Stephenie Foster

Stephenie Foster (she/her) is a diplomat, advocate, author, and thought leader with extensive experience in government, policy, and the law. She is a recognized voice on women’s leadership, feminist foreign policy, and strategies that advance women’s economic and political empowerment in the United States and globally.

Stephenie is a Founding Partner of Smash Strategies, where she advises businesses, foundations, and nonprofit organizations on how to achieve stronger outcomes by centering women’s leadership and gender equality. Her work bridges policy, practice, and advocacy—helping institutions translate commitments to gender equity into meaningful, measurable impact.

Following the fall of Kabul through early 2023, Stephenie returned to the U.S. Department of State, where she focused on Afghan relocation efforts with a mandate to prioritize the safety and needs of women and girls. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor and Counselor to the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she worked closely with women leaders and civil society organizations. In these roles, she led and managed key initiatives on women, peace, and security; women’s political participation; and women’s economic empowerment, and represented the United States in bilateral and multilateral forums.

Stephenie has also served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Christopher Dodd, as General Counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration, and in senior leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. She began her career as an attorney and litigation partner in San Francisco. Having lived, worked, or traveled in more than 100 countries, she brings a global perspective to advancing gender equality and women’s leadership.

She is the author of Take Action: Fighting for Women & Girls and co-author of Feminist Foreign Policy in Theory and Practice, and is a frequent speaker on women’s leadership, foreign policy, and advocacy strategies.

Sub-specialties:

• Women’s Leadership & Power-Building Feminist Foreign Policy: Theory, Practice, and Impact
• Women, Peace, and Security
• Women’s Economic & Political Empowerment
• Advancing Gender Equality Through Policy & Advocacy
• Global Women’s Rights, with a Focus on Conflict-Affected Settings (e.g., Afghanistan)
• How Investing in Women and Girls Strengthens Societies and Democracies