#31 - John Dinkelman

John Dinkelman--or "Dink" as he is known to countless current and former U.S. Foreign Service Officers--is something of a legend. He spent nearly four decades serving his country as a diplomat--and now he serves those same diplomats as the President of the American Foreign Service Association (or AFSA). And, if there's a more caring and compassionate steward, I have not yet met them.

In difficult times, true leadership is priceless.

John “Dink” Dinkelman assumed his duties as President of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) in July 2025. He has spent 37 years with the U.S. Department of State. At the time of his election as AFSA President, he was serving as the Diplomat-in-Residence at Howard University. Throughout his career, he held numerous leadership roles, including Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics Management, Chief of Staff in the Bureau of Administration, and Regional Executive Director for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, where he also served as Director of the Office of Caribbean Affairs. His overseas assignments included service as Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas, and as Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Nogales, Mexico. An “army brat,” he grew up in various locations around the world. He has a deep connection to Provo, Utah, where he earned his degree from Brigham Young University. He has his wife, Elizabeth, are the parents of three adult children.

To learn more about the American Foreign Service Association, visit HERE.

John Dinkelman - known to all as "Dink" - in his AFSA office

Dink speaking to attendees at the 2025 AFSA Awards ceremony

Dink speaking at a Rally for USAID on February 27, 2026, on the one-year anniversary of USAID's dismantling

Dink congratulating Ambassador Linda Thomas-Freenfield on receiving AFSA's Lifetime Award for Contributions to American Diplomacy

Dink in The Bahamas (L-R): Acting Prime Minister Tommy Turnquest, Theodore Sarandos, U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Nicole Avant, John & Elizabeth Dinkelman

A recent AFSA social media post

SHOW CREDITS

SP/FS Producer & Host: Christopher Wurst

Opening Voices: Dmitri Wurst, Elena Wurst, Kjara Wurst, Christopher Wurst

Voice of Dubious Aunt Deb: Cathy Zielske

Cold Open Music: BWM – The Brina Band

Dubious Ant Deb Music: Cass County Beauty Queen – Alan Singley

Episode Music:

Tripoli – Blue Dot Sessions

Tranceless - Blue Dot Sessions

Bauxite - Blue Dot Sessions

Last Step West – Whispers of Arrakis

Shattered Firewall – The Indigo Affair

Algea Tender – Blue Dot Sessions

Bufflehead – Chad Crouch

Interview date: January 21, 2026