Appointments and Resignations
Filibuster Talk Begins of Obama's Safer Pick for Top Consumer Protection Post
Having passed on a Harvard professor who helped create the new agency, President Barack Obama has decided to go with a former state attorney general of Ohio to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But it seems no matter who Obama selects... read more
Confirmation of Gay Judge Belies Obama's Lack of Nominating Success
After two and a half years of nominating struggles and partisan roadblocks, President Barack Obama was able to celebrate an important judicial landmark this week: The confirmation of the first-ever openly gay man to the federal bench.
Equally ... read more
Ambassador from Zambia: Who Is Sheila Siwela?
Sheila Siwela was appointed as Zambia’s ambassador to the United States on June 25, 2010.
She earned a diploma in Social Work from the University of Zambia, a bachelor’s degree in Administration from Canada’s University of Western Ontario, a... read more
Ambassador from Montenegro: Who is Srdjan Darmanovic?
Montenegro’s ambassador to the United States since November 2010, Srdjan Darmanovic knows a thing or two about strategy, both the diplomatic kind and that used on a chess board.
Born in 1961, Darmanovic served in the former Yugoslavia’s federa... read more
Ambassador to Turkmenistan: Who is Robert Patterson?
Robert E. Patterson, Jr. has been U.S. ambassador to Turkmenistan since May 2011.
A native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Patterson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Reed College, MA and MPhil degrees from Columbia University and an MA ... read more
Ambassador to Kenya: Who is Scott Gration?
Appointed ambassador to Kenya in February 2011, Scott Gration spent most of his professional career in the U.S. Air Force, before serving as President Barack Obama’s special envoy to Sudan—a job he bungled, according to critics.
The son of mis... read more
Ambassador from Guyana: Who is Bayney R. Karran?
Bayney Ram Karran has served as Guyana’s ambassador to the United States since December 2003. Concurrently, he has been Guyana’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).
Prior to becoming a diplomat, Karran spen... read more
Ambassador from Republic of Congo: Who is Serge Mombouli?
Serge Mombouli has served as ambassador of the Republic of Congo to the United States since July 2001.
Born on July 22, 1959, in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, Mombouli grew up the son of a diplomat and Congolese statesman, in a family of ... read more
Chinese Ambassador to the United States: Who Is Zhang Yesui?
Zhang Yesui was named China’s Ambassador to the United States in March 2010.
Zhang was born in Hubei Province in October 1953. He graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1975, and attended the London School of Economics from 1975 ... read more
Ambassador to Namibia: Who is Wanda Nesbitt?
A career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to two other African nations, Wanda L. Nesbitt became U.S. ambassador to Namibia in November 2010.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor of arts degrees in internationa... read more
State Justice Institute: Who Is Robert Miller?
Robert A. Miller was appointed to the State Justice Institute (SJI) Board of Governors in February 1998. The SJI is a non-profit corporation run by the 11 members of its Board of Directors, each of whom is appointed by the President of the United ... read more
Ambassador to Mexico: Who is Tony Wayne?
President Barack Obama choice as the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico is Earl Anthony “Tony” Wayne, a high-ranking career diplomat who has spent little time in Latin America.
Born in 1950 in Sacramento, California, Wayne grew up in Concord, wher... read more
Ambassador to Cameroon: Who is Robert Jackson?
Robert P. Jackson assumed the post of U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon on September 17, 2010. It is his fifth posting to Africa.
A native of Tennessee, Jackson received his B.A. degree in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College in Brunswi... read more
Ambassador from Denmark: Who is Peter Taksoe-Jensen?
Peter Taksoe-Jensen took over as Denmark’s ambassador to the United States in September 2010.
Born in 1959 in Copenhagen, Taksoe-Jensen received a law degree from the University of Copenhagen.
He served in the Danish Ministry of Justice fr... read more
Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire: Who is Phillip Carter III?
Phillip Carter III was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire on August 23, 2010.
Carter graduated from St. Dunstan’s Episcopal High School, in Christiansted on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 1976. He earned his B.A. in Economics a... read more
Ambassador from Cyprus: Who Is Pavlos Anastasiades?
Pavlos Anastasiades became Cyprus’s Ambassador to the United States on September 16, 2010.
Anastasiades was born on May 4, 1953, in Famagusta in northeastern Cyprus. From 1965 to 1971 he attended the First Gymnasium for Boys. After two years... read more