In this episode of The JUNTO Podcast, BFF Chairman Phil Linderman speaks with Albert T. “Al” Gombis, a recently retired U.S. diplomat whose 34-year career at the Department of State spanned 13 offices, three overseas posts, and senior leadership roles advancing global justice and human rights.

From serving on Capitol Hill as a State Department Fellow for the House Foreign Affairs Committee to leading the Office of Global Criminal Justice, Gombis’s career bridges law, policy, and principle. He later earned a master’s degree in Cyber and National Security from the National Defense University, before being appointed by the Trump Administration as Acting Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy & Human Rights.

In this wide-ranging and candid conversation, Gombis reflects on:

• His 34-year journey through diplomacy, law, State Dept., DOD/DOJ and public service
• Lessons learned working across the State Department and Congress
• The influence of the Reagan era on his decision to serve
• What it means to be an effective and principled bureaucrat
• What brought him to The Ben Franklin Fellowship and his response to partisan critics
• True diversity in public service — and the realities of wokeism, DEI, and reform efforts within recent administrations
• An Idealist's path forward for U.S. diplomacy rooted in the national interest

In this thought-provoking discussion with host and fellow former Senior Foreign Service Officer Phil Linderman, Al Gombis offers a rare insider’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing America’s foreign policy establishment — and the enduring need to restore mission clarity, moral courage, and accountability to the State Department.

Through his career and example, Al Gombis exemplifies the mission of The Ben Franklin Fellowship: diplomacy rooted in the Republic, and in service to America.