allen Dulles when his parents hosted dignitaries in their Georgetown home. He received a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 1961. That same year he joined the Foreign Service.
The next year, Ambassador Wisner arrived in Algiers, where he settled into his first State Department posting just as the country was celebrating its independence from France. He was sent to South Vietnam in 1964 and, after assignments in Tunisia and Bangladesh, joined a presidential task force managing the resettlement of some 1 million Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees.
President Jimmy Carter named Mr. Wisner ambassador to Zambia in 1979,
and he was later tapped as top diplomat in Egypt by Ronald Reagan, in the Philippines by George H.W. Bush and in India by Bill Clinton. For a few hours in January 1993, the day of Clinton’s first inauguration, he served as acting secretary of state. The position came in between a pair of influential Washington postings, as undersecretary of state for international security affairs and undersecretary of defense for policy. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1997.
After retirement, Ambassador Wisner served as a vice chairman of the insurance giant AIG for more than a decade and was a board member at Enron Oil & Gas (now EOG Resources) and an international affairs adviser at the lobbying and legal powerhouse Squire Patton Boggs until his death.
Ambassador Wisner is survived by his wife, Judy Cormier; daughter Sabrina; son David; two stepchildren from his second marriage, Caroline and Olivier Sarkozy; two stepchildren from Cormier’s earlier marriage, Jamie and Christopher; and 12 grandchildren.
DACOR Bulletin Obituaries
DACOR welcomes receiving obituaries of foreign affairs professionals, whether DACOR members or otherwise. They are reviewed by Obituaries Editor Frances Burnet, primarily for length; 500 words usually suffices.
The deadline for submissions is the 1st day of the previous month; i.e. for the May issue, please email the obit by April 1st to Christine Skodon at: clskodon@dacorbacon.org
The obituaries that are featured in the DACOR Bulletin are adapted from a variety of sources: information provided by loved ones of the deceased; the Washington Post, New York Times, Foreign Service Journal and other periodicals; ADST's Oral History Collection; historical documents; and others. Please contact DACOR for sources used for a specific obituary.
