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.

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 Deputy Chief of Protoco for the Government of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. As Deputy Chief of Protocol, 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.

Evren Saraç Essner
Evren worked most recently at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria where she worked
for four years as an External Relations and Policy Coordination Officer. Evren's responsibilities included communicating politically- and culturally-sensitive IAEA messages to an international audience and assisting in maintaining relations with representatives of IAEA Member States, the Austrian host government, UN system organizations and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Evren also served the Office of the Director General, Dr. Mohammed ElBaradei, as a protocol officer and a coordinator of and contributor to high-level conferences, meetings and events.

Evren earned a Master of Arts degree in international policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. She represents Protocol Professional, Inc. in San Francisco, California.

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.

Joyce Millet
Ms. Millet is the President & Founder of Cultural Savvy, San Francisco. Following eight years working in Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan), she relocated to San Francisco and founded Cultural Savvy, an international training, coaching and consulting firm specializing in cross-cultural learning solutions.

Miss Millet has received numerous awards, including the Key to the City of Osaka, for her contribution to enhancing international relations in Asia and among San Francisco's Sister Cities.

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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