AAFSW — Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

Honorable Mentions

Honoring Excellence.
Inspiring Others.

Recognizing exceptional Foreign Service volunteers and programs making a lasting difference in their communities, 2022–2025.

“Watching refugee children enjoy their childhood again... after a few visits, children are dancing, creating beautiful art, making friends. Ukrainian mothers thank us every day.”
Meredith WiedemerMoldova
“It allows me to transcend languages and cultures and feel unified.”
Debra StockQatar
“It is communicating with the language of love. They have shown me that the impossible is possible.”
Debra StockQatar
“By volunteering, we exemplify the best of the American tradition of helping and raising our communities — whether in small town USA or at some distant outpost abroad.”
Denis RajicShanghai, China
“Serving as a volunteer is a means of giving back to a community that takes care of you.”
Vicki DanielShanghai, China
“Witnessing the project grow beyond my initial idea into something that the people of Madagascar have embraced is a priceless gift.”
Justin WimpeyMadagascar
2025 SOSA Winner
“Even small acts of service can create lasting ripples of hope, belonging, and connection.”
Jennifer SturgeonNetherlands
“Every year, I'm blown away by what people are doing overseas.”
James A. Baker IIISOSA Co-Founder
“Volunteerism by members of our Foreign Service community is not just a kindness. It is an essential and underappreciated dimension of American foreign policy.”
Susan BakerSOSA Co-Founder
“Watching refugee children enjoy their childhood again... after a few visits, children are dancing, creating beautiful art, making friends. Ukrainian mothers thank us every day.”
Meredith WiedemerMoldova
“It allows me to transcend languages and cultures and feel unified.”
Debra StockQatar
“It is communicating with the language of love. They have shown me that the impossible is possible.”
Debra StockQatar
“By volunteering, we exemplify the best of the American tradition of helping and raising our communities — whether in small town USA or at some distant outpost abroad.”
Denis RajicShanghai, China
“Serving as a volunteer is a means of giving back to a community that takes care of you.”
Vicki DanielShanghai, China
“Witnessing the project grow beyond my initial idea into something that the people of Madagascar have embraced is a priceless gift.”
Justin WimpeyMadagascar
2025 SOSA Winner
“Even small acts of service can create lasting ripples of hope, belonging, and connection.”
Jennifer SturgeonNetherlands
“Every year, I'm blown away by what people are doing overseas.”
James A. Baker IIISOSA Co-Founder
“Volunteerism by members of our Foreign Service community is not just a kindness. It is an essential and underappreciated dimension of American foreign policy.”
Susan BakerSOSA Co-Founder

Behind every number, every honoree, every volunteer, is a community that was changed.

2025

  • NEAKaleigh Fountain— 🇸🇦Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • EAPAmy Kennedy— 🇨🇳Beijing, China
  • EAPThomas Lee— 🇲🇲Rangoon, Burma
  • EAPCarlo Cressotti— 🇫🇯Suva, Fiji
  • WHAFrancisco Ordaz— 🇹🇹Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
  • AFMargie Tidwell— 🇪🇹Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • EURPatty Liddle— 🇹🇷Istanbul, Turkey
  • SCAKatryn DeMeritt Stewart— 🇹🇲Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

2024

  • AFValerie Wendell— 🇨🇩Kinshasa, DRC
  • AFJoel McDonell— 🇧🇼Gaborone, Botswana
  • EAPThanh Kim— 🇰🇷Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • EURSarah Berdugo— 🇫🇷Paris, France
  • NEAJessica Baetjer— 🇯🇴Amman, Jordan
  • SCAStefanie Hendricks— 🇰🇿Astana, Kazakhstan
  • SCALianne Tuomey— 🇳🇵Kathmandu, Nepal
  • WHASusannah Holmes— 🇸🇻San Salvador, El Salvador

2023

  • AFHeather Nader— 🇰🇪Nairobi, Kenya
  • AFDiane Young— 🇰🇪Nairobi, Kenya
  • AFDanielle Muench— 🇰🇪Nairobi, Kenya
  • EURSarah Begbie— 🇦🇲Yerevan, Armenia
  • EURMikell Reed Carroll— 🇷🇸Belgrade, Serbia
  • SCAJason Coombs— 🇱🇰Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • WHAMalia Skaret— 🇵🇾Asunción, Paraguay

2022

  • AFSonia Carolina Torres López— 🇬🇳Conakry, Guinea
  • EAPLing L.C. Conley— 🇨🇳Beijing, China
  • EUROndrej Hindl— 🇬🇪Tbilisi, Georgia
  • NEAJohn Wesley Kane— 🇮🇱East Jerusalem, Israel/Palestinian Territories
  • WHAWiley Skaret— 🇨🇴Bogotá, Colombia
These individuals represent the full breadth of SOSA recognition. For main award winners, explore the Award Recipient Stories.