PAO Bio

Rhonda J. Watson, Public Affairs Officer

PAO Rhonda Watson

Rhonda was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and graduated with a Bachelors of Art from the University of Michigan.  Thereafter, she earned a Masters of Library Science degree from the University of Maryland, and a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.  Prior to becoming a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State in 1993, she worked for 13 years as a labor lawyer and an attorney-advisor for the Chairman and other Board members of the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C.  After joining the Foreign Service, she was posted abroad as a consular officer at Diplomatic Missions in Vancouver, Canada; Brussels, Belgium; Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Harare, Zimbabwe; Tel Aviv, Israel and, finally, in Montreal, Canada.  Rhonda’s highest achievement, prior to coming to Cotonou as the Public Affairs Officer, had been her service as the Deputy Consul General in Tel Aviv.  Rhonda arrived in Cotonou on April 19, 2008 to take up her new posting as the Public Affairs Officer in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa and is thrilled with the assignment. 

            Growing up in small town Hamilton, Ohio, during an era of discrimination and segregation, Rhonda never dreamed of becoming a diplomat.  Rhonda’s experience as an Exchange Student, attending the University of the West Indies in Jamaica opened her eyes to the world and allowed her to see, for the first time, black people who were in charge of banks, businesses, and generally running the country.  This amazing exchange experience triggered her passion for travel and the French language.  She is committed to playing her part to be a positive role model and inspire others to achieve their greatest potential.

            In Zimbabwe, Rhonda headed up the committee, composed of Mission personnel and local Zimbabweans that organized the first ever Black History Month cultural affairs day at the International School in Harare.  During the all-day program, there was an arts and crafts and food bazaar on the school grounds and various musical and dance groups, and a fashion show in the school auditorium.   In Israel, Rhonda spoke to a variety of youth groups and was the recipient of an Honorable Mention for the Secretary’s Award for Public Outreach.   
            As a certified facilitator for The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Rhonda has facilitated courses at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, Accra, Ghana and Tel Aviv, Israel.  Rhonda speaks fluent French, enjoys travel, yoga, dancing, art galleries and museums.  Rhonda has two adult children who live in Maryland and New York.