Mary Beth Leonard | |
---|---|
United States Ambassador to Nigeria | |
In office December 24, 2019 –March 31, 2023 | |
President | Donald Trump Joe Biden |
Preceded by | W. Stuart Symington |
Succeeded by | David Greene (chargéd'Affaires ad interim) |
United States Ambassador to the African Union | |
In office September 13,2016 –September 14,2019 | |
President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Reuben E. Brigety II |
Succeeded by | Jessica Lapenn |
United States Ambassador to Mali | |
In office November 22,2011 –September 22,2014 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Gillian Milovanovic |
Succeeded by | Paul Folmsbee |
Personal details | |
Born | 1962 (age 62–63) |
Education | Boston University (B.A.) Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (M.A.) |
Mary Beth Leonard (born 1962) [1] is an American diplomat. She was the United States Ambassador to Nigeria and the former U.S. Representative to the African Union. Previously,she served as the United States Ambassador to Mali from 2011 to 2014.
Leonard is a native of Massachusetts. Leonard's father is Earl Leonard,a math teacher and vice principal. [2] Leonard graduated from Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester,Massachusetts. [3] [4] [5]
Leonard graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University,with a major in economics and a minor in French. In 1988,Leonard earned a master's degree in international relations,with an emphasis on African studies,from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. In 2004,Leonard received a Master's of Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College,with distinction. [2]
She speaks English,French,Spanish,Afrikaans,and Dutch.
Leonard began her career in the Defense Department as a research analyst. [2]
In 1988,Leonard joined the State Department and entered the Foreign Service. Leonard has served overseas as an economic and consular officer in Yaoundé,Cameroon;Windhoek,Namibia;and Lomé,Togo. [2] Leonard also worked in the Department's Operations Center and in its Office of Central African Affairs. Leonard then served as a political and economic officer in Cape Town,South Africa and thereafter as Deputy Chief of Mission in Paramaribo,Suriname.
From 2006 to 2009,Leonard was Deputy Chief of Mission in Bamako,Mali. From 2009 to 2011,Leonard was the Director for West African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
On June 21,2011,Leonard was nominated and confirmed on October 18,2011,as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. Leonard's term ended in 2014. [2] Leonard's service in Mali was recognized with the Department's Diplomacy for Human Rights Award in 2013,an honor that annually recognizes a U.S. Chief of Mission who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to defending human rights and advancing democratic principles in his or her host country. In September 2014,Leonard was a State Department's Diplomat in Residence for New England,based at Tufts University. [3] Leonard served as the State Department's Senior Faculty Advisor at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport,Rhode Island.
Leonard was appointed by President Obama as the Representative of the United States of America to the African Union,with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,on July 5,2016. She also served as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
On June 24,2019,President Trump appointed her to become the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and on August 1,2019,the Senate confirmed her nomination by voice vote. [6] Leonard was sworn in on October 4,2019,and presented her credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari on December 24,2019. [7]
Doherty Memorial High School is a public high school located in Worcester,Massachusetts,United States. It opened its doors in the fall of 1966,replacing two closing schools:Worcester Classical High School and Worcester Commerce High School.
African-Americans in foreign policy in the United States catalogs distinguished African Americans who have and continue to contribute to international development,diplomacy,and defense through their work with the U.S. Department of State,the U.S. Agency for International Development,the U.S. Information Agency,and the U.S. Congress,and other notable agencies and non-governmental organizations. The creators acknowledge the presence of the interagency contributions to the foreign affairs realm,and welcome additional content to showcase the achievements of African-Americans in other relevant USG agencies.
Terence Patrick McCulley is the former United States Ambassador to The Ivory Coast and a retired member of the Senior Foreign Service,with the rank of Minister-Counselor. McCulley was nominated by President Barack Obama to this post on June 26,2013,and presented his credentials to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara on November 21,2013. He is currently the Senior Managing Director of the Africa practice at McLarty Associates and the Chairman of the U.S.-Nigeria Council.
Kathleen Ann Doherty is an American diplomat and former Ambassador of the United States of America to Cyprus.
Todd Crawford Chapman is an American career diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to Brazil from 2020 to 2021 and as the United States ambassador to Ecuador from 2016 to 2019.
Stephanie Sanders Sullivan is an American diplomat and the previous ambassador to Ghana. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central African Affairs and Security Affairs for the Bureau of African Affairs from January 2017 to November 2018. She previously served as United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo,having been nominated by President Obama on June 13,2013,confirmed by the Senate on August 1,2013,and served through January 20,2017.
Lucy Tamlyn is an American diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since February 2023. She previously served as chargéd'affaires to Sudan;as United States ambassador to the Central African Republic;and as United States ambassador to Benin.
Catherine Ebert-Gray is an American diplomat. She served as the United States ambassador to Papua New Guinea,Solomon Islands and Vanuatu from 2016 to 2019.
Virginia Evelyn Palmer is an American diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to Ghana since 2022. Palmer is the former United States ambassador to Malawi. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate,beginning that assignment in January 2015.
Gillian Arlette Milovanovic is an American diplomat who was the United States Ambassador to Macedonia from 2005 to 2007 succeeding Lawrence Butler,and ambassador to Mali from 2007 to 2011. In 2012 Milovanovic was appointed the chair of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme on behalf of the United States,the first woman to hold that position.
Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath is an American diplomat who is serving as the United States ambassador to Peru since June 20,2024. She most recently served as deputy chief of mission to Mexico.
Dennis Bruce Hankins is an American diplomat who is serving as American Ambassador to Haiti. He previously served as the United States Ambassador to Mali between 2019 and 2022 and the United States Ambassador to Guinea between 2015 and 2019.
Patricia Alice Mahoney is an American diplomat serving as the United States Ambassador to the Central African Republic. She previously served as the United States Ambassador to Benin.
Bridget Ann Brink is an American diplomat serving as the United States Ambassador to Ukraine. In April 2022,she was nominated by President Joe Biden to be the United States ambassador to Ukraine,and presented her credentials in May 2022. She previously served as the United States Ambassador to Slovakia from August 20,2019,until May 18,2022.
Birgitt Ory is a German diplomat. From 2019 till 2022 she has served as the German Ambassador to Nigeria. Ory was the first woman to serve as Director General of the German Institute Taipei in Taiwan,a post she held from 2008 to 2011.
Claire A. Pierangelo is an American diplomat who serves as the United States ambassador to Madagascar and the Comoros.
Kathleen A. FitzGibbon is an American diplomat serving as the United States ambassador to Niger since August 2023.