Cultural Diplomacy
In recollection of Lois Roth’s efforts to promote cross‐cultural understanding and cooperation as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, the Roth Foundation partners with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) (U.S. State Department), to provide the department’s four awards honoring excellence in the field of cultural and educational diplomacy.
The Lois Roth Foundation Awards for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy cover the range of professionals serving as cultural diplomats for the United States.
- The Lois Roth Award recognizes the contributions of a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department.
- The Ilchman‐Richardson Award recognizes the contributions of an ECA administrator working on the domestic management of U.S. cultural diplomacy.
- The Gill Jacot‐Guillarmod Award recognizes the contributions of a mid-career level Locally-Employed Specialist (LES) working at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas.
- The Jodie Lewinsohn Career Achievement Awards recognize the sustained contributions of Locally-Employed Specialists at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas.
In 2018, the Roth Foundation introduced the Emeritus Award, designed to honor lifetime contributions to international cultural and educational relations. In addition to retired diplomats, eligible candidates may have a different background, including in but not restricted to government, universities, US non-profits, international NGOs, etc.
To submit nominations for these awards, please see here.
The Roth Foundation also bestows its own, occasional Citizen’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy, in recognition of contributions to cross-cultural exchange on the part of independent individuals and organizations. Read more about the types of qualities displayed by the recipients of Roth Foundation Awards for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy.
Awards for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy
Lois Roth Award
The Lois Roth Award is presented every year to a Foreign Service Officer who has made significant contributions to the field of US cultural and educational diplomacy. It honors those who exhibit cross-cultural sensitivity in all aspects of their work and show patience, wisdom and generosity in helping new colleagues—both international and US—to pursue and develop their skills and careers. Displaying familiarity with different areas of the world, global affairs, and foreign languages, winners of this award hold substantive discussions with US and foreign scholars, artists, and professionals, while exemplifying Lois Roth’s personal legacy of superior creativity and human warmth in their work with others.
The 2026 Lois Roth Award went to Eric Brassil in recognition of his exceptional creativity and strategic vision in using public diplomacy tools in Bulgaria to advance US foreign policy goals, counter strategic competitors, and build sustainable, force-multiplying institutions. Through integrated educational, exchange, alumni, cultural, and speaker programs, he transformed the Ambassador’s Youth Council into a national, alumni-led NGO; expanded youth engagement through American Corners and private-sector partnerships; advanced US commercial and security priorities in nuclear energy, cybersecurity, and NATO interoperability; and leveraged Fulbright, YTILI, and alumni networks to promote pro-US leadership and innovation. By maximizing limited resources, mentoring his team, and creating scalable models with long-term impact, Eric has shifted US public diplomacy in Bulgaria from reactive to proactive, and exemplifies Lois Roth’s legacy of creativity, public service, and strategic foreign policy impact.
An Honorable Mention was awarded to Merlyn Schultz for her role in redefining cultural and educational diplomacy as a strategic tool to advance US foreign policy, national security, and bilateral cooperation with Mexico. Her initiatives include: a landmark partnership with the University of Guadalajara to renew the American Space and deliver 500 AI certifications; a nationwide YLAI alumni campaign countering cartel recruitment; the CodeCup 2026 / America 250 Hackathon, supporting World Cup security; English training for 200 first responders in Jalisco; and Spanish-language media outreach to counter asylum misinformation that reached 44 million viewers. She has delivered measurable outcomes that strengthen US influence, protect US citizens, and build durable institutional capacity. Her work exemplifies creativity, strategic vision, and results-oriented public diplomacy in the spirit of Lois Roth.
Ilchman‐Richardson Award
Instituted in 2007, the Ilchman‐Richardson Award recognizes an ECA employee in Washington who has made significant contributions to the management of US cultural diplomacy, while leading and mentoring others. It is named in appreciation of two former ECA Assistant Secretaries, Alice Ilchman and John Richardson. After her tenure at ECA, Alice Ilchman, formerly Dean of Wellesley College, became the Associate Director of USICA and USIA (1979‐81) and then the President of Sarah Lawrence College, before becoming chair of the board of the Rockefeller Foundation; she also directed New York’s Jeanette Watson Fellowships until her death in 2006. John Richardson became Assistant Secretary for State/ECA (1968‐77) after years in corporate law, investment banking, and serving as President of Radio Free Europe (1961-69). After his tenure, he headed Youth for Understanding and chaired the boards of the US Endowment for Democracy and the US Institute of Peace.
