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The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) M. Juanita Guess Award

Sponsored by Clements Worldwide

CLOs are responsible for providing support necessary to maintain the morale of U.S. government employees and family members on assignments abroad. Their duties can include crisis management, information and resource management, guidance and referrals, orientation, event planning, and acting as liaison for education, employment, community, and security matters.

M. Juanita Guess

The award was named after Clements’ co-founder and former president M. Juanita Guess who was a member of the Foreign Service herself, working as an admin in the 1940s.

She had profound admiration for the Foreign Service mission and instilled that deep respect in her son and current Clements Worldwide Chairman, Jon Clements. Since 1995, Jon has presented the award every year as a gesture of appreciation and support for the Foreign Service mission.

The M. Juanita Guess Award is one of several that Clements Worldwide gives or sponsors each year to honor U.S. Foreign Service Members and inspire young people to pursue a path of cultural diplomacy and service.

2024 Award Winners

Christophe Paccard and Sherri Zimmerman

During the devastating Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, Christophe Paccard and Sherri Zimmerman demonstrated extraordinary leadership as the CLOs at U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and Embassy Branch Office Tel Aviv. Their immediate response and tireless efforts were instrumental in ensuring the safety and well-being of the embassy community during this unprecedented crisis.

Christophe and Sherri played a pivotal role in communicating with the community, providing essential information, and coordinating emergency preparations. They tirelessly worked to assist families during the authorized departure process, organizing town halls, gathering necessary information, and even accompanying community members on the evacuation flights. Their dedication and compassion were evident in their efforts to support those who remained at post, organizing morale-boosting events and ensuring everyone had access to necessary resources.

Christophe and Sherri’s exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the embassy community during this challenging time make them truly deserving of the M. Juanita Guess Award. Their actions exemplify the highest standards of service and dedication to the mission.

About Clements

Our journey in becoming a preferred global insurance provider began in 1947 with the creation of the first expatriate program providing international insurance for the U.S. Foreign Service exclusively. With clients served in 170+ countries, we now manage worldwide insurance portfolios for ambassadors, diplomats, foreign service officers and specialists, the military ovrseas, contractors, educators, and professionals abroad. Additionally, we provide a range business insurance solutions targeted to cover organizations’ operations in high risk and emerging areas.

Past Award Winners

2023: Erin Cederlind

2022: Christine Peterson

Christine served as a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) under extraordinarily difficult circumstances—a pandemic and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in mid-2022. Her service at Embassy Kabul helped ensure the safety and protection of countless embassy staff, associates, and evacuees.

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Clements supports numerous awards and recognition programs for expat youth and foreign service officers serving around the world.

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