The Una Chapman Cox Foundation is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that works to support the effectiveness and professionalism of the

United States Foreign Service The United States Foreign Service is the primary personnel system used by the diplomatic service of the United States federal government, under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of over 13,000 professionals carryi ...

through various projects and initiatives. Amb. (ret.)

Lino Gutierrez Lino Gutiérrez (born 26 March 1951) is an American diplomat. Gutiérrez served as Ambassador to Argentina from September 2003 through July 2006. He was succeeded by Earl Anthony Wayne. Gutiérrez is currently the Executive Director of the Un ...

serves as the current Executive Director.

History

In 1948 in

Bombay, India Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

, Una Chapman Cox, a Texas rancher, was arrested by authorities for traveling without her passport. A

Foreign Service Officer A Foreign Service Officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U ...

named Royal Bisbee worked to arrange her release and return to the United States. Cox founded the organization 32 years later, in 1980, out of gratitude for the work of Foreign Service Officers. Cox left $16 million from her estate for the organization. Cox served as the sole trustee of the organization until her death in 1982.

Activities

The Una Chapman Cox Foundation is notable for its projects and initiatives that support excellence in recruitment, professional development, and public awareness and its collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and other program partners. The foundation also offers

sabbatical leave A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...

fellowships to distinguished mid-level Foreign Service Officers, selected by the

Director General of the Foreign Service The Director General of the Foreign Service is the designated manager of the United States Foreign Service. The Director General is a current or former Foreign Service Officer, appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Uni ...

to pursue special projects. The Una Chapman Cox Foundation has developed programs and worked alongside partners such as the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD), the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST), and the

United States Diplomacy Center The National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) is the first museum in the United States dedicated to telling the stories of American diplomacy. Its mission is to inspire discovery of how American diplomacy shapes the nation's prosperity and ...

. Recent projects includ
American Diplomat
an
The General and the Ambassador
two podcasts created for the foundation by AAD as part of a Cox Foundation program to educate the public about the Foreign Service; studies and events on the importance of commercial and economic diplomacy; and development of a career exploration program on diplomatic careers for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions.

References

{{reflist Foreign relations of the United States Foundations based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Organizations established in 1980 1980 establishments in the United States