Q&A > Kate Canavan

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What inspired or motivated you to become a diplomat?

While I was in the Peace Corps in Zaire, I met a number of FSOs who encouraged me to take the FS exam. I passed it on the second try and went straight into the FS. I can't think of anything I would rather have done for 35 years.

Who was your best boss and why?

I had only one BAD boss, for only eight months. All of the others were good, but there were a number who were really outstanding. They listened and gave me support, responsibility, and encouragement. Those were Dennis Keogh, my first boss, who was tragically killed in a terrorist bombing in Namibia in 1984; AF Assistant Secretary Bill Schaufele; A-100 Coordinator Jim Morton (I was his Deputy); Tijuana Consul General Larry Colbert; HR/CDA Director Clyde Taylor; Ambassador to Namibia Marshall McCallie (I was DCM); CA Assistant Secretary Mary Ryan; Under Secretary for Management Grant Green (I was FSI Director); and Secretary Colin Powell.

What would you tell your a-100 self?

Take advantage of opportunities and take your job but not yourself seriously.

Describe a day you felt you made a difference.

It is a bit of a long story, but as ACS Chief in Tijuana, I was able to prove that the Police Chief of Rosarito Beach was having his patrolmen pick up very drunk young American women who he would then rape in his office. He lost his job and went to jail.

What has a colleague done for you that made you wish all of us had a colleague like that?

Although there was no formal mentoring program at the time, several FSOs took me under their wings at various times in my career and it really made a difference.

What was the mistake you learned the most from?

I was the head of Entry Level Assignments and I talked a new officer out of resigning. She was really apprehensive about serving overseas. We assigned her to Washington temporarily, but it was clear after a year that the FS was not for her. I never tried to talk someone out of resigning again. 

What was your best and worst experience working with the interagency?

My best experience was leading five agencies which participated in the PEPFAR program in Botswana. We had a coordinating committee that supported the GOB's programs with impressive success.
My worst experience was also in Botswana with USAID Washington. Botswana hosted the USAID Regional Office and as the Secretary's Special Representative to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), I worked closely with USAID on programs to support SADC. Despite the policy that called for the regional offices to be co-located with the regional economic development communities in Africa, USAID Washington decided to move the Southern African office to Pretoria for what I considered to be specious reasons.
I had to advise the GOB of the move, which made them very unhappy, and I had to deal with a large number of FSNs who lost their jobs. I was able to negotiate a generous severance package for them, but they were still displeased and wrote to the Foreign Minister accusing me of lying, among other things. I received no support from USAID Washington. I consider it the biggest disappointment of my career.

What is the one tour you would recommend FSOs consider?

Serve as a staff assistant or in the Op Center. It is a great way to learn how the Department works early in one's career.

If the state department had a mascot, what animal should it be?

My husband suggested a bulldog, since we are tenacious.

What was the biggest challenge of FS life for your family, and how did you manage it?

I have been divorced twice and my career was directly responsible in both cases. Career competition with a tandem spouse and lack of support for my career by a non-tandem retired spouse were the primary issues. I had no children, so the divorces were relatively amicable. I am currently very happily married to someone who has been exceptionally supportive.

What is your leadership philosophy?

Provide a vision for my team and support their work to realize the vision. I never assumed I was the smartest person in the room, so I listened to knowledgeable members of my staff and encouraged them. Give credit where it is due, and NEVER micromanage. That is a morale killer.

What tips would you give a first-time manager?

Take personnel issues very seriously and deal with them immediately. If you don't, you lose credibility with the staff.

What would you change about the State Department?

Both FS and Civil Service positions need to be fully staffed, with a 15% training/transfer "float" created to enable FS personnel to get the training/education they need without creating huge gaps at posts and in the Department.
While non-career Ambassadorial appointees are not likely to go away, they should be kept to a minimum, and career officers should fill the vast majority of senior positions in the Department as they did during Colin Powell's tenure as Secretary. Diversity, especially among senior career officers, is a huge issue that needs to be addressed.

What were your pet peeves?

There is still a pecking order in the FS among the five "cones." It needs to go away.

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