George Joins CPD as Fifth U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence

Atim Eneida George is joining the USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School as the U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence for the 2011-2012 term. George is an accomplished career Senior Foreign Service Officer and has over 25 years of experience in international affairs on issues ranging from human rights and democratization to science and technology. She most recently finished a term as the Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria.

CPD Director, Philip Seib notes, "Atim brings to CPD a wealth of knowledge about Africa and about the practice of public diplomacy. We are grateful to the U.S. Department of State for allowing her to be with us."

George holds a B.A. in Speech Communication from Boston College, an M.Ed. from Rutgers University and an M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She has received numerous awards including the American Foreign Service Association’s Harriman Award for "extraordinary contributions to the practice of diplomacy exemplifying intellectual courage and a zeal for creative accomplishment.” George was also the recipient of a 2005 State Department Superior Honor Award for “forging smart partnerships that promote democratic values and advance international understanding, exemplifying the best use of America’s ‘soft power’ to influence and persuade.” In 2006 Ms. George was honored with a Chieftaincy title, Yeye Araba, by the Ooni of Ile Ife and she received an honorary doctorate from Babcock University for her work in Diplomacy and Peace Initiatives.

About the U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence
Established in 2005 by joint agreement between the USC Center on Public Diplomacy and the office of the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence is a one-year detail assignment for one Senior Foreign Service Public Diplomacy Officer. While in residence at the Center, the U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence teaches at least one course in the USC Master of Public Diplomacy program and engages in individualized program research and writing for the Center's publication series as well as outreach to students and the academic community on matters related to public diplomacy. The U.S. Public Diplomat in Residence program is unique to the University of Southern California. To view a list of previous post holders, click here.