Ambassador to Paraguay: Who is James Thessin?

Monday, September 05, 2011
In choosing James H. Thessin as ambassador to Paraguay, President Barack Obama selected a career member of the Senior Executive Service who, previously, had never served overseas in almost 30 years with the State Department. Thessin was nominated on April 7, 2011, however he has not yet been confirmed.
 
Born April 19, 1948, in Milwaukee, Thessin received an AA at Father Judge Mission Seminary, an AB from Catholic University (1971) and a JD from Harvard Law School (1974).
 
 
Thessin joined the State Department in 1982 as attorney-adviser for Political-Military Affairs.. rom 1984-85, he served as Assistant Legal Adviser for Human Rights and Refugee Affairs. In 1986 he began working as assistant legal advisor for managaement. He also joined the Office of Government Ethics, and in 1990 he was named the State Department’s Designated Agency Ethics Official. That same year, he became deputy legal adviser for the State Department, providing legal advice on contracting, legislation, diplomatic immunity, and personnel issues.
 
Thessin and his wife, Marcia, have a son and a daughter.
-David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff
 
Biography (Bush Administration State Department)

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