# Office of eDiplomacy > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Office_of_eDiplomacy > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Office_of_eDiplomacy.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_eDiplomacy > Source revision: 1334325267 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Technology think tank for the United States This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (October 2024) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Office of eDiplomacy" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The **Office of eDiplomacy** was an applied [technology](/source/Technology) [think tank](/source/Think_tank) for the [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State).[1] The office was staffed by [Foreign](/source/Foreign_Service_officer) and [Civil Service](/source/United_States_civil_service) Officers in a wide range of specializations. At the time of its closure in July 2025 there were two branches: the Diplomatic Innovation Division (DID) and the Knowledge Leadership Division (KLD). The office was formed in response to recommendations from the 1999 Overseas Presence Advisory Panel that the State Department improve its ability to communicate and share knowledge. ## History Following the recommendations of a Blue Ribbon panel created in the aftermath of the 1998 East Africa Embassy bombing, in 2002, Ambassador [James Holmes](/source/James_Howard_Holmes) started the eDiplomacy Task Force. In 2003, the task force was reorganized into the Office of eDiplomacy. The Office was closed July 1, 2025 as part of the State Department reorganization.[2] At the time of its closure, eDiplomacy fell under the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Business, Management, and Planning. Ryan Gliha was the last Director, James Fennell was the Chief of eDiplomacy's Knowledge Leadership Division, and Christian Jones was Chief of the Diplomatic Innovation Division. Other previous eDiplomacy Directors at the U.S. Department of State include: - Joe Johnson - Gerry Gallucci - Gary Galloway (acting) - Thomas Niblock - Stephen Smith - Daniel P. Sheerin (acting) - [Richard Boly](/source/Richard_Boly) - Ambassador [Eric G. Nelson](/source/Eric_G._Nelson) - Kathryn Cabral - M. Andre Goodfriend - [Rahima Kandahari](https://www.state.gov/biographies/rahima-kandahari/) - David McCormick - Joel Maybury - Ryan Gliha ## Major programs The Office of eDiplomacy launched and managed several knowledge management and new media technology programs for the [U.S. Department of State](/source/U.S._Department_of_State). Among the most active are: - Digital Change Initiative - the Office of eDiplomacy supported the rapid transition of State Department employees to online and remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on leading adoption of Microsoft Teams for communications and collaboration.[3] - [Diplopedia](/source/Diplopedia), the State Department's internal collaborative online [wiki](/source/Wiki).[4] - [Communities @ State](/source/Communities_%40_State), an initiative enables State Department personnel with shared professional interests to form internal online communities to publish information, connect with others, and create discussion. [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - The [Virtual Student Federal Service](/source/Virtual_Student_Federal_Service) (VSFS) program, part of a continuing effort by the State Department to harness technology, encourage a commitment to global service among young people, and to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement.[5] After developing and launching the [State Department Sounding Board](/source/State_Department_Sounding_Board) in 2009, Office of eDiplomacy staff supported this internal idea sharing forum, now managed by the Management Bureau and the [Secretary of State](/source/United_States_Secretary_of_State)'s cadre.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Virtual Work Environments were initiated by the Office of eDiplomacy with [Windows SharePoint Services](/source/Windows_SharePoint_Services) (WSS), and used in many units at State. The State Messaging and Archive Retrieval Toolset (SMART) program leads the WSS deployment effort. [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Other media mentions - [Advancing U.S. Foreign Policy through eDiplomacy](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/advancing-us-foreign-policy-through-ediplomacy/2012/07/01/gJQAdOedGW_story.html) - [The Office of eDiplomacy examines the five-year journey of Diplopedia](https://www.themorningsidepost.com/2010/03/ediplomacy-ushers-in-a-new-culture-of-collaboration-at-state/) - ["Igniting Innovation," State Magazine, January 2015](https://statemag.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SMG-Jan15-DL1.pdf) ## See also - [Government crowdsourcing](/source/Government_crowdsourcing) - [State Department Sounding Board](/source/State_Department_Sounding_Board) - [Transformational Diplomacy](/source/Transformational_Diplomacy) - [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State) - [United States Cyber-Diplomacy](/source/United_States_Cyber-Diplomacy) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [United States Department of State](https://careers.state.gov/dosoffice/office-ediplomacy/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241202102511/https://careers.state.gov/dosoffice/office-ediplomacy/) 2024-12-02 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Office of eDiplomacy 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["A requiem for innovation: Bidding farewell to State's Office of eDiplomacy"](https://fedscoop.com/bidding-farewell-to-state-department-office-of-ediplomacy/). *Fedscoop*. Scoop News Group. 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-11-28. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Microsoft Teams enhances communication and collaboration"](https://statemag.state.gov/2020/08/0820itn06/). *State Magazine*. U.S. State Department. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2023-12-13. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [United States Department of State](https://2009-2017.state.gov/m/irm/ediplomacy/115847.htm) About: Diplopedia 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Remarks at the New York University Commencement Ceremony, Hillary Rodham Clinton"](https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2009a/05/123431.htm). *Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs*. U.S. State Department. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2007-10-15. v t e United States Department of State Headquarters: Harry S Truman Building Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Allison Hooker, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office of the U.S. Coordinator for the Arctic Region Under Secretary for Political Affairs Bureau of African Affairs Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau of International Organization Affairs (United States Mission to the United Nations) Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy Office of the Chief Economist Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau of Counterterrorism Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers Bureau of Emerging Threats Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (Fulbright Program) Bureau of Global Public Affairs (Spokesperson) International Expositions Unit Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy Under Secretary for Management Bureau of Administration Bureau of Budget and Planning Bureau of Consular Affairs Bureau of Diplomatic Security Bureau of Diplomatic Technology Bureau of Global Acquisition Bureau of Human Resources Bureau of Medical Services Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services Foreign Service Institute (Office of the Historian) Office of Foreign Missions Director of Diplomatic Reception Rooms Office of White House Liaison Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response Office of Global Food Security Office of Foreign Assistance Oversight Bureaus/offices reporting directly to the secretary Chief of Staff Office of the Counselor Bureau of Intelligence and Research Bureau of Legislative Affairs Executive Secretariat (Operations Center) Policy Planning Staff (Foreign Affairs Policy Board) Office of Civil Rights and Ombudsman Office of Inspector General Office of the Chief of Protocol Office of the Legal Adviser Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Office of eDiplomacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_eDiplomacy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_eDiplomacy?action=history)). 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