Berks County Courier

Hometown diplomat to visit Governor Mifflin High School

Kimberly Barone, Vice Consul, U.S. Embassy Philippines, to speak to students

Governor Mifflin High School students will get a unique lesson on foreign policy and the foreign service from a Berks County native. Kimberly Barone grew up in the Bernville area and is currently working at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. She will visit Governor Mifflin as part of the U.S. Department of State’s “Hometown Diplomat” program, which aims to help connect students with a better understanding of foreign affairs.

During her visit, Barone will talk about her role as a diplomat and her previous work in other federal agencies. She also plans to talk about the importance of internships for career preparation. Ms. Barone’s visit is part of Governor Mifflin School District’s ongoing effort to provide students with exposure to a variety of future-ready careers.

From the U.S. Department of State:

Kim was born and raised in Pennsylvania and attended college in the nation’s capital of Washington, DC, where she majored in International Business and Human Resources. During college, she had the opportunity to intern at the Washington National Opera and the U.S. Department of State. Following graduation, she spent nine years in federal service with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration and the National Institutes of Health, prior to joining the Foreign Service. Kim has served at Embassy Manila since July 2017, and her active-duty Air Force husband is stationed nearby in Guam. This is her first overseas tour as a diplomat and she is working as a Vice Consul. In her spare time, Kim enjoys hiking in the Philippines and serves as the chair of the Embassy’s Green Team, leading an interagency group of volunteers that are dedicated to promoting environmental-friendly initiatives and awareness at the U.S. Embassy.

Olympic fencer, entrepreneur and social justice advocate Ibtihaj Muhammad to speak at Elizabethtown College

College to host annual Leffler lecturer, discussing perseverance in overcoming obstacles pertaining to sports, business and diversity

Elizabethtown College welcomes this year’s Carlos R. and Georgiana E. Leffler Memorial Lecturer-Olympic sabre fencer, fashion entrepreneur and social justice advocate Ibtihaj Muhammad-Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center. In 2016, Muhammad became the first Muslim-American woman to compete in Olympic fencing in hijab and the first Muslim woman to win an Olympic medal for the United States.

In addition to fencing, Muhammad is the founder of Louella, a clothing company aiming to bring affordable modest fashion to the U.S. market. She is also an ambassador with the U.S. Department of State’s Empowering Women and Girls through Sports Initiative. Named to the “Time 100: The Most Influential People” list, hers is an important voice uniting both sport and non-sport circles in a global discussion on the importance of equality in sports.

Muhammad will take the same stage as Dr. Samantha Nutt, founder of War Child Canada and War Child USA, in 2017, and Michele Norris, longtime National Public Radio host, in 2016. The annual Leffler Lectures feature speakers of national and international renown-recognized for their accomplishments in making change in their areas of focus-who enhance the educational experience for the campus and greater communities and create meaningful public dialogue.

Lecture admission is free and open to the public, with a ticket request in advance through the College’s ticket hotline at 717-361-4757 or at lecturetickets@etown.edu.

For more information, please contact Sarah Penniman at 717-361-1428 or pennimans@etown.edu.