Kelly Keiderling

Kelly Ann Keiderling-Franz (born 1966) is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Uruguay from 2016 to 2019.[1]

Kelly Ann Keiderling-Franz
United States Ambassador to Uruguay
In office June 23, 2016 – June 29, 2019
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Julissa Reynoso
Succeeded by	Kenneth S. George
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 54–55) Dominican Republic
Alma mater	Georgetown University National Defense University

Early life and education

Keiderling was born in the Dominican Republic.[2] Keiderling's father was in the U.S. foreign service and had met her Bolivian mother on his first international assignment in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Keiderling grew up primarily in Latin America and Portugal.[3]

Keiderling earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and later a master's degree from the National War College.

Career

Keiderling joined the foreign service in 1988. Her U.S. assignments included ones as Senior Panama Desk officer, Public Diplomacy Desk Officer for the Caribbean, acting deputy director for Central American Affairs, Strategic Language Issues Coordinator in the Bureau of Human Resources, Chief of Staff in the Iraq Office, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Her foreign assignments have included serving as Deputy Chief of Mission in Chișinău, Moldova. She has served as Public Affairs Officer in Cuba, Botswana and Kyrgyzstan. Her other international assignments include ones in the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, and Zambia.

In 2004, as Chief of the Office of Press and Culture in the Cuban US Interests Section, she led and trained youth university leaders in anti-government political activities under the guise of academic and literary promotion.

When tapped by President Obama to become United States Ambassador to Uruguay. She was confirmed by the Senate on May 17, 2016.[4][5] She assumed her role on June 23, 2016.[6] Her appointment as Ambassador ended on June 29, 2019.[7] Keiderling was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), a role she had held since December 2013.[8]

Personal life

Keiderling is married to David Franz, a foreign service officer, and they have two children. In addition to English, she speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian, as well as some Italian and Romanian.[9]

References

1. Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 172
2. Hispanic Heritage: Kelly Keiderling U.S. State Department, September 17, 2014
3. Like Father, Like Daughter: An Interview with Kelly Keiderling Global Ties, March 31, 2015
4. Congress nominations Archived 2016-05-06 at the Wayback Machine The New York Times, April 28, 2016
5. PN1054 — Kelly Keiderling-Franz — Department of State Congressional record, May 17, 2016
6. Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, United States Embassy: Montevideo, Uruguay, July 6, 2016 Archived August 17, 2016, at the Wayback Machine accessed July 14, 2016
7. "Kelly Keiderling-Franz - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
8. Kelly Keiderling U.S. State Department, accessed May 21, 2016
9. Statement of Kelly Keiderling U.S. Senate record, March 10, 2016

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