Michele J. Sison
Michele Sison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 28th Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs | |
| Assumed office December 21, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Kevin Moley |
| United States Ambassador to Haiti | |
| In office February 21, 2018 – October 9, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Peter Mulrean |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth H. Merten (Chargé d’Affaires) |
| United States Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office December 7, 2014 – February 21, 2018 | |
| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Rosemary DiCarlo |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Cohen |
| United States Ambassador to the United Nations Acting | |
| In office January 20, 2017 – January 27, 2017 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Samantha Power |
| Succeeded by | Nikki Haley |
| United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka | |
| In office September 14, 2012 – December 6, 2014 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Patricia A. Butenis |
| Succeeded by | Atul Keshap |
| United States Ambassador to the Maldives | |
| In office September 9, 2012 – December 6, 2014 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Patricia A. Butenis |
| Succeeded by | Atul Keshap |
| United States Ambassador to Lebanon | |
| In office January 25, 2008 – August 9, 2010 Acting: January 25, 2008 – September 4, 2008 | |
| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Jeffrey D. Feltman |
| Succeeded by | Maura Connelly |
| United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates | |
| In office February 7, 2005 – January 19, 2008 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Marcelle Wahba |
| Succeeded by | Martin Quinn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michele Jeanne Sison May 27, 1959 Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Wellesley College (BA) London School of Economics |
Michele Jeanne Sison (born May 27, 1959)[1] is an American diplomat and career member of the Senior Foreign Service serving as the assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs. She has previously served in various other diplomatic posts around the world on behalf of the United States, including ambassador to Haiti.[2] Sison holds the personal rank of career ambassador.
Early life and education
[edit]Sison earned her bachelor of arts in political science from Wellesley College, and also studied at the London School of Economics.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]
Sison's overseas assignments have included service as deputy chief of mission and chargé d'affaires at the U.S. embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (1999–2002) and as consul general at the U.S. consulate general in Chennai, India (1996–1999). She also served at the U.S. missions in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (1993–1996); Douala, Cameroon (1991–1993); Cotonou, Benin (1988–1991); Lomé, Togo (1984–1988); and Port-au-Prince, Haiti (1982–1984), as well as in Washington. Ambassador Sison is the recipient of numerous U.S. Department of State awards for exceptional service.
She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as United States ambassador to the United Arab Emirates on May 6, 2004, and sworn in by Secretary of State Colin Powell on July 12, 2004. Prior to her appointment to the UAE, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South Asian Affairs, charged with providing broad policy oversight of U.S. relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.[3]
She also had a short stint as the U.S. Chargés d'affaires a.i. in Lebanon,[4] before her Senate confirmation as U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon on August 1, 2008. Sison's assignment in Lebanon ended in August 2010.
She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 29, 2012, as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.[5]
On July 8, 2014, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Sison as Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and Deputy Representative of the United States in the Security Council of the United Nations.[6] She was confirmed by the Senate in a voice vote on November 19, 2014.[7]
Ambassador to Haiti
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 | This section needs to be updated. (August 2018) |
On November 2, 2017, she was confirmed by the Senate to serve as the United States Ambassador to Haiti, having been nominated by U.S. President Donald Trump.[8] Among the major issues facing her in her role were navigating a response by the United Nations to victims of a cholera epidemic the organization started in October 2010. She was also confronted with the U.S. government's decision on whether or not to extend Temporary Protected Status to Haitian immigrants who were in the U.S. at the time of the massive earthquake in Port-au-Prince in January 2010.
In 2018, Sison was promoted to the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest personal rank in the Senior Foreign Service, given for exceptionally distinguished service over a prolonged period of time.[9]
Sison left the post on October 9, 2021, and was succeeded by Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Kenneth H. Merten.[10]
Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
[edit]On April 15, 2021, Sison was nominated by President Biden to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. Sison's nomination was reported favorably on June 24, 2021, by the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. She was confirmed to the position by the Senate on December 18, 2021, by voice vote,[11] and she was sworn in on December 21, 2021.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Sison speaks fluent French and basic Haitian Creole and Arabic. She has two daughters.[13] Her father is originally from the Philippines.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ AllGov. "Ambassador to Haiti: Who Is Michele Sison?". Retrieved February 26, 2018.
- ^ Department of State. "U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele J. Sison". Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ "Michele J. Sison: US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates". Asian Journal. October 27, 2009. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- ^ "Deputy Chief of Mission - Beirut, Lebanon - Embassy of the United States". United States Department of State, Embassy of the United States in Beirut, Lebanon. Archived from the original on March 13, 2010.
- ^ "Ambassador | Embassy of the United States Sri Lanka and the Maldives". Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2010. Ambassador Michele J. Sison, Embassy of the United States, Sri Lanka and Maldives
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts" (Press release). The White House, Office of the Press Secretary. July 8, 2014.
- ^ Domani Spero (November 20, 2014). "Senate Confirmations 11/19: Cormack, Mustard, Miller, Cefkin, Yamate, Sison". Diplopundit.
- ^ United States Senate (November 2, 2017). "PN834 — Michele Jeanne Sison — Department of State". Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ^ Pompeo, Michael (September 13, 2018). "Secretary Pompeo on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
Today marks a proud moment for the @StateDept . Four of our finest diplomats have been conferred by @POTUS as Career Ambassadors—the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service. Congratulations, Philip Goldberg, David Hale, Michele Sison & Dan Smith on this high honor. Much deserved!
- ^ Zo-Info Plus [@ZoomInfoPlusHT] (October 11, 2021). "La mission diplomatique de Michèle J. Sison qui a débutée en février 2018 en Haïti a pris fin ce 9 oct" (Tweet) (in French). Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "PN384 — Michele Jeanne Sison — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ "Michele J. Sison". United States Department of State. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ "Michele J. Sison". www.nndb.com.
- ^ "AllGov - Officials". www.allgov.com.
External links
[edit]
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| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1959 births
- 21st-century American diplomats
- 21st-century American women civil servants
- Ambassadors of the United States to Haiti
- Ambassadors of the United States to Lebanon
- Ambassadors of the United States to the United Arab Emirates
- American people of Filipino descent
- American women ambassadors
- Biden administration personnel
- Living people
- People from Arlington County, Virginia
- Permanent Representatives of the United States to the United Nations
- Trump administration cabinet members
- Wellesley College alumni
- United States Career Ambassadors
- United States Foreign Service personnel