Davis Fellows An Enduring Legacy -- A Productive Partnership, by Sherry Lee Mueller
While he was leading the Council of American Ambassadors, Ambassador Gelb convinced Katherine Davis, an impressive PD practitioner in her own right, to endow this program that has provided additional training to outstanding mid-career Foreign Service Officers with public diplomacy portfolios. It was Ambassador Gelb who invited the Public Diplomacy Council (now PDCA) to recruit mentors to engage in monthly discussions on a wide range of topics --both substantive and process-oriented. These discussions have provided PDCA members with ideal opportunities to share their knowledge and experience and, also, to learn about the types of challenges current PD Officers are facing.
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Sarah Rogers, was the featured speaker. She made an engaging presentation and shared some personal reflections on what serving in this position means to her and how she endeavors “to be worthy of the role.” During her remarks she recounted the impressive accomplishments of the new class of four Davis Fellows.
The CAA also used the occasion to present certificates to the three Davis Fellows who had just completed their year of additional training. In addition to monthly sessions with PDCA mentors, that training includes participation in the USC Center for Public Diplomacy Summer Institute and preparation of an article that is published in the CAA journal. The dinner, held in the Members Dining Room at the Cosmos Club, was convivial and a spirited celebration of the achievements of outstanding PD professionals who work diligently every day to put Uncle Sam’s best foot forward.
Sherry Lee Mueller, Ph.D., Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, School of International Service (SIS), American University, Washington, D.C., teaches a graduate Practicum entitled Cultural Diplomacy and International Exchange. She also teaches a Skills Institute entitled Cultural Diplomacy and Protocol. In spring 2015, Professor Mueller served as the Higher Education Specialist for IBTCI on a bi-national team conducting a mid-term evaluation of a USAID-sponsored scholarship program for Indonesians. This included six weeks of fieldwork in Indonesia. After serving as President of Global Ties U.S. (formerly NCIV) from 1996 to 2011, the NCIV Board of Directors named Sherry President Emeritus. Before NCIV, Sherry worked for the Institute of International Education (IIE) for eighteen years, first as a program officer and then as Director, Professional Exchange Programs. Prior to joining IIE, Ms. Mueller served as an Experiment in International Living Leader to the former Soviet Union, a Liaison Officer for the U.S. Department of State, and a lecturer at the University of Rhode Island.Ms. Mueller is an active volunteer. She served for 3 years as the President of the Public Diplomacy Council, and another year as Co-President of the newly merged organization, the Public Diplomacy Council of America. She has also served on the boards of other nonprofit organizations including World Learning, PYXERA Global, Friendship Force International, Business for Diplomatic Action, the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, and the International Student House in Washington D.C. Currently she serves on the AU SIS Dean's Advisory Board and the Board of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST).