TULSA, Okla. — There are many tourists visiting Paris for the Olympics, many of them Americans.
One Tulsan is making sure they all have a fun and safe time in France.
Stacie Hankins grew up in Tulsa and now she’s the deputy consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Paris.
With all those visitors, the Olympics mean a packed schedule for Hankins and her team.
She said the Games are "a good opportunity to highlight the longstanding French-U.S. relationship and to have some fun."
Speaking French is a big part of her job, but the biggest part is overseeing American Citizen Services as its chief.
“It means when Americans have an issue — whether it's a lost or stolen passport, maybe they've become ill, and they need help with a medical issue, if they get arrested — they turn to us, and we try to help,” she explained to 2 News.
Hankins has lived, studied, and worked all around the world — from Albania to Pakistan.
Before her current role in Paris, she spent a year at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI, where she earned a Master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.
Before the Naval War College, she was the Consular Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (2020-2022). She also served as Deputy Consul General in Islamabad, Pakistan (2018-2019).
Prior to that, she worked as a management analyst in the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Office of the Executive Director (CA/EX) (2016-2018). Other overseas tours include Consular Chief in Abuja, Nigeria, and Staff Assistant to the Ambassador in Rome, Italy.
Domestically, she has worked in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs as the desk officer for Nicaragua and in the Bureau of Consular Affairs as a public affairs officer.
She began her Foreign Service career in Tirana, Albania in 2003.
Hankins holds a B.A. in International Studies from Emory University and an MBA in International Business from Georgia State University. She speaks French and has studied Albanian, Italian, Spanish, and Urdu.
Nonetheless, she told us that her time in T-Town has certainly left an impact.
“I think Oklahomans are a particular type of American. I think that we are less inclined to put up with… What's a nice way to put it? People being less than straightforward or less than honest with us,” said Hankins.
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“I think that that has carried through in my career,” she added, “and probably makes me the ideal consular officer.”
She also mentioned, “We have a pretty good radar for dishonesty. And I like to think that that has helped me in my career to protect U.S. borders, you know, refusing visas to people who don't seem to meet the qualifications.”
Hankins has some tips for Americans traveling in France and other foreign countries. They should:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). That way, the embassy can share vital information with them when traveling to keep them safe.
- Check their passport to see if it’s valid before leaving the U.S.
- Let their bank and credit card company know they’re traveling so that the companies won’t block transactions for what they think is fraudulent activity.
“Just do what you would do in any city, any large city, anywhere in the world,” Hankins advised. “Maintain your situational awareness. Petty crime is a thing [in Paris]; more serious crime sometimes happens. So, just pay attention to your surroundings to make sure that you are not a victim of crime.”
“Finally, just have a good time while you're here,” she added. “It's an exciting time to be in France, so have fun.”
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