American Diplomat Podcast
First-person storytelling from American diplomats who have participated in newsworthy events overseas. Real-life stories from behind-the-scenes of international diplomacy.
Arizona State University's American Diplomat – The Stories Behind The News podcast, co-hosted by Ambassador (ret.) Pete Romero and Ms. Laura Bennett have casual conversations with American diplomats about newsworthy events from around the world.
Our mission is to provide informative entertainment to the listening public from our nations’ diplomatic practitioners. The conversations with this elite cadre of career diplomats seek to give the listener a better understanding of the very human dimensions of those serving on the front lines of war, crises, and conflict around the world.
Ambassador (retired) Pete Romero and Ms. Laura Bennett (a writer and videographer) host weekly, 20-40 minute podcasts featuring conversations with active duty and retired US diplomats. These intimate, lively and informative conversations center on the personal recollections and reflections…their stories…as they succeed, fail and enter the fray again to advance our national interests overseas. They discuss what they really think about dealing with foreign leaders and reveal their thoughts about dealing with tribal leaders, militias and thugs.
Latest Podcast Episodes
Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, author of “Our Woman in Havana”, unpacks the dire circumstances in Cuba driving hundreds of thousands to flee the isla
Ever wonder what information you are giving away when you click “agree” each time you download a new app? Susan Wolfinbarger, geographer, dat
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Meghan Stewart, head of the Negotiations Support Unit in State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, knows the peace process – its str
Many diplomats urge what the vast majority of voters, including American Jews, want – a restrained Israel and a place for Palestinians.
Our climate: What we do during this decade will determine our climate for a millennium to come.
Pete unpacks the antecedents of modern-day gangsterism, going back to his days as Assistant Secretary.
General and Ambassador Doug Lute puts Sweden’s recent NATO membership in context: Has Putin accomplished his goals, or has it all backfired?
For Women’s History Month, young diplomat Mary Vargas joins us to share her story as the daughter of an immigrant family of farm workers in Fontana
The Podcast Team
Ambassador
Amb. Pete Romero had a twenty-five year career as a diplomat in the US Foreign Service. In his last three postings, he was head of our embassy in El Salvador, US Ambassador in Quito, Ecuador and Assistant Secretary of the Western Hemisphere Bureau at the US Department of State.
Co-Host
Laura Bennett has written, directed, produced and edited short films that have won 11 awards and screened at 35 festivals throughout the United States. Laura speaks Spanish, French and English and has traveled in five continents, often solo and working as a volunteer.
The Intern
The best interns in Washington DC work for the American Diplomat podcast. Angela Martins is an undergraduate in Communications. She is the webmaster of the American Diplomat web page. She also maintains and takes suggestions and comments regarding the podcasts.
Learn more
- Read Pete’s paper “Living Up to the American Idea,” published in the Foreign Service Journal’s September 2020 issue.
- Pete testifies before Congress on the need for diversity in the Foreign Service. To read Pete’s full testimony, click here.
- U.S. Ambassador (Ret.) Peter Romero speaks during Saturday’s “Foreign Service Day” at George Mason University.
- Roles of Chief Diplomats
- U.S. Diplomats Talk Brazilian Politics at Ford School
- Peter Romero’s article “The Making Of Plan Colombia” as featured in the Jan/Feb 2018 Issue of “The Foreign Service Journal”
- “The Hill: Here’s our plan to bring diversity and fairness to the Foreign Service” Co-authored by Peter Romero.
- A good brief summary of the life of a US Foreign Service family.
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