Diplomat-in-Residence

The Center for Global Initiatives is pleased to be the home for the Diplomat-in-Residence at UNC. The Diplomats are career foreign service officers posted at universities throughout the United States.  They are responsible for providing guidance and advice to students, professionals and the community about careers, internships and other opportunities in the U.S. Department of State. The Diplomat-in-Residence for the Southern Mid-Atlantic region covering is based at Duke University but also maintains an office in the FedEx Global Education Center at UNC.

To learn more about opportunities with the U.S. Department of State and meet the Diplomat-in-Residence:

  1. Visit careers.state.gov to review the job descriptions, process for examinations and application, and other general information.
  2. Email DIRSouthernMidAtlantic@state.gov to setup an appointment or to ask specific questions that are not addressed on the website.

Current Diplomat-in-Residence: Arnold A. Chacón

Arnold A. Chacón (born 1956) is an American government official. He was most recently the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources at the Department of State. He was previously the United States Ambassador to Guatemala August 29, 2011, to March 5, 2014. A career U.S. Foreign Service Officer, he has served in a number of leadership positions in Latin American and Europe, including Deputy Chief of Mission in Madrid. He has led initiatives to promote free and fair elections, advance respect for human rights, and support rule of law. Ambassador Chacón has also directed crisis management operations, worked with international partners to combat human trafficking, and advanced regional free trade agreements.

Ambassador Chacón has served as the State Department Deputy Executive Director in Washington, D.C. and at the United States Mission to the United Nations. He was a Fellow at the American Political Science Association and is the recipient of the State Department’s Presidential Rank Award and other leadership honors. He speaks Spanish and Italian.

Ambassador Chacón grew up in Denver and received a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His wife of 30 years, Alida Chacón, is also a member of the U.S. Foreign Service. They have three children.