Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Name	Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Office	United States Ambassador to the United Nations
President	Joe Biden
Term start	February 25, 2021
Predecessor	Kelly Craft
Office2	Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
President2	Barack Obama
Term start2	August 5, 2013
Term end2	March 10, 2017
Predecessor2	Johnnie Carson
Successor2	Donald Yamamoto
Office3	United States Ambassador to Liberia
President3	George W. Bush, Barack Obama
Term start3	2008
Term end3	2012
Predecessor3	Donald Booth
Successor3	Deborah R. Malac
Birth date	November 22, 1952
Birth place	Baker, Louisiana, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Lafayette Greenfield
Alma mater	Louisiana State University (BA), University of Wisconsin–Madison (MA)

Linda Thomas-Greenfield is an American diplomat who has served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations since 2021 under President Joe Biden. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, she previously held key diplomatic posts including United States Ambassador to Liberia and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the Obama administration. Her career, spanning over three decades, has focused extensively on African affairs, humanitarian policy, and multilateral diplomacy at the United Nations.

Early life and education

Born in Baker, Louisiana, she was raised in the segregated Southern United States. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Louisiana State University before pursuing a Master of Arts in public administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her academic work laid the foundation for her future career in international relations and public service.

Career in the Foreign Service

Joining the United States Foreign Service in 1982, her early postings included assignments in Switzerland, Pakistan, Kenya, The Gambia, and Nigeria. She served in various roles at the United States Department of State, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and as Director of the Office of West African Affairs. Her work during this period involved managing refugee programs and shaping United States foreign policy across the African continent.

Ambassador to Liberia

From 2008 to 2012, she served as the United States Ambassador to Liberia, overseeing bilateral relations during the post-Second Liberian Civil War reconstruction period under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Her tenure focused on supporting governance reforms, economic development, and the consolidation of peace following the United Nations Mission in Liberia. She worked closely with international partners like the World Bank and the African Union.

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

Appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013, she led the Bureau of African Affairs at the United States Department of State until 2017. In this role, she was the principal advisor to Secretary of State John Kerry on issues ranging from the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria to the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. She coordinated significant diplomatic efforts, including the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2014.

Ambassador to the United Nations

Nominated by President Joe Biden, she was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2021 as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and head of the United States Mission to the United Nations. In this role, she represents the United States on the United Nations Security Council, advocating for American interests on global issues such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Israel–Hamas war, and food security crises in the Horn of Africa. She has emphasized rebuilding alliances and championing multilateral engagement.

Awards and honors

Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades, including the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award and the Presidential Rank Award. She was also inducted into the Louisiana State University College of Humanities & Social Sciences Hall of Fame. In 2023, she was listed among *Time* magazine's 100 Most Influential People.

Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:American diplomats Category:United States ambassadors to Liberia Category:United States ambassadors to the United Nations Category:African-American diplomats Category:People from Baker, Louisiana Category:Louisiana State University alumni Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni