Empowering Women Through Foreign Affairs | Consul General Tammy Sandhu

Join us for an inspiring evening with His Majesty’s Consul General Tammy Sandhu as she shares insights on empowering women through foreign affairs. Explore the intersection of diplomacy and gender equality, gaining valuable perspectives on how international relations can be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of women globally. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage in a meaningful dialogue on fostering empowerment and inclusivity on the global stage.

Featured speaker:

Tammy Sandhu is His Majesty’s Consul General in San Francisco. Prior to this appointment she served as Deputy Consul General, co-leading UK-US relations across the Pacific North West: Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska. The Consulate-General covers a broad range of political and policy work including on climate, trade and tech, as well as providing support to British nationals and companies.

Tammy has previously had diplomatic postings to Morocco, Brussels and India, and has served in Iraq and Kenya. She has worked across political and economic affairs, bilateral trade and investment, as a Government spokesperson, and on the Government response to crises, specifically dealing with high profile kidnaps of British nationals overseas.

In addition to these postings, Tammy has worked in International HR. She was the Head of Secondments and then the Head of International HR Strategy and EU Exit for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Tammy also worked on the FCO’s COVID-19 response.

In 2020, Tammy was elected Chair of the FCO’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Committee and later served as co-Chair of the merged Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Race and Ethnicity Network. Tammy continues to work on racial equity both within the FCDO and through her work in San Francisco. Her service to Diversity and Inclusion was recognised in 2021 when she was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Tammy was born in Leicester, United Kingdom. She joined the FCO in 2005 after completing a BA Hons in English Literature at the University of Warwick and an MSc in International Public Policy at University College London. She is married with one daughter.

Special Guest:

Dr. Diddy Hitchins was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and brought up in southern England. She received her BSc in Social Sciences from the University of Southampton, UK; her MA in Political Behaviour, and her PhD in Government from the University of Essex, UK. Her first academic appointment, while completing PhD research, was at University of Ghana, Legon, West Africa. Subsequently, Dr. Hitchins had a 30 year career with Department of Political Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, rising from Assistant Professor to Associate and then Full Professor.

Dr. Hitchins specializes in Comparative Politics and International Relations. She has served several terms as Chair of  the Political Science Department, and also Director of International Studies at UAA, and was the founding director of UAA’s Canadian and North Pacific Studies Programs. Dr. Hitchins has conducted research in China, Japan and the Koreas as well as in Canada, the Russian Far East and the Arctic. Since 1985, Dr. Hitchins has served as the British Honorary Consul for Alaska. She was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with the Member of British Empire (MBE) award in 2005, and was inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame 2013.

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Check-in will begin at 4:30PM with seating available on a first-come first-serve basis. The program will begin at 5:00pm.
• Those with online reservations do not need to present ticket confirmation at the door, we will have all confirmed attendees on a list at check-in.
• Light bites and cocktails are included in cost of admission.
• Online registration closes at 6:00 pm on March 3. Attendance is limited, please reserve your spot prior to the event.
• Members of the Alaska World Affairs Council, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and Alaska International Business Center receive discounted membership benefits. Thank you for your contributions!