Appointments and Resignations
Ambassador from Jamaica: Who Is Audrey Marks?
Audrey Patrice Marks became Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States in May 2010.
Marks was born in St. Mary, Middlesex, Jamaica, and graduated from Marymount High School in Highgate. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Managemen... read more
Ambassador from Uruguay: Who is Carlos Gianelli?
Carlos Gianelli Derois began serving as Uruguay’s ambassador to the United States on July 11, 2005. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Gianelli received a Doctor in Law and Social Studies (1964-1975) at the Law and Social Studies School in Montevi... read more
Bureau of Prisons Director Resigns after Arrest for Drunk Driving: Who is Harley Lappin?
Harley Lappin, head of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, has submitted his resignation after being arrested for drunk driving.
Lappin, the bureau’s director since April 4, 2003, announced on March 25 that he would step down. The decision came a... read more
Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services: Who is Susan Hildreth?
A career librarian and administrator, Susan H. Hildreth was nominated to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) by President Barack Obama in September 2010. Confirmed by the Senate on December 22, she assumed the posi... read more
Ambassador from Chile: Who is Arturo Fermandois?
Chile’s ambassador to the United States since June 21, 2010, Arturo Fermandois Vöhringer is an attorney, professor and lover of music who plays in a rock band.
Born on October 14, 1962, in Santiago, Fermandois graduated in 1987 with a law de... read more
Ambassador from Uzbekistan: Who is Ilhom Nematov?
Ilhom Nematov has served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the United States since February 2010.
Born on May 1, 1952, Nematov graduated from Fergana Polytechnic Institute in 1973. He holds a PhD in economics.
From 1973 to 1978, he was the h... read more
Ambassador from El Salvador: Who is Francisco Altschul?
Francisco Altschul Fuentes was appointed ambassador of El Salvador to the United States in March 2010.
Born in Antiguo Cuscatlán on December 31, 1948, Altschul studied architecture at the University of El Salvador. He went on to study urban ... read more
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Resigns: Who is Carlos Pascual?
The State Department cables released by WikiLeaks have claimed their first big fish in the U.S. diplomatic community as U.S. ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual was forced to resign on March 19, 2011, after complaints by Mexico’s president, Feli... read more
Ambassador from Hungary: Who is Béla Szombati?
Béla Szombati is a veteran diplomat who served as Hungary’s ambassador to France and the United Kingdom before arriving in Washington, DC, in September 2009.
Szombati was born on July 16, 1955, in Tel-Aviv, Israel, where his father, a career... read more
Ambassador from Canada: Who is Gary Doer?
A longtime politician and former labor leader, Gary Albert Doer assumed his responsibilities as Canada’s ambassador to the United States on October 19, 2009.
Born March 31, 1948, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Doer attended St. Paul’s High School. H... read more
Ambassador from Italy: Who is Giulio Terzi?
Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata became ambassador of Italy to the United States in October 2009.
Born on June 9, 1946, in Bergamo, Terzi earned a law degree at the University of Milan, specializing in international law.
During his first two ... read more
Ambassador from Marshall Islands: Who is Banny deBrum?
Banny deBrum has served as ambassador from the Marshall Islands to the United States since 1996, except for a 20-month period in 2008-2009.
DeBrum graduated from Xavier High School in Micronesia in 1977, and Regis University, a Jesuit instit... read more
Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office: Who Is Warren Stern?
Warren M. Stern was named Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office(DNDO) in August 2010, a position that had been vacant for 18 months. His responsibility is to oversee the department’s nuclear security... read more
Ambassador from Bangladesh: Who is Akramul Qader?
A career diplomat with a cabinet rank of state minister, Akramul Qader has served as ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States since November 2009. In December 2010, he also assumed the role of ambassador to Mexico.
Qader received his ma... read more
Ambassador to China: Who is Gary Locke?
On Monday, the Obama administration announced that the president had selected Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to replace Jon Huntsman Jr. as U.S. ambassador to China. Barack Obama’s third choice for Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke was confirmed ... read more
Ambassador to Burundi: Who is Pamela Slutz?
For Pamela J. H. Slutz, who was sworn in as the U.S. ambassador to Burundi on November 2, 2009, the Foreign Service has quite literally been a lifetime experience.
Slutz grew up in the Foreign Service as a “diplobrat,” thanks to her father, ... read more