Jean Akers ’99 (History)
Jean Akers is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State. Since joining the Foreign Service in 2004, Jean has served abroad in Montreal, Canada; Kabul, Afghanistan; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Curacao, in the Dutch Caribbean. In Washington, Jean has served multiple tours in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Bureau of Global Talent Management, and the National Foreign Affairs Training Center.
Jean has been recognized for excellence throughout her career, within the Department and beyond. In 2022, the Secretary of State awarded Jean and her fellow consular officers the Department’s Award for Heroism for their service during the August 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan. Educational journal Chief Learning Officer recognized Jean with an Innovation Award in 2015 for her work leading the redesign of the Basic Consular Course, which all Department employees take before any consular assignment. Jean is also the recipient of numerous Superior Honor Awards, as well as recognition from colleagues in other agencies.
Jean hails originally from Oklahoma City, but attended college at SUNY New Paltz and earned her Master’s degree at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. She speaks Dutch, Khmer, and French.
“The exceptional caliber of the education, the vibrant academic and social community, and the friendships I made at SUNY New Paltz have all shaped the course of both my professional and personal life. Receiving this award is the honor of a lifetime.”