The 2026 Ilchman–Richardson Award went to Karen Ward for her exceptional leadership of the ECA Office of Private Sector Exchange Designation and her over three decades of stewardship of the Exchange Visitor Program’s designation framework, which supports over 300,000 annual participants and approximately 1,400 Department-designated sponsors. She has strengthened the credibility, continuity, and effectiveness of one of ECA’s most important public diplomacy platforms through her oversight of sponsor designation and redesignation, SEVIS coordination, regulatory modernization, participant protections, visa integrity, national security priorities, and sponsor accountability. Karen’s work on complex regulatory reforms, interagency and overseas coordination, government-to-government agreements, sponsor engagement, and mentorship across ECA reflects institutional expertise, sound judgment, and her deep commitment to mutual understanding, making her profoundly deserving of this recognition.
An Honorable Mention went to Scott Righetti for his outstanding service in advancing the Fulbright Program in Europe through expert program management, strategic diplomacy, and sustained mentorship. As a central force behind Fulbright’s Europe portfolio for over 30 years, he has helped establish and strengthen bilateral agreements and commissions across Central and Eastern Europe; expanded and innovated programs such as English Teaching Assistantships; secured greater foreign government support; and guided sensitive participant safety responses during crises, including the war in Ukraine and the death of a US Fulbrighter in Germany. His deep regional knowledge, cultural fluency, collaborative leadership, and ability to build trust with foreign governments, commissions, embassies, implementing partners, and participants have produced lasting institutional achievements, while strengthening U.S. foreign policy objectives. Equally important, Scott has shaped generations of Fulbright colleagues and partners through his generous mentorship, personal humility, and principled leadership, embodying Lois Roth’s legacy of cross-cultural communication, service, and care.
Awards for Locally-Employed Staff
Two Roth Foundation Awards specifically recognize the work of locally employed staff members, who have made outstanding contributions in educational and cultural diplomacy at US embassies and consulates worldwide. These staff members share their deep institutional memory, personal community relationships, and knowledge of local culture, society and politics. As US Foreign Service Officers rotate every few years, they also maintain continuity at US embassies and missions worldwide and play an important role as mentors to new colleagues and supervisors alike. As the late Bruce Wharton, then-Acting Under Secretary for Public Affairs, put it in reference to 2015 “Gill” recipient, Monica Alcalde:
“The things she taught me—from process, to substance, to style—have guided me as I moved from job to job across Latin America, the U.S. and Africa. Without Monica’s patient teaching and friendship, I don’t think I would ever have made it beyond Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer.”
Established in 2013, Gill Jacot-Guillarmod Award is named in honor of Gillian (Gill) Jacot-Guillarmod, who served for 35 years at the U.S. Mission, then Embassy in South Africa, spanning the apartheid period to the emergence of democracy. The award recognizes mid-career, locally-employed staff members at U.S. embassies and consulates who have made outstanding contributions in educational and cultural diplomacy.
Gill Jacot-Guillarmod, whom this award honors, served for thirty-five years in South Africa, spanning a period from the dark days of apartheid through to the peaceful emergence of democracy. Although it ran counter to the American democratic mission, in the 1960s and 70s the U.S. was under intense pressure from the South African government to support its state-sponsored racial segregation. Within this tense environment, Gill programmed hundreds of Fulbright and other grantees; later, with great political sensitivity, she worked to assist in South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. Lois Roth considered Gill to be one of the most remarkable locally-employed staff she had ever encountered. This is also true of the dozen of Gill’s colleagues at USIS Pretoria, many of whom worked with the Roth Foundation to get this prize instituted. This award in Gill’s name thus represents the respect and admiration of a great number of people. She is remembered as a consummate cross-cultural communicator and bridge-builder, serving on behalf of all as a mentor, counselor and committed senior colleague. Read an Interview with Gill Jacot-Guillarmod, conducted by Foreign Service Officer Dan Whitman and published in his book Outsmarting Apartheid (SUNY Press, 2014).
The 2026 Gill Jacot-Guillarmod Award went to Cynthia Rocha, Public Engagement Specialist at the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She has spent more than a decade advancing US foreign policy and public diplomacy goals in the state of Minas Gerais, through exceptional relationship-building and strategic engagement with government, industry, universities, and cultural institutions. As a key member of the U.S. Embassy branch office, she has delivered significant results related to critical minerals, commercial diplomacy, higher education, cultural preservation, and security cooperation, helping expand US investment opportunities, strengthen ties with influential state and industry leaders, and promote US standards and interests. Her accomplishments include establishing Brazil’s first EducationUSA office within a federal university; securing Minas Gerais’ first Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation award; and leveraging cultural and academic partnerships to advance broader policy objectives. In periods of uncertainty regarding the future of the branch office, Cynthia remained a steadfast advocate for US interests, demonstrating the creativity, resilience, and strategic vision that have made her an indispensable contributor to the U.S.–Brazilian partnership.
