Retired Ambassador Geeta Pasi, the inaugural Donald F. McHenry Visiting Professor in Diplomacy and International Affairs, opened her November 13 lecture, “Representing America Abroad: Telling our story, advancing American interests, and serving Americans,” with a vivid description about her work as the head of the Afghanistan Desk at the State Department on September 11, 2001. Weaving anecdotes and experiences from her long career as a diplomat, Pasi explained the privilege and struggles of representing America abroad.
A three-time ambassador, Pasi most recently served as U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia until 2022. She also served as U.S. Ambassador to Chad (2016-18) and Djibouti (2011-14) as well as principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs, leading a team that developed and advanced U.S. policy. Previous overseas posts included Cameroon, Romania, Germany, Bangladesh, Ghana, and India, where she focused on human rights, democracy, and humanitarian assistance, and advocated for U.S. business.
In her lecture that vacillated between funny, inspiring, and heartbreaking, the former ambassador detailed her career beginning with service in consular affairs, helping with tasks such as visas and international adoptions. She also explained her work to engage with other countries to help the purchase of American goods, such as airplanes. And, finally the ambassador told of serving as the highest-ranking American official in multiple countries and the challenges that come with that service. In doing so, she encouraged students to look to careers in diplomacy and gave insight into how students might begin these careers.
The Donald F. McHenry Visiting Professorship in Diplomacy and International Affairs is named in honor of former Ambassador Donald F. McHenry and is made possible because of an endowment created by McHenry for these purposes. McHenry graduated from Illinois State University in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in history. He joined the U.S. Department of State in 1963. He specialized in foreign policy for a series of private institutions from 1971-76 before serving as a member of the transition staff after the election of President Jimmy Carter in 1976. In March 1977, McHenry was named U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations Security Council. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the Carter administration from 1979-81. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Diplomacy. As visiting professor, Pasi is teaching at Illinois State University in the Department of Politics and Government in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
