Amb. Liliana Ayalde reflects on mentorship, interagency collaboration, and how to improve the U.S. position in the Western Hemisphere Modern American Diplomacy

Liliana Ayalde reflects on a long and accomplished career in assistance, public health, and diplomacy. Beginning with her first posting with USAID in Bangladesh, Amb. Ayalde traces lessons learned and her abiding contributions to international development and diplomacy in the U.S. Foreign Service. She bounces back from serious medical leave; she gets help from allies like Amb. Roberta Jacobson; and she confronts tension relations following the Snowden disclosures. Amb. Ayalde speaks to the importance of mentorship, identifying leadership talents, and personal flexibility when it comes to seizing opportunities, as well as collaborating with other agencies. When facing challenges in her ambassadorial and State Department roles, Amb. Ayalde was able to utilize the lessons she learned in USAID to cultivate excellence in her work, inspiring younger officers along the way.