Michael A. Raynor

Michael Arthur Raynor (born 1962) is an American Foreign Service Officer specializing in relations with Africa. He is the current United States Ambassador to Ethiopia.[1] He previously served as the Director of the Office of Career Development and Assignments in the Bureau of Human Resources of the United States Department of State.[2][3] Raynor served as United States Ambassador to Benin from 2012 to 2015 after being nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to his post in Benin, he was deputy executive director and then executive director of the Bureau of African Affairs.

Michael A. Raynor
United States Ambassador to Ethiopia
Incumbent
Assumed office September 29, 2017
President	Donald Trump Joe Biden
Preceded by	Patricia M. Haslach
United States Ambassador to Benin
In office September 13, 2012 – May 29, 2015
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	James Knight
Succeeded by	Lucy Tamlyn
Personal details
Born	1962 (age 58–59)
Spouse(s)	Kathleen
Children	2
Alma mater	Lafayette College Columbia University

Biography

Raynor earned his bachelor's degree in 1984 from Lafayette College, going on to obtain a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University.[4]

Raynor is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, having joined the United States Foreign Service in 1988.[5] He has served eight U.S. missions overseas, including six in Africa. He has been assigned to the U.S. embassy in Brazzaville, the consular officer at the embassy in Luxembourg, and the U.S. embassies in Djibouti City, Conakry, and Windhoek. He was a desk officer for Zimbabwe before becoming legislative management officer and special assistant in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Raynor was the management counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Harare from 2004 to 2008.[4]

After returning from his post in Harare, Raynor was named deputy executive director of the Bureau of African Affairs in 2008. In 2010, he was elevated to executive director. On December 15, 2011, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to become United States Ambassador to Benin. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and assumed the ambassadorship on September 13, 2012. Raynor left his post in Benin on May 29, 2015, and became Director of the Office of Career Development and Assignments in the Bureau of Human Resources at the United States Department of State.[4] In May 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Raynor to become United States Ambassador to Ethiopia.[5] He was confirmed to the position by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2017.

References

1. "PN519 — Michael Arthur Raynor — Department of State". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
2. Fantahun, Arefayné (May 27, 2017). "Trump nominated career diplomat as ambassador to Ethiopia". Ethiopia Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
3. "PN519 — Michael Arthur Raynor — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
4. Bewig, Matt (March 10, 2012). "Ambassador to Benin: Who Is Michael Raynor?". AllGov. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
5. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The White House. May 22, 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

External links

• Michael A. Raynor (1962–) U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian