KU Business professor named to U.S. State Department Foreign Service board

Jill Ellingson, Management and Entrepreneurship academic area director and the Neeli Bendapudi Professor of Management, was recently appointed to the U.S. State Department Board of Examiners for Foreign Service. She serves as one of five public board members and will serve a three-year appointment.

The Board oversees the merit-based selection process for foreign service officers assigned to U.S. embassies and consulates, working as diplomats. It manages the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) and the Foreign Service Officer Assessment (FSOA), which evaluate candidate capabilities such as logic and reasoning, job knowledge, and English expression.

In her position, Ellingson will serve as an academic with expertise in recruiting, selection and assessment.

“It is an honor to serve on the Board of Examiners and be part of ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen hiring practices for US diplomats,” Ellingson said. “The Board is a team of dedicated individuals focused on one goal, attracting and selecting the best candidates to represent the United States abroad.”

Ellingson has been with the KU School of Business since 2016 as a professor of management before becoming area director in 2025. Her research focuses on staffing and selection, recruitment, retention and turnover and service work. She served as an elected officer for the Human Resources Division of the Academy of Management and is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.