In the News Archives - Page 3 of 14

IRM connects Department throughout pandemic

By Katherine Davis The COVID-19 pandemic propelled the Department of State into a new way of doing business. Across the Department, office managers had to determine how to accommodate staff...

A newly acquired Tesla Model 3 is parked in front of Embassy Wellington’s renovated chancery building in New Zealand. Photo by Ola Thorson

Embassy Wellington showcases U.S. green technology with new official vehicle

By Gavin Elliott A new Tesla Model 3 with diplomatic plates graces the streets of Wellington, New Zealand. With the newest addition to the embassy motor pool, Mission New...

Microsoft Teams enhances communication and collaboration

By Robert Watts Many Department of State employees have discovered the value of Microsoft Teams on the Department’s network during the past several months. Now auto-starting on OpenNet desktops, available on...

Creating a culture of inclusion

By Andrea Cilliers The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was a monumental step in recognizing and protecting a segment of citizens whose civil rights had been disregarded...

Staff members from Consulate Azores virtually attend a meet-and-greet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal George Glass (center), hosted at Embassy Lisbon, Dec. 5, 2019. Photo courtesy of Embassy Portugal

Consulate Azores celebrates 225 years of diplomacy

By Kathryn Hammond Portugal’s Azores islands, an archipelago in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, celebrates the 225th anniversary as the oldest continually operating U.S. consulate in the...

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Affairs’ (OBO) Diversity and Inclusion virtual discussion featured OBO Director Addison "Tad" Davis IV, OBO Principal Deputy Director Henry Jardine, Deputy Assistant Secretary Mirembe Nantongo from the Bureau of Global Talent Management, and President of the National Organization of Minority Architects from the architecture firm HOK Kimberly Dowdell. Photo courtesy of OBO

OBO announces bureau-specific diversity and inclusion strategy

By Christine Foushee In line with the Department of State’s commitment to developing a cohesive Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategic Plan, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) released...

Luigi Lusi, help desk coordinator for the Information Systems Center at Embassy Rome, monitors myServices—a tool used at overseas posts for submitting requests for anything from information technology, housing issues, supplies, or transportation—while working remotely from home. Photo courtesy of Luigi Lusi

Embassy Rome’s IT support promotes resilience with music

By Leon G. Galanos Department of State employees have remained remarkably productive even while observing all measures to keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote access and collaboration...

When designing the main entrance pavilion for the new U.S. Embassy in Oslo, the permit authorities asked OBO’s architects to add way-finding guides for low-sighted persons who use long white canes. There is no such requirement in either the ADA or the ABA, however, OBO successfully completed the project. Photo by Ron Tomasso

OBO’s Barrier-Free Accessibility Program

by Ron Tomasso Way-finding guides, an accessible feature that assists low-sighted individuals who use long white canes, were added by OBO to the design of the entrance of...

The Transition Center’s Division Director for Training Laura Smallwood leads a “Brain Fitness for Resilience” webinar with her co-worker Dursley, April 23. Photo courtesy of Laura Smallwood

Strengthening workforce resilience during a pandemic

By Sarah Genton Demand for resilience services from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is greater than ever as thousands of diplomats return stateside and thousands more work from home anxiously waiting out the coronavirus global...

IRM staff conducts a Telework Readiness Workshop in the Harry S. Truman Building cafeteria, March 13. Photo by Laura Williams

IRM equips Department during telework surge

By Eboni York As the Department of State grappled with unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Information Resources Management (IRM) has ensured that personnel serving around...