Diplomat in Residence – South

(AL, GA, SC)


Saúl Hernández, DIR South

Region: South

Affiliate Schools: Morehouse College (HBCU) and Spelman College (HBCU)

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Tours: Director of the Outreach and Communications Unit, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources – Washington, DC; Press Officer – Lima, Peru; Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Digital Media Advisor – Washington, DC; Foreign Press Center Media Relations Officer – Washington, DC; Cultural Affairs Officer – Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; Consular Officer – Prague, Czech Republic; Consular Officer – Bogotá, Colombia

Career Track: Public Diplomacy

Years of Service: 18

Prior Experience: Before joining the Foreign Service, I was an information technology specialist and consultant in Atlanta, Georgia.

Languages: Spanish, Czech, Georgian

Education: Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Interesting Experience:  As a Foreign Service Officer, I have had several opportunities to highlight U.S. humanitarian assistance efforts.  When the COVID-19 pandemic struck Peru in 2020, a number of U.S. federal agencies provided donations and support totaling millions of dollars, including personal protective equipment, contact tracing coordination, and mobile testing laboratories.  My job was to share information about these efforts through press releases, social media, and news conferences.  One donation was so substantial that the Peruvian president and our Chief of Mission participated in a live television news conference at an air base in Lima, with pallets of equipment behind them.  Watching the event broadcast on all the country’s major broadcasters and reading the posts from thousands of Peruvians who thanked the United States for its helping hand to their country in a time of need, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

Last Post: Washington DC, Director of the Outreach and Communications Unit for the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources.

Why I Chose the Foreign Service: I spent several years living abroad with my family when my father was deployed as a U.S. service member, and it spurred my interest in public service and international affairs.  On my first day in Foreign Service orientation, I felt like I had made the right choice, with colleagues from diverse backgrounds who were interested in making a positive contribution to U.S. foreign policy.  This is a challenging career, but incredibly rewarding.  You will develop a deep knowledge of other countries and cultures, make lifelong friends, and know that your work makes a difference.