Bernadette Meehan

Meehan was born in the Bronx, raised in Pleasantville, New York and graduated from Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/kennedycatholic/docs/the_gael_-_fall_2015|title=The gael fall 2015|website=Issuu|date=September 2015 }} She graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. After graduation she worked on Wall Street, first at JPMorgan Chase and then Lehman Brothers.{{cite web|url=http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2013/linden_lane/capital-gains.html|title=Boston College Magazine » Winter 2013 » Linden Lane » Capital gains|access-date=2015-05-06|archive-date=2015-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625034503/http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2013/linden_lane/capital-gains.html|url-status=dead}} She later joined the United States Foreign Service.{{cite web|last1=Meehan|first1=Bernadette|title=RealJobs: Bernadette Meehan|url=https://bccareer.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/realjobs-bernadette-meehan/|publisher=BC Affairs|access-date=17 February 2015|date=8 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217160120/https://bccareer.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/realjobs-bernadette-meehan/|archive-date=17 February 2015|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=http://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan |title=Bernadette Meehan | Institute for the Study of Diplomacy | Georgetown University |access-date=2015-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222105421/http://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }}

Meehan joined the United States Department of State as a Foreign Service officer in 2004, and began her new career as a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. She survived a kidnapping and physical assault by armed men in Bogota in April 2006. Two of the perpetrators were arrested and sentenced to ten years in jail, while two perpetrators were never found.{{cite web|url=https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-2259276|title=Cárcel a dos hombres por 'paseo millonario' a vicecónsul de E.U.|first=Casa Editorial El|last=Tiempo|date=November 3, 2006|website=El Tiempo}}{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Las Mil Vidas de Bernadette |url=https://litoralpress.cl/sitio/Prensa_Texto?LPKey=YFJFUYOZCIRGQDGFQJY3PFVPYOH7MIJYGQDCMXW2YUGZZY22DJOQ |website=El Mercurio - Revista Ya}}

She served in Colombia for two years before volunteering to serve in Iraq. She worked at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2006 to 2007 as a Consular Officer, and for several months as Special Assistant to Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. She was wounded in Baghdad, by a rocket fired by an Iran-backed militia.

In September 2007 Meehan left Iraq to study Arabic at the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute in Virginia to prepare for her next tour as the public affairs officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Meehan was selected in 2007 as a Powell Fellow, recognized as one of the 12 most promising future leaders in the Department of State.

In 2010 she returned to Washington, D.C. to work as a State Department "Line Officer", advancing the Secretary of State’s overseas travel. She then became Special Assistants to the Secretary of State. In 2012, Meehan was detailed to the White House National Security Council (NSC) and in 2014 she became the spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

Meehan left the NSC in 2015 to become an adjunct professor and State Department resident fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.{{cite web|url=https://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan|title=Georgetown Institute for the Study of Diplomacy}} She was recalled to the NSC to oversee the planning for President Obama's historic trip to Havana, Cuba. According to The New York Times, her appointment to this position reflected the importance the President put on the trip and the complicated nature of planning the visit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/world/americas/white-house-and-cuba-maneuver-over-obamas-visit.html|title=White House and Cuba Maneuver Over Obama's Visit|work=The New York Times|date=7 March 2016 |last1=Davis |first1=Julie Hirschfeld }} She then remained at the White House as a Senior Advisor to President Obama until January 2017.

In February 2017, Meehan departed the Foreign Service to serve as the Chief International Officer at the Obama Foundation,{{cite web|url=https://www.obama.org/updates/leaders-africa/|title=Obama Foundation Announces New Program to Train Emerging Leaders Across Africa|date=April 23, 2018|website=The Obama Foundation}} a Chicago-based nonprofit organization founded by President and Mrs. Obama that seeks out to inspire, empower and connect people to change their world for the better.{{Cite web|title=Our Mission|url=https://www.obama.org/mission/|access-date=2020-11-10|website=Obama Foundation|language=en}} In this role, she was responsible for developing and overseeing all international programs for the Obama Foundation, including the Obama Foundation Scholars;{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/nyregion/columbia-president-obama-fellows.html|title=Coming to Columbia This Fall, Obama Foundation Scholars|date=June 28, 2018|work=The New York Times}} Leaders Africa program; Leaders Asia-Pacific program;{{Cite web|title=The Obamas to launch their foundation's 'Leaders: Asia Pacific' programme in KL this December|url=https://www.optionstheedge.com/topic/people/obamas-launch-their-foundations-leaders-asia-pacific-programme-kl-december|access-date=2020-11-10|website=www.optionstheedge.com|language=en}} and Leaders Europe program. She eventually became the Executive Vice President for Global Programs and a member of the Foundation's Executive Committee.

Meehan served on the board of advisors for Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, within the Walsh School of Foreign Service.{{cite web|url=https://isd.georgetown.edu/board|title=Board of Advisors|website=Georgetown University}} She also served on the board of advisors for Hostage US, a non-profit organization that supports families of Americans taken hostage abroad and supports hostages when they return home.{{Cite news|title=Bernadette Meehan|url=https://hostageus.org/people/bernadette-meehan/|access-date=2020-11-10|website=Hostage US|language=en-US}}

File:Deputy Secretary Sherman Officiates the Swearing-In Ceremony of Ambassador Bernadette M. Meehan (52320011503).jpg]]

On July 9, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Meehan to be the next United States ambassador to Chile.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-09|title=President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Four Individuals to Serve as Ambassadors|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-four-individuals-to-serve-as-ambassadors/|access-date=2021-07-09|website=The White House|language=en-US}} Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 15, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination on May 18, 2022.{{cite web |title=PN787 — Bernadette M. Meehan — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/787 |date = March 15, 2022|access-date=March 22, 2022}} On July 20, 2022, the United States Senate confirmed her nomination by a 51–44 vote.{{Cite web |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Bernadette M. Meehan, of New York, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Chile) |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00264.htm |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=www.senate.gov}} She was sworn in on August 29, 2022{{cite web | url=https://www.ex-ante.cl/quien-es-bernadette-meehan-nueva-embajadora-de-ee-uu-en-chile/ | title=Quién es Bernadette Meehan, embajadora de EE. UU. En Chile | date=13 September 2022 |language=es}} and presented her credentials to President Gabriel Boric on September 30, 2022.{{cite tweet |user=USAmbCL |first=Bernadette |last=Meehan |number=1575971057869418496 |title=Presenté mis cartas credenciales al Presidente @gabrielboric |access-date=2022-10-01 |language=es}}

