PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

United States Ambassador to Vietnam 2022–2026

  • Led the U.S. Mission to Vietnam, comprising Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, with 1,200 employees, a $330 million budget, and 43 offices and agencies.

  • Through vision and entrepreneurial leadership, upgraded the U.S.-Vietnam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023, a historic achievement, garnering 92% approval rating among the Vietnamese public.

  • As the President’s representative in Vietnam across two different Administrations, engaged high-level government officials, business leaders, and media to advance U.S. interests and build strong bilateral ties, while ensuring high team morale in spite of organizational transition and change. 

  • Drove successful energy, hospitality, aviation, and semiconductor negotiations that attracted significant investments benefiting U.S. businesses and Vietnamese counterparts, demonstrating ability to cultivate revenue-generating partnerships and manage complex financial considerations. 

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Korea and Japan 2018–2021

  • Served as the senior most official in the State Department responsible for U.S. alliance relationships with the Republic of Korea and Japan.

  • Provided senior leadership and expert guidance on U.S. foreign policy towards Korea and Japan, serving as a key thought leader on the strength and strategic importance of the U.S.-Korea Alliance, including during sensitive defense cost-sharing negotiations. 

  • Managed complex interagency and diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation efforts between and among the United States, ROK, and Japan, a task made all the more challenging by the global COVID pandemic, all the while ensuring his team remained healthy and maintained high morale.

Chargé d’Affaires/Deputy Chief of Mission to the Republic of Korea 2015–2018

  • Following service as Deputy Chief of Mission from 2015-2017, became the Acting Ambassador for 18 months during a period of high tension on the Korean Peninsula.

  • Demonstrated comprehensive executive leadership and management of Embassy operations, including full budgetary and administrative responsibility and morale building for a team of 600 Koreans and Americans.

  • Closely engaged with Korean political and business elites, deepening the bilateral relationships and mutual understanding of complex issues.

Director for India Affairs, U.S. Department of State 2014-2015
Oversaw major developments in U.S.-India relations, including the conclusion of a bilateral civil nuclear deal as well as major defense contracts.
Director for Japanese Affairs, U.S. Department of State 2011-2014
Led the U.S. Government’s preeminent team on managing the U.S.-Japan alliance, to include cooperation in areas as diverse as security, trade, investment, science and technology, education, culture and tourism, and health.
Various Positions in Seoul, Tokyo, Baghdad, and Washington, D.C. 1993-2011
As a career diplomat, served in various capacities in Embassies and Washington offices to advance U.S. foreign policy goals in Japan, South Korea, Iraq, and China.

EDUCATION AND LANGUAGES
Princeton University Princeton, NJ
Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Summa Cum Laude; Minor in East Asian Studies
Army War College Carlisle, PA
Masters in Strategic Studies
University of Tokyo Tokyo, Japan
Recipient of Japan Ministry of Education Scholarship to pursue graduate research in International Relations

Fluent in Japanese and Korean, professional proficiency in Vietnamese

AWARDS AND HONORS
State Department Distinguished Service Award, the nation’s highest diplomatic honor, for service as Chargé d’Affaires in Seoul during multiple crises on the Korean Peninsula.
State Department Linguist of the Year Award, for achieving near native fluency in both Korean and Japanese.
Presidential Honor Award, for overall outstanding diplomatic service to the nation.
Vietnam Order of Friendship, for strengthening the U.S.-Vietnam partnership.  It is the highest decoration a foreigner can receive for contributions to Vietnam and its relationships with other nations.
Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Commendation, for contributions over many years to strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance.