Barbara J. Griffiths

{{short description|American ambassador to Iceland (born 1949)}}

{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{BLP sources|date=March 2022}}

{{BLP primary sources|date=March 2022}}

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{{infobox officeholder

|name=Barbara J. Griffiths

|office=United States Ambassador to Iceland

|term_start=September 10, 1999

|term_end=October 23, 2002

|predecessor=Day O. Mount

|successor=James I. Gadsden

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1949|8|1}}

|birth_place=Verona, New Jersey, U.S.

|parents=Arthur Griffiths
Gloria Griffiths

|education=Verona High School
Montclair State College (BA)
University of Connecticut (MA)

|profession=Diplomat

}}

Barbara J. Griffiths (born August 1, 1949) was the US Ambassador to Iceland from September 10, 1999{{Cite web |last=Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information |first=Bureau of Public Affairs |title=Griffiths, Barbara J. |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/outofdate/bios/g/6243.htm |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=2001-2009.state.gov |language=en}} {{PD-notice}} to 2002.{{Cite web |title=Barbara J. Griffiths - People - Department History - Office of the Historian |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/griffiths-barbara-j |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=history.state.gov}}

Griffiths was born on August 1, 1949, and is a native of Verona, New Jersey, where she graduated from Verona High School.[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/539424718/ "Twenty-Seven Area Residents Get Degrees at M.S.C."], Verona-Cedar Grove Times, June 10, 1971. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Verona residents receiving B.A. degrees were:... Miss Barbara Griffiths of 116 Grove Ave.... Miss Griffiths, a Verona High graduate, majored in economics and plans to attend graduate school.... She is the daughter of Mrs. Gloria Griffiths and the late Arthur Griffiths." She received a B.A. degree in economics from Montclair State College in New Jersey, and an M.A. degree in economics from the University of Connecticut. She has studied French, Russian, German and Spanish, and Icelandic.

Griffiths began her career in the U.S. Foreign Service in 1977. From 1996 to 1999 she was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Prior to that she was Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassies in Seoul and Moscow. She held previous assignments in Washington, Mexico City and Ottawa.