Anne Grimes of the U.S. Department of State visits Greater Cincinnati
This April the World Affairs Council had the honor of hosting Anne Grimes, Head of Office of International Visitors for the U.S. Department of State as she visited the Greater Cincinnati area.
The U.S. Department of State is dedicated to protecting and strengthening America’s interests abroad and right here at home. So whether constructing or managing Embassies throughout the world, explaining American foreign policy to citizens of other countries, or teaching entrepreneurial skills to young people in emerging countries, you can make a difference with the U.S. Department of State.
Anne Grimes has been a U.S. Foreign Service Officer for 28 years and is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. Her previous postings have included Antananarivo, Madagascar; Surabaya, Indonesia; Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Washington, D.C.; Jakarta, Indonesia; Mumbai, India; and Beijing, China. She speaks French, Indonesian and Mandarin. She joins the Office of International Visitors as Office Director in September 2018.
Anne is a graduate of Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA, with a double major in History and French. Her home town is Kennett Square, PA. She is married to Tala Ramiandrisoa, a professional jazz musician, and has two adult children, son Joshua, and daughter Joelle. Anne’s family also includes a dog named Jasmine.
Happy Hour with the World Affairs Council
In honor of Anne Grimes visit to Greater Cincinnati, we hosted a welcome happy hour at the Mercantile Library. The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati is a membership library. The name refers to the type of items in its collection but to the forty-five merchants and clerks who founded the library on Apirl 18, 1835 as the Young Maen’s Mercantile Association.
During the gathering, Anne Grimes spoke about the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and its impact on the world. She met with our staff, board, advisory, interns and IVLP delegation from Moldova.
The evening was filled with gifts, delicious midwestern themed bites from La Soupe and wine from the Party Source.
Greater Cincinnati Visit with International Delegation
Anne Grimes spent the day with Michelle Harpenau, Executive Director and James McManus, Director of International Programs as they joined the visiting IVLP delegation discussing Social Entrepreneurship in the United States.
Meeting with Community Matters
Founded in 2014, Community Matters has deep roots in the Lower Price Hill community, developed from the over forty years of work by its sister organization, Education Matters. Community Matters was created from the will of the Lower Price Hill community to address the overwhelming disparity in access to opportunities for our residents.
Community Matters is charged with listening to the voices of the Lower Price Hill community and seeking out new opportunities with our neighbors.
It’s Skyline Time
Anne Grimes and visitors from Chile, France, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, and Turkey had the opportunity to Cincinnati’s famous Skyline Chili! Is there a better way to introduce our city?
“It is always interesting seeing the reactions when taking our guests to Skyline Chili for the first time!” Michelle Harpenau, Executive Director
Meeting with Flywheel
Flywheel launched in 2011. With the purpose to form an innovative social enterprise hub like no other in the United States. Since then they have mined hundreds of best practices in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. That’s helped them identify the characteristics most essential to a social enterprise becoming successful and sustainable.
Meeting with Kentucky Innovation Network NKY and Uptech Inc
The Kentucky Innovation Network at NKY has been leading the way for startups and small businesses in Northern Kentucky since 2001. Formerly known as the ezone, the Network office serves 11 counties in Northern Kentucky including Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton, and Robertson. They are one of 12 offices operating across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Special Event | Global Gaggle
The Council hosted their first Global Gaggle of the year at KY Innovation. The evening began with networking and happy hour with our visiting delegations discussing Social Entrepreneurship worldwide.
Anne Grimes gave an IVLP 101 briefing to the audience. Following a panel discussion from three of our delegates who represented Israel, Mexico, and Hong Kong as they spoke on their experiences and truths within their careers. The evening was filled with great conversation, delicious bites and local beer from Rhinegeist and MadTree Brewing!
Visit with the Academy of Global Studies at Winton Woods High School
Anne Grimes met with 300 high school students from the Academy of Global Studies before her departure to Columbus, Ohio. She spoke about her experience working as a Foreign Service Officer and the opportunities for high school graduates in this field.
The Academy of Global Studies is a school-within-a-school at Winton Woods High School. Winton Woods City School District serves approximately 3,500 students from Greenhill’s, Forest Park, and northern Springfield Township. Students can take a traditional comprehensive curriculum, with Honors and Advanced Placement offerings, or choose to enroll in the Academy of Global Studies at Grade 9.