As Ambassador, Meehan was known for a large social media following{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Las Mil Vidas de Bernadette |url=https://x.com/Revista_Ya/status/1696514219162652864 |website=El Mercurio - Revista Ya}}{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2022 |title=Bernadette Meehan, la embajadora de EEUU que brilla en redes sociales |url=https://dfmas.df.cl/df-mas/personaje/bernadette-meehan-la-embajadora-de-eeuu-que-brilla-en-redes-sociales}}{{Cite web |date=September 16, 2022 |title=Bernadette Meehan, embajadora de los EE.UU. en Chile |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jttz0H62Woc |website=YouTube}} and popularity among the Chilean people. She made the front page of El Mercurio, Chile's newspaper of record, when she completed a skydive with U.S. and Chilean Special Forces as part of multi-nation joint military exercise Southern Star.{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2023 |title="Blue Skies!" Ambassador @USAmbCL Bernadette Meehan performs an epic tandem jump along with U.S and Chilean paratroopers over Colina air space in support of multi-partner-nation Exercise |url=https://x.com/SOCSOUTH/status/1688937980533116928 |website=Twitter}}{{Cite web |date=11 August 2023 |title=Embajadora de Estados Unidos salta en paracaídas en ejercicio militar conjunto |url=https://www.elmostrador.cl/noticias/sin-editar/2023/08/11/embajadora-de-estados-unidos-salta-en-paracaidas-en-ejercicio-militar-conjunto/}} She was lauded for multiple commercial and regulatory successes including passage of the U.S.-Chile Bilateral Tax Treaty in both the U.S. and Chilean Senate after more than ten years pending in the U.S. Senate;{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2023 |title=Treasury Announces Entry into Force of Income Tax Treaty with Chile |url=https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2003 |website=Treasury.gov}} announcement of Google as lead investor of the Humboldt Cable, the first subsea cable connecting South American and the Asia-Pacific;{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2024 |title=Announcing Humboldt, the first cable route between South America and Asia-Pacific |url=https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure/announcing-humboldt-the-first-cable-route-between-south-america-and-asia-pacific |website=Google.com}} and negotiation of a side letter to the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement protecting market access for U.S. dairy and meat exports using common names.{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2024 |title=Chile Approves Agreement with U.S. to Protect Market Access for U.S. Cheese and Meat Products |url=https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2024/september/chile-approves-agreement-us-protect-market-access-us-cheese-and-meat-products#:~:text=This%20agreement%20gives%20U.S.%20producers,provolone%2C%20prosciutto%2C%20and%20salami. |website=USTR.gov}}{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2024 |title=IDFA Applauds U.S. Agreement with Chile to Protect U.S. Cheese Exports |url=https://www.idfa.org/news/idfa-applauds-u-s-agreement-with-chile-to-protect-u-s-cheese-exports |website=International Dairy Foods Association}}{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Agreement secured with Chile to protect U.S. cheese, meat exports |url=https://www.feedstuffs.com/agribusiness-news/agreement-secured-with-chile-to-protect-u-s-cheese-meat-exports |website=feedstuffs.com}}{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2024 |title=U.S., CHILE STRIKE LANDMARK COMMON NAMES AGREEMENT |url=https://www.nmpf.org/u-s-chile-strike-landmark-common-names-agreement/ |website=National Milk Producers}} During Meehan's tenure U.S. mining firms also announced significant expansions, including Freeport McMoran's $7.5 billion investment in copper mining{{Cite web |date=July 23, 2024 |title=Freeport McMoran plans $7.5bn investment to expand Chile copper mine |url=https://www.mining.com/web/freeport-mcmoran-to-invest-7-5-billion-in-chile-mine/ |website=mining.com}} and Albemarle's expansion of lithium extraction and processing.{{Cite web |date=March 2, 2024 |title=Yellen sees big jump in US imports from Chile, eyes progress on green transition |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/yellen-visits-us-lithium-site-chile-eyes-progress-green-transition-2024-03-02/ |website=Reuters.com}}

Following the election of President Donald Trump, Meehan submitted her resignation as Ambassador effective January 10, 2025, following tradition for political appointees of both parties.{{Cite web |last=Ramírez |first=Sebastian |date=2024-12-04 |title=U.S. ambassador to Chile resigns, a key player in bilateral agricultural relations |url=https://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2024/12/04/u-s-ambassador-to-chile-resigns-a-key-player-in-bilateral-agricultural-relations/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=FreshFruitPortal.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=January 2025 |title=CNN Íntimo: Bernadette Meehan, embajadora EE.UU en Chile |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0-7wFGpoI |website=CNNChile}} Richard Yoneoka, the Deputy Chief of Mission, will serve on an interim basis until a new ambassador to Chile is chosen.

Meehan speaks Spanish and Arabic.

She is married to Evan S. Medeiros, the Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. During the Obama administration, Medeiros held senior positions on the National Security Council including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asia.

{{Reflist}}

• {{C-SPAN|96741}}
• Join President Obama in Berlin: [https://medium.com/@ObamaFoundation/join-president-obama-in-berlin-b51df1233a94 Join President Obama in Berlin:]
• President Obama's Visit to Indonesia: [https://www.obama.org/updates/indonesia/ President Obama's Visit to Indonesia]
• President Obama's Visit with Emerging Leaders in Singapore: [https://medium.com/@ObamaFoundation/president-obamas-visit-with-emerging-leaders-in-singapore-e67fd10a30ef President Obama’s Visit with Emerging Leaders in Singapore]
• President Obama's Visit to New Zealand: [https://www.obama.org/updates/nz-roundtable/ President Obama's Visit to New Zealand]
• The Obama Foundation Scholars Program: [https://medium.com/@ObamaFoundation/the-obama-foundation-scholars-program-de34ba84524d The Obama Foundation Scholars Program]

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Category:1975 births

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