Where are our RPCV Ambassadors?

Jul 25 2018

A-100 is the entry level class that only Foreign Service Officers go through when they first join the State Department.They are sworn in as Foreign Service Officers at the end of this 6 week program.During this event they also find out what country they are being sent to for their first assignment.It is a big deal.Very memorable for all involved.In the last four Foreign Service classes there have been a total of 5% RPCVs. Here is the enrollments numbers of A-100 on the last four classes.

The 194^th has 5 Peace Corps Volunteers out of 82 students (current class underway)

The 193^rd had 3 out of 41

The 192^nd had 0 out of 34

The 191^st had 2 out of 45

Neither the Peace Corps or the State Department has a list of RPCVs who became U.S. Ambassadors. The RPCV group within the State Department also does not know what RPCV became an ambassador. We do know that the first RPCV Ambassador was Parker Borg, U.S. Ambassador to Mail (1981-1984) & Iceland (1993-1996); (PCV Philippines 1961-63).

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Here is my most recent listing of 56 names and countries of RPCV Ambassadors, as of 7/25/2018. I am sure I do not have the names of all the RPCV Ambassadors.

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, U.S. Ambassador to Malta (2012-16); (PCV Oman 1980-82)

Charles C. Adams Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Finland (2015); (PCV Kenya 1968-70)

Frank Almaguer, U. S. Ambassador to Honduras (1999 to 2002) ; (PCV Belize 1967–69) & (PC/CD Honduras 1976-79)

Larry E. André, Jr, U.S. Ambassador to (Djibouti November 2017 to present) & (Mauritania 2014-2017); (PCV Senegal 1983-85)

Michael R. Arietti, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda (2005-2008); (PCV India 1969-71)

Charles R. Baquet III, U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Djibouti (1991-94); (PCV Somalia 1965-67)

Robert Blackwill, U. S. Ambassador to India (2001-03); (PCV Malawi 1964-66)

Julia Chang Bloch, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal (1989-1993); (PCV Malaysia 1964-66)

Parker Borg, U.S. Ambassador to Mail (1981-1984) & Iceland (1993-1996); (PCV Philippines 1961-63)

Richard Boucher, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2009-2013), (PCV Senegal 1973–75)

Peter Burleigh, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka (1995-1997); (PCV Nepal 1963-65)

Katherine Hubay Canavan (formerly Peterson), U.S. Ambassador to Botswana (2005-2008); (PCV Zaire 1973-76)

Johnnie Carson, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya (1999-2003) & Zimbabwe (1995-97) & Uganda (1991-1994); (PCV Tanzania 1965-68)

Peter R. Chaveas, U. S. Ambassador (Malawi 1994-1997) & Sierra Leone (2001-2004); (PCV Chad 1968-70)

Michael Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2011-2014); (PCV Mauritania 1982–1984)

Shaun Donnelly, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives (1997-2000); (PCV Tunisia 1968-70)

Joseph R. Donovan Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia (2017 to present); (PCV Korea 1973-75)

Gregory W. Engle, U.S. Ambassador (Togo 2003-2005); (PC/CD Ethiopia 2012-14); (PCV South Korea 1980-81)

Richard Erdman, U.S. Ambassador Algeria (2003-06); (PCV Turkey 1967-69)

Robert Fitts, U.S. Ambassador in Papua New Guinea (2003-2006); (PCV Malaysia 1970-72)

Robert Ford, U.S. Ambassador to Syria (2011-2014) & Algeria (2006-08); (PCV Morocco 1980-82)

Dan Foote, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia (2017-to present); (PCV Bolivia 1992-94)

Alonzo Fulgham, U.S. Head of AID (2006-2009); (PCV Haiti 1984-86)

Robert S. Gelbard, U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (1988-1991); & Indonesia (1999-2001); (first PCV to return to Peace Corps country (PCV Bolivia 1964-66)

Gordon Gray III U.S. Ambassador Tunisia (2009- 2012); (PCV Monocco 1978-80)

David Greenlee, U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay (2000-03) & Bolivia (2003-06); (PCV Bolivia 1965-67)

Robert E. Gribbin, U.S. Ambassador to Central African Republic (1992-95) & Rwanda 1995-1999) ; (PCV Kenya 1968-70)

Matthew Harrington, U.S. Ambassador to Lesotho (2014-2017); (PCV Mauritania 1988-89)

Christopher R. Hill, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq (2009-10); (PCV Cameroon 1974–76)

Vicki Huddleston, U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar (1997-1999) & Mali (2002-2005) & Chief of United States Interests Section in Havana (1999–2002); (PCV Peru 1964–66)

