Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday and announced new positions to assist in promoting our diplomatic efforts around the globe.  The first position is a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Media Support in State’s Bureau of Public Affairs, which will “facilitate coordinated and high level attention to foreign media.”  McHale explained she has asked all Public Affairs Officers “to be more aggressive and strategic in their communications efforts,”  and one success she cited is how “our Embassies successfully changed the global narrative about our rescue and relief efforts following the tragic earthquake in Haiti.”

McHale also announced that each of the regional bureaus will have a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. “These officers will be responsible for ensuring that a public diplomacy perspective is incorporated as part of senior policy deliberations and for coordinating all our public diplomacy initiatives throughout their respective regions,” she said.

As Secretary Clinton and Mrs. Obama celebrated International Women of Courage Awards yesterday at the State Department, McHale also touched upon the importance of assisting women abroad in U.S. foreign policymaking:

Women account for over 50% of the world’s population and yet in too many parts of the world they lack access to education and fundamental rights. Countless reports and studies demonstrate that increased participation by women in the social, economic, and political lives of their countries results in more stable productive societies. We must continue to develop and deploy new programs to support and empower women as they seek to improve their lives and communities.

The USGLC keeps an eye on the foreign-policy decision making structure, so make sure you take a look at our Global Plum Book and take a look at all the senior-level officials working on international affairs within the administration.