Tina Kaidanow

Tina S. Kaidanow (born 1965)[1] is a U.S. diplomat and government official. She served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs before moving to the United States Department of Defense.

Tina Kaidanow
Senior Advisor for International Cooperation in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
In office September 25, 2018 – December 16, 2019
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Keith Webster
Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Acting
In office February 22, 2016 – September 2018
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Puneet Talwar
Succeeded by	R. Clarke Cooper
Coordinator for Counterterrorism
In office February 18, 2014 – February 22, 2016
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Jerry Lanier (acting)
Succeeded by	Justin H. Siberell (acting)
United States Ambassador to Kosovo
In office April 8, 2008 – July 6, 2009 Acting: April 8 – July 25, 2008
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Christopher Dell
Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office in Pristina
In office July 4, 2006 – April 8, 2008
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Philip Goldberg
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	1965 (age 55–56)
Alma mater	University of Pennsylvania (B.A., M.A.) Columbia University (M.A.)

Education

Kaidanow earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and another master's degree in political science from Columbia University in New York, as well as a certificate in Russian studies from the Harriman Institute at Columbia.[2]

Career

Kaidanow is a career member of the United States Foreign Service. She has had assignments in Belgrade (1995–1997), Skopje (1998–1999), Sarajevo (1997–1998 and 2003–2006), and Kabul (2012–2013), and as well as the United States National Security Council and the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (2009–2011).[2][3] At the National Security Council, Kaidanow had the position of Director for Southeast European Affairs.[2]

In Skopje, from 1998 to 1999, Kaidanow served as special assistant to United States Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher R. Hill. Kaidanow later became the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo from 2003 to 2006.[2]

In 2006, Kaidanow became the Chargé d'Affaires for the U.S. Office in Pristina. In 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, and was subsequently recognized by the United States. The new U.S. embassy in Pristina opened, with Kaidanow as the first United States Ambassador to Kosovo.[4][5]

From August 2009 to June 2011, Kaidanow served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and then served as the bureau's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary until 2012.[6] From September 2012 to October 2013, Kaidanow served as the DCM at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.[2] In this capacity, according to Politico, she vetoed a plan to prosecute Taliban commanders and their drug lord allies in U.S. courts for drug trafficking, because of concerns about the country's political stability.[7]

Kaidanow served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism from February 2014 to February 2016.[2] In February 2016, Kaidanow moved to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.[8]

On September 25, 2018,[9] Kaidanow was appointed as a senior advisor for international cooperation in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.[10][11][12][13] She resigned on December 16, 2019,[14][15][16] and will leave the Pentagon January 10, 2020.

References

1. "Tina S. Kaidanow (1965–)". U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
2. "Tina S. Kaidanow". U.S. Department of State. February 18, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
3. "Tina Kaidanow". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
4. "Bush to nominate Tina Kaidanow for US ambassador to Kosovo". Kosovo Compromise. May 21, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
5. "US Appoints Kosovo Ambassador". Balkan Insight. May 21, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
6. "Likely New U.S. Diplomat For Eurasia 'Gets Things Done'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. August 13, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
7. Meyer, Josh (8 July 2018). "The secret story of how America lost the drug war with the Taliban". POLITICO. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
8. "Bureau of Counterterrorism's Tina Kaidanow Moves to Pol-Mil Affairs, Justin Siberell Now Acting Coordinator". Diplopundit. March 18, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
9. "Bio" (PDF). www.acq.osd.mil. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
10. Mehta, Aaron (September 6, 2018). "Longtime diplomat Kaidanow heads to Pentagon". Defense News.
11. "Kaidanow leaving State for DOD". InsideDefense.com. September 5, 2018.
12. "State Dept. Vet Tina Kaidanow Appointed DoD International Cooperation Head". Executive Gov. September 7, 2018.
13. Egozi, Arie. "In Push For Arms Exports, Top State Official Moves To DoD".
14. Swanson, Ian (December 18, 2019). "Fifth Pentagon official announces resignation in seven days". TheHill.
15. "Ambassador Kaidanow becomes 5th Pentagon official to resign in 7 days". Axios.
16. Mehta, Aaron (December 18, 2019). "Top defense exports official exits the Pentagon amid multiple recent resignations". Defense News.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN