Social Secretaries Organize Embassy Entertainment Life by Heather Nalbone When the German ambassador receives an invitation to a private dinner reception, he talks to Katheryne Walker. She is not a diplomatóor a German for that matter. Walkerís early career background, sheís proud to say, is in high school and college education. Sheís an American who is fluent in German, well versed in the countryís literature, and has a masterís degree from the University of Washington to prove it. Her official title is social secretary, and her skills are in high demand at the stately six-story building on Reservoir Road in Northwest Washington. Each of the embassyís roughly 200 employees has sought her expertise at least once in the nearly two years sheís been working there. In a city where wining and dining is a substantial component of professional life, Walker is indispensable. Sheís the backbone of Germanyís social exchanges with the United States and the foreign diplomats located here, as are dozens of others filling the same role in embassies throughout Washington. Their titles and r esponsibilities vary, but their mission is consistent. Pick any night of the week, and the diplomatic community is bound to be alive with cultural exchanges and political dialogues: a film festival at the Embassy of Israel, for instance, a book reception sponsored by the Embassy of Australia or the Embassy of Austria, or perhaps a dinner discussion among congressional staffers and the ambassador of Canada. Those who attend the events, from public concerts to exclusive gatherings, are bound to shake the hands of Walker and her counterparts. When considering what the secretaries do, itís easy to think these social coordinators are lucky to have an occupation so full of charm. After all, they get to choose whom the embassy will invite to luncheons, peruse an artistís paintings, and talk shop with ministers from various nations. Not so, said Walker. She described her job as ìa little bit of crisis control, a little bit of long-term planning. ìI had always thought there would be a little more structure,î she said. ìYou discover thereís a fine line between organization and people skills.î Social secretaries may be the backbones of embassy social life, but theyíre far from the background. They are regularly among the first employees to arrive in the morning and often among the last to leave when special events are scheduled. They work with caterers and in-house cooks to organize lunch and dinner menus for guests, but rarely have time to eat the food. They are event planners, personal assistants and managers all in one. They are, in short, busy. So busy, in fact, that some embassies hire more than one person to help coordinate their social calendars. At the Embassy of Russia, one of the only where diplomats fit the role of social secretary, three Foreign Service officers collaborate when organizing meetings and events. Finland has a social secretary for in-house events as well as an event coordinator to organize outside functions. The Uruguayan secretary and her colleagues work closely with the independent Uruguay Cultural Foundation for the Arts when organizing cultural exhibits, and Walker is accompanied by a part-time associate. But not all countries have the luxury of assigning social secretaries to their foreign embassies. At many smaller embassies, the workload that often fills one, two and even three positions falls on the shoulders of the ambassadorís personal assistant. Such is the case at the Embassy of New Zealand, where Toni Mitchell is happy to schedule meetings for an ambassador who does a lot of entertaining, she said. ìSome embassies have social secretaries and executive assistants, but because weíre smaller, I do both,î Mitchell said. When asked about the responsibilities involved, ambassadorial wife Rose Wood described Mitchellís work as ìvitalî at an embassy of 48 employees. Her responsibilities range from compiling seating plans and printing menus to researching topics under discussion at various gatherings. Why such heavy workloads? Any diplomat understands the importance of social interaction. Itís as important to Uruguay as it is to Canada, and the work of those who oversee embassy social life serves as a hinge for diplomatic exchanges as well as public understanding of the international community. Consider Estoniaís diplomatic headquarters: A fire swallowed the neoclassical mansion that housed its employees until a little more than a year ago, forcing the staff to move from its spot on Embassy Row into a smaller rental space in Dupont Circle. But that hasnít stopped the embassy from finding venues for orchestral performances and organizing summer picnics with locals from other Baltic nations. With a 10-person staff that includes three diplomats, an ambassador and a defense attachÈ, much of the organizational duties involved with social coordination are shared among the employees. The embassy is too small for a social secretary, so staffers such as Priit Masing arrange its various functions. Masingís official title is secretary of political affairs, but he answers phone inquiries on everything from cultural affairs to educational issues, and even helped a U.S.-based Estonian painter organize an exhibit in her home country. Estoniaís approach to the social setting may differ from those of larger countries, but at the heart of both is a commitment to widening the realm of cultural understanding. As one social secretary put it, social functions are a central aspect of diplomatic life. ìThatís where people get to know your country while you get to know theirs,î said Finlandís Leila Takala. The strategies vary widely according to embassiesí facilities and budgets, but all are largely reflections of their home countriesí cultures. New Zealandís ambassador and his wife, used to the hospitality that defines their fellow compatriots, frequently host visiting artists, musicians and politicians in their private residence. For Uruguayans, itís art thatís prized. The embassy is home to an independent art foundation whose exhibits of works by native sculptors and painters regularly grace the galleryís halls. Aside from some smaller lectures, their invitations are mailed to everyone from World Bank employees to local residents who take an active interest in international art. Like many embassies, Uruguay favors long guest lists and broad public invitations when it comes to cultural demonstrations. But those hoping to shake hands with social secretaries at ambassadorial meetings may still have to wait in line. Most invitation lists for private functions vary by agenda and are formed by the secretaries and their co-workers on a case-by-case basis. The House Agriculture Committee chairman is sure to have a seat reserved for a dinner discussion involving horticulture but would be out of place at the German Embassyís ladiesí luncheon. Talk to those in charge of embassy social life long enough, though, and you find theyíd like to shake hands with as many people as possible. They may each be in the middle of planning six events for the next two days, but you can bet theyíll have time for a chat complete with the cheery demeanor thatís characteristic of them all. And if thereís any doubt about the jobís rewards, just talk to Takala. She started at the Embassy of Finland in 1959, alternating between the position of personal assistant and social secretary. Tired of the long hours, she resigned in 1997 only to rejoin the embassy within a year. ìItís very interesting,î she said. ìIíve really enjoyed it over all these years.î Heather Nalbone is a freelance writer in Silver Spring, Md.