At the Black Business Hub on Thursday, March 12, Sherry Zalika Jordan stood before a room filled with women and delivered a message both simple and powerful: “You have the power to affect change, individually and collectively, to make our world a better place.”
Jordan served as the keynote speaker for a Women’s History Month celebration hosted by the Urban League of Greater Madison. She flew in from Washington, D.C., volunteering her personal time to meet with Madison civic leaders and encourage local women working to strengthen their communities.
The evening combined networking, conversation, and reflection. A panel of local leaders shared insights from their own careers, including Dr. Dawn Crim, vice chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Keisha Harrison, CEO of the Madison Public Market; Corinda Rainey-Moore, community engagement manager at UnityPoint Health; and Christina Outlay, executive director of Maydm. Dr. Shakkiah Curtis, founder of Pink Hustle Firm, moderated the discussion, while Magugu Davis, director of the Black Business Hub, served as emcee.
Drawing on more than 25 years with the United States Department of State as a senior foreign service officer, Jordan shared stories from a career that has taken her across continents and into some of the world’s most complex diplomatic settings. Her message to the audience was clear: meaningful change begins when individuals step forward and engage in their communities.
Before joining the State Department, Jordan held several senior leadership roles in California’s local government and civic organizations, including serving as the founding executive director of a successful community development corporation. That work centered on strengthening neighborhoods and expanding economic opportunities, efforts that continue to shape her approach to diplomacy.
Her assignments have taken her throughout Africa, including posts in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Mozambique and South Africa. In Durban, she served as principal officer and consul general, representing the United States while managing diplomatic and community relationships.
Jordan has also worked globally through the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. In that role, she advised on climate issues across Africa, represented the United States at international environmental and ocean pollution conventions, and supported global efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.
Jordan attended high school in Chicago before earning bachelor’s degrees in international relations and African and Afro-American studies from Stanford University. She later completed a Master of Public Administration at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Her journey with the State Department began somewhat unexpectedly. While working in Tanzania as a private-sector development advisor for the United States Agency for International Development, she learned about the State Department’s testing process and decided to apply.
Candidates must pass a written exam, complete an oral assessment, and receive both medical and security clearances.
“Ambassadors are usually generalists,” Jordan explained. “Specialists focus on one field—like medicine, HR or IT. Generalists need to understand many issues and work across disciplines.”
Jordan began her State Department career at age 37. Looking back, she believes the traits required for international diplomacy are the same ones needed to succeed in any field: determination, resilience, adaptability and a thirst for knowledge.
“You don’t need a degree in international relations,” she said. “But you must be open to learning all the time—meeting people, gathering information, adapting and growing.”
For Jordan, the appeal of an international career lies in its constant movement and discovery. No two days look the same, and each assignment brings new challenges.
Equally important are the colleagues she works alongside.
“They’re bright, motivated and ambitious,” she said. “When we work together as a team, we accomplish a tremendous amount.”
Jordan values workplace cultures that encourage open dialogue and respect diverse viewpoints. In her leadership roles, she actively mentors younger colleagues and encourages them to share their ideas.
“Your voice matters,” she reminds them. “Your ideas are not less valuable because you’re younger.”
She offered the same encouragement to the women gathered at the Black Business Hub. Participation matters, she said, especially when issues affect your community.
“It’s important to show up in person, participate and stay engaged in the things that matter to you,” Jordan said. “It can feel intimidating, but different perspectives and opinions strengthen the conversation.”
Her career has also required constant adaptation. Most diplomatic assignments last between two and four years, which means regularly starting over in a new country, with a new team and unfamiliar systems.
Each move requires learning an organization quickly and developing action plans while also settling into a new home, establishing daily routines and building community connections.
Language learning presents another challenge.
“You have to learn a new language,” Jordan said. “That’s never easy, but you get better with practice.”
At U.S. embassies abroad, roughly 80 percent of staff members are local employees who bring invaluable insight into their country’s culture and systems. Americans make up about 20 percent of the workforce, serving in leadership and advisory roles. Spouses and family members also receive training to contribute in various ways within the embassy community.
Throughout her career, Jordan has traveled the world with her husband and four children.
“We used to sit down together and decide where we wanted to go next,” she said. “It’s competitive to get positions, but you only go where you want to go. It’s different from the military.”
For Jordan, the most rewarding part of her career has been the opportunity to keep learning while building a stable life for her family. Her parents first instilled in her the importance of education as a pathway to opportunity. Later, as a mother, she found additional motivation to create a strong future for her children.
Knowledge, she believes, empowers leaders to make better decisions and open doors for others.
That belief shaped the advice she offered to the women gathered for the Women’s History Month celebration. Leadership, she said, carries responsibility, not just to succeed personally, but to advocate for others.
Women can champion progress in workplaces, faith communities, neighborhoods and civic organizations. When they join forces, their influence grows.
“When women come together, they can accomplish great things,” Jordan said.
She expressed pride in the women who continue to show up, speak out and do the work that strengthens their communities.
Every voice matters, she reminds us, and every woman can make a difference.
