Heather Steil
Foreign Service Officer
U.S. Department of State
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I fell into a career in software development, which led to internet project management.
When the internet bubble burst, I began taking graduate courses in humanities for fun.
Then one day on campus I happened to see a poster advertising the Foreign Service exam.
By that twist of fate, I joined became a Foreign Service Officer in 2005.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Foreign Service Officer
Advance U.S. interests overseas; inform foreign audiences about U.S. policies and culture.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Government
Non-Profit Organizations
Communicating / Sharing Stories
Day to Day
Manage all U.S. embassy's public outreach and communication activities. In any given day, I might: write a speech for the ambassador, work with other U.S. agencies to draft a press release, plan a film festival or musical performance by an American artist, develop a social media campaign to highlight American companies working in the country where I'm assigned, increase people-to-people ties through virtual and in-person exchange programs, encourage foreign students to study in the U.S.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Be aware of global current affairs. Learn about U.S. politics and culture beyond your own ideas and opinions.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"You have no business joining the Foreign Service. You didn't study international relations nor have you ever worked in government or politics."
Challenges I Overcame
Complacency