Edmund Hull, U. S. Ambassador to Yemen (2001-2004); (PCV Tunisia 1987–90)

Thomas N. Hull, U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone (2004-2007); (PCV Sierra Leone 1968-70)

Cameron Hume, U.S. Ambassador to Algeria (1997-2000) & South Africa (2001-2004) & Sudan (2005-2007) & Indonesia (2007-2010); (PCV Libya 1968-70)

Ravic Huso, U.S. Ambassador to Laos (2007-2010); (PCV Senegal (1976-1978)

Darryl N. Johnson, U. S. Ambassador to Thailand-2004); (PCV Thailand 1962–65)

John Keane, U.S. Ambassador Paraguay (2003-05); (PCV Colombia 1966-69)

John W. Limbert, U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania (2000-2003); (PCV Iran 1964-66)

Donald Lu, U.S. Ambassador to Albania (2014-2018) & Kyrgyz Republic (nominated May 2018); (PCV Sierra Leone 1988-90)

James F. Mack, U.S. Ambassador Guyana (1997-2000); (PCV Honduras 1963-65)

Niels Marquardt, U.S. Ambassador Equatorial Guinea (2004-2006) & Cameroon (2004-2007) & Madagascar (2007-2010); (PCV Rwanda 1977-79)

Don McConnell U.S. Ambassador Burkina Faso (1993-1996) & Eritrea (2001-2004); (PCV Nigeria 1963-65)

Larry Leon Palmer U.S. Ambassador to Honduras (2002-2005) & Barbados (2012-2016); (PCV Liberia 1971)

Dean Pittman, U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique (2015- Present); (PCV Gabon 1979-81)

Robert Annan Riley III, U.S. Ambassador to Federated States of Micronesia (2016-); (PCV Gabon 1979-83)

Richard Roth, U.S. Ambassador to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau (2002-2005); (PCV Burkina Faso 1969-72)

Brenda (Brown) Schoonover, U.S. Ambassador to Togo (1998-2000); (PCV Philippines 1961-63)

Stephen Schwartz, U.S. Ambassador to Somalia (2016-2017); (PCV Cameroon 1981-83)

Dane F. Smith, U.S. Ambassador to (Guinea 1990-93) & Senegal (1996-99): PCV (Ethiopia 1963-65)

Kathleen Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea (South Korea, 2008-11); (PCV 1975-77)

John Christopher Stevens, U.S. Ambassador to Libya (May 2012-September 2012); (PCV Morocco 1983–85)

Peter Tomsen, U.S. Ambassador to Amenia (1995-98); (PCV Nepal 1964-65)

Victor L. Tomseth, U. S. Ambassador to Laos (1993-1996); (hostage in the Iran hostage crisis); (PCV Nepal 1964-65)

Barrie Walkley, U.S. Ambassador to Guinea (2001-2004) & Gabon (2004-2007); PCV Somalia (1967-69)

Eric Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador (Niger 2017 to present); (PCV Philippines 1980-82)

Pamela White, U.S. Ambassador (Gambia 2010-12 & Haiti 2012-15); (PCV Cameroon 1971-73)

Walter North, U.S. Ambassador (Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu & Solomon Islands 2012-2016); (PCV Ethiopia 1973-75)

Robert S. Gelbard, U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (1988-1991); & Indonesia (1999-2001); (first PCV to return to Peace Corps country (PCV Bolivia 1964-66)

4 Comments

John Turnbull says:

July 25, 2018 at 6:51 am

For all of these who have completed their ambassadorships, should we assume they have retired ? The current numbers of PCVs lately, taken both as a percent of total enrolment, and as a percent of total completing PC service, seems small. It would be interesting knowing the number of RPCVs who applied, and were rejected. JAT

John Coyne says:

July 25, 2018 at 6:56 am

As you can see from the list, a few of these Ambassadors are still overseas. The majority of the names I have listed are retired. I am sure we have had more RPCV Ambassadors, but getting their names is a word-of-mouth game. No list. John

John Turnbull says:

July 25, 2018 at 8:21 am

Sounds like a doctoral dissertation for somebody.

It certainly is an illustration of what every historian knows — that the percentage of total knowledge that is actually preserved as history, and remembered only a few centuries hence, is only about 5 to 10%. And this illustration is in the era of electronic data, not the Middle Ages. JAT

Edward Mycue says:

August 6, 2018 at 9:50 am

Any list of RPCV’s who died in public service (as did John Cristopher Stevens abroad or later in USA as a consequence from their service)?

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