“Diplomacy 101: My Journey from Spanish Major to the State Department” This presentation will center the unique journey of Krystle Norman, Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Portugal, from Spanish major to State Department, highlighting how she translated her humanities background, part-time work, and internship experiences into her dream job – U.S. diplomat.

Bio

Krystle Norman is a U.S. diplomat with a passion for youth outreach and cultural exchanges. Krystle currently serves as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. In her last assignment, she was the Deputy Coordinator for Cultural Affairs Training at the State Department’s training facility, the Foreign Service Institute. As an instructor, Krystle trained, inspired, and empowered public diplomacy practitioners on how to advance foreign policy priorities overseas through speaker programs, exchanges, cultural events, and English language classes. Previously, Krystle served as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, as well as did economic and consular work at the U.S. Embassy in Dominican Republic. Krystle is a Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow, and prior to joining the State Department, she interned at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, a certificate in African American studies, and a Master of Public Policy.