After State: Employment Opportunities for Former Public Diplomacy Professionals - August 19 at 6:00 p.m.

Please join PDCA for discussion of employment opportunities for former public diplomacy professionals and how to describe previous experiences for non-governmental sectors.

The discussion will take place on Tuesday, August 19, at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.

The discussion will be chaired by Paul Kruchoski. Other speakers include Heather Eaton, Matthew Gosko, and Tracy Schario.

To register for the discussion, click here.
Paul Kruchoski: Over nearly two decades at the State Department,Paul led transformative initiatives at the intersection of diplomacy and technology, always putting people at the center of innovation.

As Director of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy, he managed a $1.5 billion budget while building data-driven frameworks that modernized how the U.S. approaches diplomatic engagement. Previously, he created and scaled the Research and Evaluation Unit from scratch, integrating evidence-based decision-making across America's public diplomacy community.

His approach combines strategic vision with practical implementation. He pioneered data-driven diplomacy frameworks, led education technology initiatives reaching 97+ embassies, and guided teams through complex organizational changes—always focused on empowering practitioners with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

Heather Eaton: Heather retired from the Foreign Service PD cone in April of this year. She is currently Vice President of Corporate Communications at MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group). She authored an article on how she managed her transition from State to the private sector, including the best practices she listed in her LinkedIn article.

Matthew Goshko: Senior Advisor at Redpoint Advisors, Mexico City, Matthew is a new PDCA member who worked in Washington and overseas as a spokesperson and senior advisor. He previously served as DCM in Port au Prince. He reports: My job with Redpoint came about because a former colleague from a previous posting is a senior director there and saw I was looking for work on LinkedIn. "I might be able to discuss how LinkedIn was helpful, how you present yourself in a positive manner, as well as some risks. I am not sure if the Department will offer the Retirement Seminar to FSOs involuntarily RIF'd, but if it does, I think that is a valuable resource. If not, I can recommend one of the transition coaches, also a former FSO, who participated in the seminar and set up some counseling seminars for other retired FSOs (including I think one for USAID officials who were RIF'd but denied the retirement seminar).

Tracy Schario: Deputy, Communications at Mitre, past GWU spokesperson, who ran her own PR consultancy. Tracy is a member of PRSA with the APR certificate and Fellow status. Tracy can offer advice on what hiring professionals look for in the academia and non-profit sectors.