Protocol Professionals, Inc. | International Team Profiles

Dr. Shlomit Shulov-Barkan
Dr. Shlomit Shulov-Barkan served for four years as Israel's Cultural Attaché to the United States, posted at the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. and at the Israeli Consulate General to the Pacific Northwest region in San Francisco. While serving as a distinguished diplomat, she designed and produced numerous American-Israeli cultural programs.

Victoria Barkan, Countess of Valencia
Countess Victoria Barkan was born in Mexico City, where she attended business school. After graduating, she worked in public relations and special affairs for the CEO of Telefonos de Mexico and for Noble & Associates (Young and Rubicam) advertising agency as a Jr. Executive. She served as Assistant Director of Foreign Delegations for Mexico's Ministry of Tourism.

Mrs. Barkan is a member of the board of Les Amis des Vieilles Maisons Francais, a Foundation that helps to preserve historical buildings in France and the Ladies of the San Francisco Consular Corps. She has traveled extensively; has lived in Paris and speaks several languages including, Spanish and French . Her title of "Countess" was inherited from her great grandfather, a reknowned Spanish Count, whose title was invested by His Majesty King Charles of Spain.

Dr. Bruce Michael Bambach
Dr. Michael Bambach's consulting, teaching and training expertise lies in a wide variety of fields: technology,
leadership, staff development, and instructional psychology.

Before joining Protocol Professionals, Inc., he served as Director of Educational Services for domestic and
international corporations and makers of hardware, software, electronic publishing, and telephone systems.
He also served as a training specialist for the redeployment of engineers to intelligent systems development,
a consortium of business and university development partners (MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, University of
West Virginia and the University of Massachusetts).

Michael holds a Certificate in Appreciative Inquiry; a Doctorate in Education in instructional leadership and staff
development from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Fine Arts in social design from the California
Institute of the Arts. Earlier academic degrees include a Bachelor and Master of Arts.

Dr. Bambach is a graduate of the Protocol Professionals, Inc.™ International Protocol Certification Training
Program and brings great expertise from the fields of business, protocol and etiquette. He serves as Training
Programs Director for Protocol Professionals, Inc.™

Rear Admiral John Bitoff
Admiral Bitoff's distinguished career included command of various surface ships and major shore activities. His assignments spanned the globe and included tours of duty in the Antarctic, France, Italy, and Germany. As a specialist in politico-military affairs, he designed the implementation modalities for the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in Europe. Admiral Bitoff arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989 and commanded all combat logistics ships in the U.S. Third Fleet and coordinated all U.S. Navy activities from Oregon to the Monterey Peninsula.

He is a participant in a State Department program where retired senior U.S. Military officers teach officials from the former Soviet Union about the role of the military in a democratic society. He has since participated in a similar program for South America and Africa. In 1996 he was selected as a community hero to carry the Olympic Torch from San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge, in recognition of his role in leading the Navy's rescue and recovery efforts following the Loma Prieta Earthquake.

Rear Admiral John Bitoff Navy Log

Karen Bryk, M.V.O
Ms. Karen Bryk, M.V.O, is a Canadian protocol specialist who currently serves as Protocol Officer for the Government of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. As Protocol Officer, Ms. Bryk plays a vital role in the scheduling and arrangements for state, official, and private visits to Manitoba of VIPs such as the Royal Family, Governor General, Heads of State (Presidents), Ambassadors & High Commissioners, Consuls General, Parliamentarians, Senior Government Officials and Delegations.

She liaises with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, Consular Corps, law enforcement agencies, military, judiciary, Chambers of Commerce, provincial protocol offices, and municipality officials. She also assists in the planning and organization of ceremonial and hospitality occasions for the government, including the Opening of the Legislature, the Swearing - in ceremony for Lieutenant Governor and Members of Executive Council, and special Honours such as the Order of Manitoba and portrait and plaque unveilings.

Pierre Fournier
Mr. Fournier has had a distinguished government career, first serving as an officer in the Air Force with the Strategic Air Command, from 1958-1962. He joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in 1963, with assignments in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and California. He retired from the DOJ in 1987 to become the Regional Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, U.S. Department of State. His area of responsibility included the Western United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Trust Territories.

Mr. Fournier has given presentations on protocol, diplomatic and consular immunities and the differences between embassies and career and honorary consulates. He has acted as an advisor to the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Protocol for several administrations and to the Protocol Offices for the City and County of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle.

Franc Harriss

As the Executive Chef & Catering Director for Protocol Professionals, Inc., Mr. Harriss coordinates special VIP and high-level dignitary functions. He serves as a professional trainer for Protocol Professionals, Inc. "International Protocol Certification" classes, instructing students in proper dining etiquette and the art of appreciating fine gourmet foods. Although he primarily provides service to clients in San Francisco and Beverly Hills, he has also produced events in Japan and New York.

Mr. Harriss graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York. His international culinary career has included the Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin, a two star restaurant in the countryside of Burgundy, France and at restaurants in Germany and Italy. Franc is the owner of Franc Harriss Fine Catering.

Boris Ilyin
Boris Ilyin was born in Russia and lived in Harbin, China, before moving to San Francisco. He commanded a bilingual (French/English) signal unit of the U.S. Army during WWII, and later earned a Masters Degree in creative writing. He
worked for the U.S. Army as a civilian, organizing and running a translation unit in occupied Germany. Boris later
became a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, and served in Washington DC as well as the
American Embassy in Paris. He is a novelist and painter of California landscapes. He serves as an international
lecturer for Protocol Professionals, Inc.'s ™ dining etiquette and protocol training programs.

Joan Roberts

For more than fifteen years, Ms. Roberts has worked in marketing and public relations for residential developments and commercial centers and managed major sales accounts in the technology and hospitality industries. She holds a Masters degree in Education and has planned seminars for the University of California system and Santa Barbara City College.

Ms. Roberts offers expertise in special events, organizing community forums, 5K races and grand openings. She is skilled in sales promotion, marketing programs, corporate sponsorships and protocol training. She represents Protocol Professionals, Inc.™ in San Diego, California.

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