Membership

Why Join PDCA?

  • Do you value public diplomacy, and seek to promote its continued excellence?
  • Are you someone who works to share and shape foreign audience opinions and actions?
  • Are you a current or retired public diplomacy employee of the U.S. Department of State?
  • Do you work in public affairs for an international organization, manage educational exchanges, or measure the impact of public opinion?
  • Are you involved in the Defense Department's strategic communication, information operations, or civil affairs?

Then, the Public Diplomacy Council of America is your professional organization.

New Member Application Form

Why: Membership enables professionals and practitioners to network and engage with individuals who are supportive of each other and share the same goals and aspirations. You should be a member.

What: The Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, supports the academic study, professional practice, and responsible advocacy of public diplomacy.

  • Based in the United States, the Council focuses primarily on the U.S. Government's public diplomacy, especially by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. international broadcasting.
  • Our orientation is international. We learn from the experience of other nations. Foreign professionals and academics are prominent in Council activities.
  • The Council aims for diversity with at least 25 percent of its membership coming from professions other than career service in the Department of State and the former United States Information Agency.

Membership offers substantial benefits including:

  • outstanding networking and mentoring opportunities (for both rising professionals and experts who wish to mentor),
  • monthly and quaterly speaker series,
  • an awards program,
  • regular newsletter communications, and
  • not least - the opportunity to engage with a robust global network of hundreds of public diplomacy contacts and colleagues.

For details of all membership benefits, click here.

Membership Renewal

Members pay dues once per year according to their category. Payment is due on January 1 each year. Find answers to your questions about member renewal here.


Membership Categories

  • Full members - Those who reside in the Washington DC area and are thus eligible (and encouraged) to participate in all Council activities. Annual dues: $100
  • Associate members - Enjoy all the privileges of Full Members, but reside more than fifty miles outside Washington DC. Associate members pay a lower annual contribution, since not all types of events are fully accessible; however, PDCA makes extensive use of Zoom and other tools for remote participation and communication, and organizes some regional events. Annual dues: $60
  • Rising Professionals - Open to current graduate students, interns, and research fellows as well as young people with a general interest in public diplomacy. Rising Professionals are under the age of 35, and must be recommended by a PDC member. Annual dues: $25.

Click here for more details on our Rising Professional Membership Description.


How to apply

All Council members manage, sustain, and take part in all the activities of the Council. We seek diversity in professional backgrounds, skills and employment. Service and accomplishments in government, academic, professional, and non-governmental organizations are highly valued.

2 Simple Steps - click the link to complete our application form. When you submit the form, you'll be prompted to upload your resume or a link to your online profile, or a C.V. or biographic note, as well as a photograph. These can be posted on your profile in our members-only directory. We will be back in touch with more information and, eventually, a letter of welcome to the Council.

New Member Application Form

Pay When You Apply

The application page also includes a secure payment method, via PayPal, as well as details on how to pay via check. Please submit your payment with your application.

PDCA dues are annual for the calendar year and are not prorated. New members joining in November and December may have their dues payment considered valid for the subsequent calendar year.