Officially In: Ambassador Anne E. Derse to Vilnius

Map from CIA World Factbook

On June 4^th, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Ambassador Anne Derse to be Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania.

Anne Derse is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service since 1981 and has served as Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan since May 2006. As Director for Biodefense Policy at the Homeland Security Council (HSC) 2005-2006, Anne Derse helped develop the Implementation Plan for the U.S. National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza. Prior to that, She helped establish the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in 2004-2005 as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs. Ms. Derse worked as Executive Assistant in the Department of State’s Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs from 2003-2004. As Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union (USEU) from 1999 to 2003, she led the USEU team managing U.S.-EU economic relations. She served as U.S. Commissioner on the Tripartite Gold Commission, adjudicating sovereign claims for gold seized by the Nazis and recovered by the Allies after World War II, while assigned as Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels 1997-1999.

Ms. Derse helped coordinate United States’ participation in the 1996 APEC Summit as Economic Counselor and Deputy Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines 1995-1997. She served as Special Assistant for Asian Affairs to State’s Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs from 1993 to 1995. As Finance and Development officer and Deputy Economic Counselor in Korea 1989-1993, she helped establish the Presidents’ Economic Initiative, the Dialogue for Economic Cooperation and Treasury-Ministry of Finance Financial Policy Talks. She also served as trade officer in Singapore 1985-1988, staff assistant to the Counselor of the Department of State 1983-84, and as Vice Consul in Trinidad and Tobago 1981-1983.

Ms. Derse received an MA from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from Macalester College.

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Ambassador Derse is currently the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan. If confirmed, she would succeed career diplomat, John A. Cloud, Jr. as US Ambassador to Vilnius. She is a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister Counselor.

Related Item: President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Key Administration Posts, 6-4-09