2024 Ameri Prize Recognizes Morgan O’Brien for Innovative Campaign to Transform Visa Processes

WASHINGTON, DC, October 2, 2024—The USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) recognized Morgan O’Brien as the 2024 recipient of the Ameri Prize for Innovation in Public Diplomacy for his innovative strategies and significant impacts supporting the Office of Visa Services over the past two years.

As the first-ever Industry Liaison for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, O'Brien spearheaded a public diplomacy strategy that transformed perceptions of U.S. visa processing from a source of frustration into a symbol of America’s openness for business.  His efforts also showcased the broader potential of visa services to advance America’s foreign policy and commercial priorities. 

The annual Ameri Prize honors U.S. foreign and civil service officers for creative and scalable initiatives that advance global public diplomacy.  Established by CPD in 2021, the award is endowed by entrepreneur and diplomat, Goli Ameri.

“Morgan is highly deserving of this recognition,” said Ameri.  “Using his entrepreneurial expertise, he crafted a groundbreaking strategy that reframed public perception of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, all while demonstrating the significance of visas as a tool for public diplomacy.”

A 15-year Foreign Service veteran, O’Brien’s diverse career spans roles in consular affairs, press attaché positions overseas, and leadership in sports diplomacy – including a stint with the National Basketball Association as a Council on Foreign Relations fellow.  A Long Island native, Morgan is an Air Force veteran and an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

At the Bureau of Consular Affairs, one of O’Brien’s signature achievements was the "50 for 50 Initiative,” where he orchestrated hundreds of engagements across all 50 states.  The campaign not only brought the Bureau of Consular Affairs closer to U.S. businesses, universities, and media but also strengthened domestic networks by identifying the businesses, organizations, and government officials that were poised to benefit from Visa Office engagement.  O’Brien connected with influential figures, such as Fortune 500 CEOs and officials representing all the professional sports leagues, effectively shifting negative narratives about visa wait times and securing their support for U.S. government innovations.  His work culminated in high-profile successes, such as assisting the production crew of Beast Philanthropy, YouTube superstar Mr. Beast’s philanthropic arm, in shooting a video that generated revenue to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in Philadelphia, and driving support for women's entrepreneurship programs abroad.

O’Brien also demonstrated innovation in reshaping visa renewals by leading the team that re-launched the State Department’s domestic visa renewal program after a nearly 20-year hiatus.  The program, which spared thousands of petition-based visa holders from unnecessary travel to renew their visas, was a key deliverable during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2023 State Visit and supported over 2,000 businesses across nearly all 50 states.

“Morgan’s ability to streamline bureaucracy and empower junior colleagues demonstrates not only his personal excellence but also his lasting influence on the Bureau of Consular Affairs,” said Ameri.

Past Ameri Prize winners include Alexander Hunt, recognized for leading the charge to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the State Department’s public diplomacy workflows; Alys Spensley, honored for her innovative work in Beijing applying social and digital analytics to expand social media impact; and Gretchen Franke and Chad Houghton, recognized for developing a groundbreaking AI-based tool to counter disinformation in Poland.

About the USC Center on Public Diplomacy

Established in 2003 at the University of Southern California, the USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) is a research, analysis and professional training organization dedicated to furthering the study and practice of global public diplomacy.  Since its inception, CPD has become an ambitious and productive leader in the public diplomacy research and scholarship community and plays host to robust discussions about the future of public diplomacy. To learn more about CPD, please visit USCPublicDiplomacy.org.

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