Adel Ibrahim was awarded an Honorable Mention for his creativity, initiative, and measurable impact in advancing US foreign policy goals through cultural diplomacy at the Embassy Kuwait. Since joining the embassy in 2019, he has designed and implemented innovative programs that strengthen the U.S.–Kuwaiti relationship, while promoting American strengths in sports, business, and culture. His leadership in sports diplomacy—such as Embassy Kuwait’s nationally-recognized Super Bowl watch parties and the successful 2025 Sports Envoy Program—expanded engagement with key audiences and fostered lasting institutional partnerships. Adel also linked cultural diplomacy to economic outcomes through high-profile events promoting American automobiles, food products, and US brands, helping create commercial opportunities for American companies. By consistently identifying connections between Kuwaiti interests and American strengths, he has delivered programs that enhance public support for the bilateral relationship, advance US economic interests, and expand the reach of US diplomacy in the Gulf region.
The Jodie Lewinsohn Career Achievement Awards honor the most accomplished and longest-serving Locally-Employed Staff members at U.S. Missions and Embassies worldwide. They recognize those nearing the end of their careers for long-standing dedication to their work and for their success in what Gill described as “helping the United States while helping your own country.” These awards are named in honor of Jodie Lewinsohnn, a distinguished USIA Foreign Service Officer who was a mentor and close friend of Lois Roth. Working with Gill Jacot-Guillarmod, when she served as the head of the Public Affairs Section at the Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Jodie later championed Roth Foundation awards for Locally Employed Staff. Thanks to her legacy, earmarked to endow these awards in perpetuity, we inaugurated the career achievement awards in 2022.
A 2026 Career Achievement Award went to Ahmat Djabir in recognition of his over 20 years of exceptional service as a Public Engagement Specialist at U.S. Embassy N’Djamena. He has provided vital continuity through staffing gaps, evacuations, and periods of political instability in Chad. Trusted by successive Embassy leaders, he has used his deep institutional knowledge, sound judgment, and strong relationships with influential leaders to advance US foreign policy and public diplomacy priorities. His long stewardship of the International Visitor Leadership Program helped build a network of more than 500 Chadian alumni across government, civil society, media, education, security, and religious institutions, strengthening Embassy outreach and the U.S.-Chad bilateral relationship. Djabir’s professionalism, integrity, crisis-management experience, leadership—not to mention a record of more than 18 performance awards—reflect a distinguished career of extraordinary commitment to the mission of the United States in Chad.
A 2026 Career Achievement Award went to Joanna Zingariello in recognition of her 35-year career at U.S. Embassy Malta, during which she has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing bilateral relations through cultural, educational, press, and public diplomacy engagement. As the embassy’s Established Opinion Leaders and Press Specialist, with over 30 awards to her name, she strengthened programs—including Fulbright, International Visitor Leadership Program, alumni, academic, cultural, youth, and media—while helping institutionalize partnerships between Maltese and US universities; promote collaboration in fields such as public health, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and advanced construction materials; and build an influential network of more than 550 alumni across Maltese government, media, business, education, security, and policymaking. Despite limited resources, in one of the U.S.’s smallest Public Diplomacy sections, she sustained engagement during COVID-19 and has consistently delivered high-impact programming, secured strong media coverage, mentored generations of staff and officers, leaving a lasting legacy that will benefit U.S.-Malta relations for decades to come.
Citizen’s Award
In contrast to the first three awards for excellence in cultural and educational diplomacy, which are restricted to actively-employed individuals, the Roth Foundation’s Citizen’s Award fills a longstanding need to recognize work in cultural diplomacy on the part of others. In November 2025, for the first time since 2019, we presented this occasional award at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington DC to Elizabeth Kostova for her work with the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation, which she co-founded to connect Bulgarian authors and translators with literary circles around the world. Over almost twenty years, this work has significantly changed and revitalized the Bulgarian cultural scene.
Elizabeth Kostova first visited Bulgaria in 1989, just before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the country’s beauty and culture inspired her lifelong commitment to supporting its writers. Seeing how few international opportunities Bulgarian authors had, she personally spearheaded the creation of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation (EKF) in 2007 to connect Bulgarian and Anglophone literary communities. Thanks to her vision, persistence, and credibility, EKF pioneered creative writing workshops in Bulgaria, launched the Dyankov Translation Prize, and helped bring more than twenty contemporary Bulgarian novels into English. Under her leadership, the Sozopol Seminars, CapitaLiterature Festival, and other innovative programs have become major platforms for artistic exchange, nurturing hundreds of writers and elevating Bulgarian literature on the world stage. Kostova’s dedication remains the driving force behind EKF’s profound cultural impact and its model of person-to-person cultural diplomacy.