Office of eDiplomacy

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<p>Following the recommendations of a Blue Ribbon panel created in the aftermath of the 1998 East Africa Embassy bombing, in 2002, Ambassador <a href="/facts/James_Howard_Holmes/bpqgW7Xo">James Holmes</a> started the eDiplomacy Task Force. In 2003, the task force was reorganized into the Office of eDiplomacy. Currently, eDiplomacy falls under the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Business, Management, and Planning.
</p><p>Ryan Gliha is the current Director, James Fennell is the Chief of eDiplomacy's Knowledge Leadership Division, and Christian Jones is Chief of the Diplomatic Innovation Division.
</p><p>Other previous eDiplomacy Directors at the U.S. Department of State include:
</p>
<ul><li>Joe Johnson</li>
<li>Gerry Gallucci</li>
<li>Gary Galloway (acting)</li>
<li>Thomas Niblock</li>
<li>Stephen Smith</li>
<li>Daniel P. Sheerin (acting)</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Richard_Boly/dXeKbpMX">Richard Boly</a></li>
<li>Ambassador <a href="/facts/Eric_G._Nelson/vn24bqJ4">Eric G. Nelson</a></li>
<li>Kathryn Cabral</li>
<li>M. Andre Goodfriend</li>
<li><a href="https://www.state.gov/biographies/rahima-kandahari/">Rahima Kandahari</a></li>
<li>David McCormick</li>
<li>Joel Maybury</li>
<li>Ryan Gliha</li></ul>
<h2 id="major-programs">Major programs</h2>
<p>The Office of eDiplomacy runs several knowledge management and new media technology programs for the <a href="/facts/U.S._Department_of_State/WsB5FMBT">U.S. Department of State</a>.
</p><p>Among the most active are:
</p>
<ul><li>Digital Change Initiative - the Office of eDiplomacy supported the rapid transition of State Department employees to online and remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on leading adoption of Microsoft Teams for communications and collaboration.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Diplopedia/Vq045P73">Diplopedia</a>, the State Department's internal collaborative online <a href="/facts/Wiki/uCKCEzqb">wiki</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Communities_%40_State/dMFkpGDg">Communities @ State</a>, an initiative enables State Department personnel with shared professional interests to form internal online communities to publish information, connect with others, and create discussion. </li>
<li>The <a href="/facts/Virtual_Student_Federal_Service/bVfQwFfB">Virtual Student Federal Service</a> (VSFS) program, part of a continuing effort by the State Department to harness technology, encourage a commitment to global service among young people, and to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li></ul>
<p>After developing and launching the <a href="/facts/State_Department_Sounding_Board/YneMWQF8">State Department Sounding Board</a> in 2009, Office of eDiplomacy staff supported this internal idea sharing forum, now managed by the Management Bureau and the <a href="/facts/United_States_Secretary_of_State/AgUe4Dkq">Secretary of State</a>'s cadre.
</p><p>Virtual Work Environments were initiated by the Office of eDiplomacy with <a href="/facts/Windows_SharePoint_Services/wNvBzBI0">Windows SharePoint Services</a> (WSS), and used in many units at State. The State Messaging and Archive Retrieval Toolset (SMART) program leads the WSS deployment effort. 
</p>
<h2 id="other-media-mentions">Other media mentions</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/advancing-us-foreign-policy-through-ediplomacy/2012/07/01/gJQAdOedGW_story.html">Advancing U.S. Foreign Policy through eDiplomacy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.themorningsidepost.com/2010/03/ediplomacy-ushers-in-a-new-culture-of-collaboration-at-state/">The Office of eDiplomacy examines the five-year journey of Diplopedia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://statemag.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SMG-Jan15-DL1.pdf">"Igniting Innovation," State Magazine, January 2015</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Government_crowdsourcing/Dbb0kCjs">Government crowdsourcing</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/State_Department_Sounding_Board/YneMWQF8">State Department Sounding Board</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Transformational_Diplomacy/mzVbbsEw">Transformational Diplomacy</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_State/WsB5FMBT">United States Department of State</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/United_States_Cyber-Diplomacy/VSGx7dEW">United States Cyber-Diplomacy</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>United States Department of State Office of eDiplomacy <a href="https://careers.state.gov/dosoffice/office-ediplomacy/" target="_blank">https://careers.state.gov/dosoffice/office-ediplomacy/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Microsoft Teams enhances communication and collaboration". State Magazine. U.S. State Department. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2023-12-13. <a href="https://statemag.state.gov/2020/08/0820itn06/" target="_blank">https://statemag.state.gov/2020/08/0820itn06/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>United States Department of State About: Diplopedia <a href="https://2009-2017.state.gov/m/irm/ediplomacy/115847.htm" target="_blank">https://2009-2017.state.gov/m/irm/ediplomacy/115847.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"Remarks at the New York University Commencement Ceremony, Hillary Rodham Clinton". Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs. U.S. State Department. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2007-10-15. <a href="https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2009a/05/123431.htm" target="_blank">https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2009a/05/123431.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Office of eDiplomacy open-in-new

Office of eDiplomacy