Washington (CNN) Retired Ambassador Marie "Masha" Yovanovitch -- a highly respected career diplomat who unwittingly became one of the central figures in the impeachment drama -- warned about the degradation of the State Department and took veiled jabs at the Trump administration in her first public remarks since leaving the diplomatic service.

Speaking at an event at Georgetown University on Wednesday where she was honored for "Excellence in the Conduct of Diplomacy," Yovanovitch called for a "vigorous Department of State" to regain its stature in the nation's capital, warning that "right now the State Department is in trouble."

The retired career foreign service officer, as she did in her testimony before the House during the impeachment inquiry, cautioned that the department was being "hollowed out" and helmed by "senior leaders (who) lack policy vision, moral clarity and leadership skills."

"The policy process has been replaced by the decisions emanating from the top with little discussion," Yovanovitch said Wednesday. "Vacancies at all levels go unfilled and officers are increasingly wondering whether it is safe to express concerns about policy, even behind closed doors."

"We need to re-empower our diplomats to do their job. We can't be afraid to share our expertise or challenge false assumptions," Yovanovitch said. "Working off of facts is not the trademark of the deep state but of the deeply committed state in the words of Ambassador McFaul. Truth matters," she added, referring to the former ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul.

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