Apr 25
CarlsChat with Tom and Kirsten Selinger P'28, U.S. Foreign Service
Tom and Kirsten Selinger P'28, will be sharing their career paths through our CarlsChat program. This is a great way to explore and network with alumni/parents in career paths that you may have interest in.
Tom Selinger is a twenty-seven year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service currently serving as the executive director of the nonpartisan Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, a nonprofit dedicated to capturing and sharing the experiences of America's diplomats. He most recently served in the State Department as the director of European affairs in the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, a position he took on after returning from Kyrgyzstan, where he was chief of the Political and Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek. Tom's other overseas assignments have included Denmark, Croatia, Albania, and Trinidad and Tobago, and his duties have ranged from counterterrorism and military cooperation to assistance for American citizens. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, including combat service with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm, and worked as a locally-employed political specialist for the Canadian government at their Consulate in Minneapolis, MN.
Kirsten Selinger is a career Foreign Service Officer serving as Director of the Economic and Commercial Studies Division at the U.S. Department of State’s National Foreign Affairs Training Center. The Division offers courses in economics, commercial diplomacy, energy, emerging technology, cyberspace and other global 21 st century challenges. Immediately prior, she was Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Policy (EP) in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. EP leads multilateral economic affairs, including U.S. negotiations in APEC, and regional economic policy and assistance. She served as Public Affairs Chief in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, countering disinformation and implementing U.S. regional and bilateral programs.