As we approach our 40th anniversary in 2027, we are excited to share that the Roth Foundation has been growing a lot, in terms of both our programs and our board. We thought it might be interesting for you to “meet” the board members who make it all happen. So, welcome to our ninth Board Member Spotlight, on Lisa Helling!
I was aware of the Lois Roth Foundation during my Foreign Service career and of its focus on cultural and educational diplomacy. I particularly admired its recognition of the valuable achievements of international staff members and public diplomacy officers working at U.S. Embassies in their host countries. Serving on the Foundation board has allowed me to remain involved in cultural diplomacy and stay in contact with long-time colleagues. Assisting in the Foundation’s projects feels meaningful, as they promote cross-cultural friendship and understanding and support a new generation of academics and public diplomacy professionals working to maintain a solid foundation of mutual understanding.
I am now retired from the Foreign Service and living in Denver, Colorado, far from the Washington, DC hub of diplomacy and foreign policy. Happily, there are Fulbrighters everywhere, and Denver not only has a very vibrant international profile, but its universities are also globally-minded and attractive to a wide range of international academics and visitors. My involvement with my alma mater, the University of Denver, support for the regional Fulbright Association, and work with World Denver and the Women’s Foundation of Colorado are in harmony with LRF’s priorities.
Right after graduating from high school, I had the good fortune to participate in an exchange program in England. As my first sojourn outside the U.S., everything about it was new and exciting. It exposed me to unfamiliar perspectives, challenged my assumptions, and provided me with an outside lens on American society, culture, and, of course, language. Although I had no concept of diplomacy at that age and was far from thinking about future job prospects, much less professions, this experience most certainly planted the seeds of my interest in international affairs. After many years, and a long detour practicing international trade and intellectual property law, joining the Foreign Service eventually fulfilled this long-held interest. My exchange experience also unquestionably informed my desire to join what, at the time, was USIS and focus on cultural and educational diplomacy.
I have great admiration for all of the Foundation’s programs and awards because each recognizes the work of public diplomacy—including in the work of scholars, artists, and translators—and encourages cross-cultural knowledge, understanding, and friendship. I particularly appreciate our small grants to Fulbright fellows in several countries. By offering the recipients the opportunity to extend the depth and reach of their Fulbright project, they enhance future cohorts of professionals who have strong bonds and friendships with counterparts in other countries that may last a lifetime. As is true of many of the tools of public diplomacy, this process has a long horizon. Ideally, it can spin and weave the threads of strong international relationships into a fabric of peace and security capable of enduring existential challenges.
As an independent, nonprofit organization soon to celebrate 40 years, the Roth Foundation has the advantage of longevity as well as consistency. As federal government policies and priorities shift over time, it continues to build on long-held values and supports work premised on the idea that cross-cultural awareness and understanding are in the national and global interest. Our mission is clear and well established… and is crucially important to maintain and promote, particularly in view of current competing influences in the world. The Foundation thus occupies an important niche in the practice of US diplomacy, one that will hopefully continue long into the future. We must not forget that its longevity, value, and impact depend on the involvement, support, and visibility of its community of awardees, grant recipients, and supporters.
