1. December 1, 2016
Dear Hiring Manager,
Please let this letter serve as my official recommendation for Ms. Tanya Southgate. Tanya is an intelligent,
committed and inquisitive individual. I firmly believe that she will be an asset to your program. She not only has
the skills that are necessary to succeed at a very high level, her drive and ability to relate to others in a diverse
cultural setting are outstanding and set her head and shoulders above the competition.
I am the Chargé d Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Samoa and I have had the very good fortune of working
with Tanya as she served as the Chief Administrative Officer at Vaiala Beach School where my children are
attending for their schooling. It gives me pleasure to sing her praises as she is truly one of the most “can do” people
I have met in my career. Tanya is exactly the kind of person I would be looking for if I was in your shoes. She is a
truly excellent administrator; I’ve met very few who combine so well the traits of productivity, innovation,
organizational skills, and a great attitude. I wish she would have stayed in Samoa until I leave! She is perpetually
on top of things (and kept all of us focused on the important stuff as well). Her interpersonal skills are spot on --
Tanya is always cheerful and cooperative. Students love her, colleagues respect her, management takes advantage
of her (it’s always a temptation to overload the super-competent, isn’t it?). She’s also super-versatile; here Tanya
was a financial manager, teacher support logistics coordinator, IT guru, counselor and so much more. She did
everything but take the trash out!
Tanya is an outstanding leader and manager. The entire Vaiala Beach Community was very sorry to see
her leave. Tanya is not afraid to "get her hands dirty" with case work and management intricacies, but neither is she
a micromanager. She was so well-regarded here that parents would seek her advice because of her leadership style
and approachability. Tanya always made time to develop her employees and students, even when she was
overworked, and put a premium on providing courteous and dignified service to everyone.
Overall, Tanya is one of those rare employees that all of the parents knew we could count on and once she
told us she would take care of it, it was as good as done! Furthermore, she didn't hesitate to discuss problematic
issues with parents or employees at the school (which helped her find the best solution). Her problem solving skills,
along with her customer service emphasis, match very well with what the highest levels of expectations from a top
company. She’s the kind of employee I’d love to work with again. Do yourself a favor and give her the job!
Warm Regards,
Angelina M. Wilkinson
Angelina M. Wilkinson
Chargé d’ Affaires
Embassy of the United States of America
Apia, Samoa
wilkinsonam@state.gov