McKenzie Carlson | First-time EFM Re-Entering the Workforce

On this episode of Available Worldwide, Lauren chats with McKenzie Carlson, our new social media manager and fellow plant lover. McKenzie shares her family’s unique journey into the Foreign Service, from an adventurous road trip to prepping for a Covid-era quarantine. We discuss the best National Parks, the challenges of resume gaps, and the support she found in the EFM community both at post and via Available Worldwide. McKenzie fresh perspectives have already made a positive impact on our team as we continue to provide valuable resources for EFMs worldwide.

McKenzie Lowe Carlson is a mother of two and a first-tour EFM in Guangzhou, China.
McKenzie graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught third grade for one year and has since had the opportunity to stay home full-time with her kids, Bria and Tucker.
With her youngest starting school this year she was ready to venture back into the world of professionalism, but being at a post with no bilateral work agreement meant she couldn’t teach. She is currently volunteering as a social media manager for Available Worldwide. She enjoys indoor & outdoor gardening, reading, and organizing & decorating her home.