Appointments and Resignations
Ambassador from Nicaragua: Who is Francisco Campbell?
Since May 2010, the ambassador from Nicaragua to the United States has been Francisco Obadiah Campbell Hooker, an experienced diplomat and academic who previously served in Nicaragua’s embassy in the early 1980s. The Nicaraguan opposition objected... read more
Ambassador from Dominica: Who is Hubert Charles?
Since June 2010, the Ambassador to the United States from the Caribbean island nation of Dominica (population: 73,000) has been Hubert J. Charles, a longtime employee of UNESCO who is also a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education ... read more
Ambassador from Guinea: Who Is Blaise Chérif?
The West African nation of Guinea gained a new ambassador to the United States on July 6, 2011. Blaise Chérif, a specialist in refugee issues, presented his credentials to President Barack Obama on September 9.
Born September 25, 1945, in N’Zo... read more
Ambassador from Grenada: Who is Gillian Bristol?
Since July 2009, the small Caribbean island nation of Grenada, which the United States invaded in 1983, has been represented in the U.S. by Gillian M.S. Bristol, who is concurrently accredited as Ambassador to Mexico and Permanent Representative t... read more
Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission: Who Is Patti Saris?
A federal judge for the past eighteen years, Patti B. Saris has chaired the United States Sentencing Commission since January 2011. Created in 1984 to deal with disparities in sentencing in different states, the Commission develops sentencing guid... read more
Ambassador to Kuwait: Who Is Matthew Tueller?
Matthew Tueller, a career Foreign Service Officer, was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Kuwait on September 8, 2011. He has served there previously on two occasions.
Born circa 1951 in Utah, Tueller grew up in in Europe, North Africa, and Latin ... read more
Ambassador from Nigeria: Who Is Ade Adefuye?
Since March 2010, the ambassador from Nigeria to the United States has been a former history professor, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, who has already helped to persuade the U.S. to remove his country from the government’s “country of interest” terror... read more
Ambassador to Qatar: Who Is Susan Ziadeh?
Susan L. Ziadeh was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Qatar on September 12, 2011, for what is her eighth tour of duty in the Middle East.
The daughter of noted Palestinian-American scholar Farhat Ziadeh, Susan Ziadeh was born circa 1954 and grew... read more
Ambassador from Gambia: Who Is Alieu Ngum?
Since March 2010, the Ambassador from Gambia to the United States has been Alieu Momodou Ngum. Born August 12, 1950, in Gambia, which was a British colony at the time, Ngum grew up and received his secondary education there. Leaving the country fo... read more
Ambassador to Kazakhstan: Who Is Kenneth Fairfax?
Experienced in both nuclear and economic issues, Kenneth J. Fairfax was finally approved by the United States Senate to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan. The former Soviet republic has been a focus of ongoing efforts to safeguard nuclear... read more
Ambassador to Nicaragua: Who Is Jonathan Farrar?
The nomination of President Obama’s choice to be next ambassador to Nicaragua is in doubt over criticism leveled by two Cuban-American Senators, Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) and Mario Rubio (R-Florida), regarding Cuba policy. Jonathan D. Farrar, ... read more
Ambassador from Georgia: Who Is Temuri Yakobashvili?
The ambassador of Georgia to the United States since November 2010, Temuri Yakobashvili, is a long-time senior government official who comes from a Jewish family. Unusually for a diplomat, in his youth Yakobashvili was arrested several times for... read more
Ambassador to Egypt: Who Is Anne Patterson?
The United States in August 2011 sent experienced senior diplomat Anne W. Patterson to be the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt as its revolution continues to develop and, potentially, affect American interests. Born on October 4, 1949, in Fort Smith, Ar... read more
Ambassador to Bahrain: Who is Thomas Krajeski?
In June 2011, President Barack Obama nominated diplomat Thomas C. Krajeski to be the U.S. ambassador to Bahrain. Krajeski has spent much of his career serving in the Middle East and Persian Gulf regions, including two stints in Iraq. He received... read more
Chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council: Who Is Tom Bernstein?
New York City developer Tom A. Bernstein raised at least $100,000 for George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign and was rewarded with an appointment to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, which serves as the Board of Directors for the U.S. Ho... read more
Ambassador from New Zealand: Who is Mike Moore?
A longtime Labour politician and former head of state, Mike Moore has served as New Zealand’s ambassador to the United States since January 2010.
Born January 28, 1949, in Whakatane, New Zealand, Moore was raised in Kawakawa and educated at ... read more