Born in Medford, Oregon, McCulley grew up in Eugene, where he attended the University of Oregon. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in European history and French language and literature. He attended the Université de Haute Bretagne in Rennes, France, from 1979-1980 as a Rotary Foundation Graduate Fellow, and he also attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

 

McCulley joined the Foreign Service in 1985. His first three tours were in Niger, South Africa and Chad, working in management, consular and political reporting positions.

 

Following his assignment to Chad, he served as consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai, India.

 

In 1993, McCulley worked as the desk officer for Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the State Department’s Office of Central African Affairs, handling issues in Zaire during the Rwanda genocide, the massive influx of refugees into eastern Zaire and the beginnings of the conflict in Africa's Great Lakes region. 

 

McCulley served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassies in Togo, Senegal and Tunisia from 1995-2004.

 

In June 2004, he became the deputy coordinator for Iraq assistance in the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

 

President George W. Bush nominated McCulley to be U.S. ambassador to Mali in May 2005 and he was confirmed by the Senate in June of that year.

 

Prior to his appointment as ambassador to Nigeria, McCulley served as the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

McCulley is fluent in French, and speaks some Zulu and Wolof. He and his wife have two sons.

 

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 6/28/10 (White House)

Earlier Biography (Spoke.com)