After posts across the globe, Manchester native takes executive post at State Department

Mar. 22—Julie Cabus' journey began in Manchester and has landed her in Washington, D.C., where she now serves as the deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of State, overseeing all security and law enforcement programs for the entire department.

Cabus grew up in Manchester, where she attended Verplanck Elementary School, Illing Middle School, and graduated from Manchester High School in 1991.

She said there was "a real sense of community" in town, where her family and others have been for generations, establishing close ties through sports programs, holiday gatherings, and the Manchester Road Race.

JULIE CABUS RESUME

—Grew up in Manchester, graduating from high school in 1991

—Joined Peace Corps

—Joined U.S. Department of State

—Served for two decades as special agent with the State Department's Diplomatic Security Services

—Promoted to deputy assistant secretary at the State Department

"It's safe to say growing up in Manchester was pretty idyllic," Cabus said.

After graduating college, she joined the Peace Corps, then the U.S. Department of State, serving in several overseas missions throughout the world, including in Niger, Pakistan, Algeria, Australia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Cabus has served as a special agent with the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service for more than two decades, and is now responsible for all security and law enforcement programs for the entire agency.

Early in her career, she spent about a year as a special agent on criminal investigations into passport and visa fraud, as well as protective details for dignitaries, such as then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In her current role at the State Department, one of Cabus' main roles is to facilitate everything related to diplomacy.

"We try to make it safe and we try to make it productive by allowing diplomats to do their job," she said, adding that protection, criminal investigations, and duties at overseas embassies and consulates all fall under her supervision. "We have to be able to train people to be highly functional in those three areas."

Training is ongoing and constantly evolving to meet new challenges, Cabus said, adding that training is changing now at a faster rate than at any time since Sept. 11.

The State Department has been actively engaged in and supporting diplomacy in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, as well as "other really challenging environments" in an attempt to avoid violence around the world when possible, she said.

As the State Department is also responsible for protecting foreign dignitaries visiting the United States, federal law enforcement has had to examine its own training in light of social unrest stemming from unarmed Black people being killed by police.

"We have an obligation to do a little introspection on how we interact with the community in which we serve, particularly in light of movements like Black Lives Matter and seeing cities like Minneapolis and others who have had to go through their own same level of introspection and how they interact with their communities so these interactions are positive," Cabus said. "It's an evolution."

Domestic terrorism also has become a priority, and the department is utilizing its special agents in more than 230 countries to determine whether trends in other places can help address potential violent groups here.

The agency is keeping an eye on places in Europe, which has seen a rise in white supremacy organizations, and coordinating with the FBI and other agencies to determine if there could be a similar increase in the United States.

"In my opinion, there is a cause for concern," Cabus said. "We have to look at the root causes and see how we got here in order to better understand how we come out from underneath it."

She opined that many domestic terrorism organizations are related to individuals becoming disenfranchised for various reasons, leading to them feeling like their own agendas are more important than the greater good of society.

While Cabus focuses more on overseas activities, she would not comment on groups such as the Proud Boys that began within the United States.

However, the United States' position as a global superpower means it will always be a target of others, she said.

"There will forever and always be global threats to the United States," Cabus said. "You hear terminology like the 'beacon of light,' 'the shining city on the hill that is America.' If we maintain that position globally, it comes with a higher level of scrutiny and perhaps criticism about who we are and what we stand for."

This, she said, emphasizes the importance of facilitating safe and meaningful diplomatic discussions.

"For us, our best defense against global threats is a strong diplomatic core, a strong diplomatic presence that represents the United States," Cabus said. "Our first line of defense to global threats is through the art and the practice of diplomacy."

As a woman in a predominantly male career field, Cabus said that her professional career was often "challenging" and "took some getting used to" for those in some countries that are religiously conservative.

Once the U.S. Embassy in Iraq reopened in 2003, she became the first woman to occupy the position of senior regional security officer for the entire country.

There is an effort, she said, to ensure that the United States' diplomacy team reflects American society, leading to more women in senior positions.

"It's becoming more common to see women taking on senior roles in what would be perceived to be traditionally male-dominated societies or patriarchal societies, and they're doing incredibly well and succeeding," Cabus said.

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