Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs

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United States
Assistant Secretary of State
for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
U.S. Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Flag of the United States Assistant Secretary of State.svg
Flag of an Assistant Secretary of State
Incumbent
John E. Thompson
Acting  
since August 7, 2025 [1]
Style The Honorable
Reports to Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Nominator President of the United States
Inaugural holder Dixy Lee Ray
Formation1975
Website Official Website

The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs in the United States Department of State. Their mission is "to provide American leadership, diplomacy, and scientific cooperation to conserve and protect the global environment, ocean, and space for the prosperity, peace, and security of this and future generations". [2] The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. The goal of the agency is to "Advance America's security and prosperity through international leadership on oceans, environment, science, space, and health". [3]

Contents

President Joe Biden nominated Monica Medina as Assistant Secretary on April 27, 2021. [4] Medina was confirmed by the Senate on September 28, 2021, by a vote of 61–36. [5] In 2023 President Biden appointed Jennifer Littlejohn as the new Assistant Secretary of state. Ms. Littlejohn is the assistant secretary of Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. [6] Prior to her current employment Ms. Littlejohn was a deputy director of secretary of states policy planning staff. [6] Her position required her to "serve as a source of independent policy analysis and advice for the Secretary of State" (Policy Planning Staff). [7] Her job mainly consists of developing considerations regarding policies throughout the organization. [6] "The Assistant Secretary sees that such activities are designed and implemented in a manner that furthers overall U.S. foreign policy objectives" (1 FAM 504). [8]

Ms. Littlejohn has made great impacts to help benefit the environment; her most recent project Included her traveling to Sri Lanka, India, and Maldives to discuss climate change, plastic waste, air pollution, deforestation, and more. [9] "In India from August 21 to 28, Acting Assistant Secretary Littlejohn will engage government officials on collaboration on scientific research, space exploration, combatting wildlife trafficking, and – in Chennai – support for river restoration through the Ambassador’s Water Experts Program" (state.gov).

Assistant Secretaries of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 1975—present

#NameAssumed officeLeft office President appointed by
1 Dixy Lee Ray January 19, 1975June 20, 1975 Gerald Ford
2 Frederick Irving April 28, 1976March 26, 1977 Gerald Ford
3 Patsy T. Mink March 28, 1977May 1, 1978 Jimmy Carter
4 Thomas R. Pickering October 10, 1978February 24, 1981 Jimmy Carter
5 James L. Malone June 1, 1981July 22, 1985 Ronald Reagan
6 John Negroponte July 19, 1985November 23, 1987 Ronald Reagan
7 Frederick M. Bernthal May 24, 1988March 16, 1990 Ronald Reagan
8 E. U. Curtis Bohlen June 27, 1990October 31, 1992 George H. W. Bush
9 Elinor G. Constable June 2, 1993September 15, 1995 Bill Clinton
10 Eileen B. Claussen January 19, 1996 [10] July 18, 1997 Bill Clinton
11 David B. Sandalow October 28, 1999January 19, 2001 Bill Clinton
12 John F. Turner November 13, 2001July 11, 2005 George W. Bush
13 Claudia A. McMurray February 21, 2006January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
14 Kerri-Ann Jones August 20, 2009April 25, 2014 Barack Obama
- Judith G. Garber (acting)April 26, 2014September 7, 2017 Barack Obama
Donald Trump
-vacantSeptember 7, 2017September 7, 2020 Donald Trump
- Jonathan M. Moore (acting)September 8, 2020January 20, 2021 Donald Trump
-vacantJanuary 20, 2021August 5, 2021 Joe Biden
- Marcia Bernicat (acting)August 6, 2021September 28, 2021 Joe Biden
15 Monica Medina September 28, 2021April 28, 2023 Joe Biden
-Jennifer R. Littlejohn (acting)May 1, 2023January 20, 2025 Joe Biden
-Tony Fernandes (acting)January 20, 2025August 6, 2025 Donald Trump
-John E. Thompson (acting)August 7, 2025Incumbent Donald Trump

Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 2014—2021

PortraitNameAssumed officeLeft officeTitle
Judith G. Garber.webp Judith G. Garber April 26, 2014January 1, 2019(Acting Assistant Secretary April 26, 2014 – September 7, 2017) Senior Bureau Official September 8, 2017 – January 1, 2019
Marcia Bernicat.jpg Marcia Bernicat January 1, 2019April 3, 2020Senior Bureau Official
Jonathan M. Moore.jpg Jonathan M. Moore April 3, 2020September 7, 2020Senior Bureau Official April 3 – September 7 (named Acting Assistant Secretary September 8, 2020 - January 20, 2021)
Marcia Bernicat.jpg Marcia Bernicat January 20, 2021August 5, 2021Senior Bureau Official January 20 – August 5 (named Acting Assistant Secretary August 6, 2021)

[11] [12] [13]


Notes and references

  1. https://www.state.gov/biographies/john-thompson/
  2. "Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs". United States Department of State. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  3. "Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  4. "President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations". The White House. April 22, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  5. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Monica P. Medina, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs)". US Senate. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 https://www.state.gov/biographies/jennifer-r-littlejohn/
  7. "About Us – Policy Planning Staff". United States Department of State. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  8. https://fam.state.gov/fam/01fam/01fam0540.html#:~:text=The%20Assistant%20Secretary%20advises%20the,and%20the%20U.S.%20private%20sector.
  9. "Jennifer R. Littlejohn". United States Department of State. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  10. State Department Archived Biographies—Eileen B. Claussen. Archived December 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine .
  11. https://www.state.gov/biographies/jennifer-r-littlejohn/
  12. https://www.state.gov/about-us-policy-planning-staff/
  13. https://www.state.gov/acting-assistant-secretary-littlejohns-travel-to-sri-lanka-india-and-maldives/