Maria E. Brewer
{{short description|American diplomat|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Maria E. Brewer
|image = Maria E. Brewer, U.S. Ambassador.jpg
|ambassador_from = United States
|country = Lesotho
|president = Joe Biden
|term_start = March 10, 2022
|term_end = April 12, 2024https://twitter.com/USEmbassyMaseru/status/1778709835673948248?t=idKRGL1JaGnF0ouplj6vKw&s=19
|predecessor = Rebecca Gonzales
|ambassador_from1 = United States
|country1 = Sierra Leone
|president1 = Donald Trump
Joe Biden
|term_start1 = October 5, 2017
|term_end1 = February 22, 2021
|predecessor1 = John Hoover
|successor1 = David Dale Reimer
|birth_name =
|birth_place =
|birth_date =
|death_place =
|party =
|spouse =
|children =
|education = Valparaiso University
National Defense University
|awards =
}}
Maria Elena Brewer{{cite web|title=PN1908 — Foreign Service|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/1908|accessdate=3 July 2018|website=U.S. Congress|date=December 7, 2016}} is an American diplomat who had served as the United States Ambassador to Lesotho from 2022 to 2024. She previously served as the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone from 2017 to 2021.
Early life and education
Brewer grew up in Northwest Indiana. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Arts in international economics and cultural affairs in 1995. She also has a Master of Science from National Defense University.{{cite news|last1=United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone: Who Is Maria Brewer?|first1=Steve|title=United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone: Who Is Maria Brewer?|url=http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/united-states-ambassador-to-sierra-leone-who-is-maria-brewer-170716?news=860246|accessdate=7 August 2017|publisher=AllGov|date=July 16, 2017}}
Career
Brewer has been a career Foreign Service Officer for the United States since 1996. She has held posts in Lagos, Nigeria; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Mumbai, India; Islamabad, Pakistan; and Colombo, Sri Lanka. She held several senior leadership positions with the United States Department of State, including serving as Deputy Director of the Career Development and Assignments Division of the Bureau of Human Resources.{{cite news|title=Trump nominates Brewer as ambassador to Sierra Leone|url=http://apanews.net/en/news/trump-nominates-brewer-as-ambassador-to-sierra-leone|accessdate=7 August 2017|publisher=African Press Agency|date=June 26, 2017}}
=Ambassador to Sierra Leone=
On July 13, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Brewer to be the next United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone.{{cite web |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key-administration-posts-14/ |website=The White House |access-date=18 March 2022}} Hearings were held on her nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 26, 2017. On August 3, 2017, the committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor. Brewer was confirmed by the United States Senate by voice vote the same day.{{cite web |title=PN687 — Maria E. Brewer — Department of State 115th Congress (2017-2018) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/687?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22brewer%22%2C%22brewer%22%5D%7D&s=4&r=3 |website=US Congress |date = 3 August 2017|access-date=18 March 2022}} She left her post in February 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-22 |title=Ambassador Brewer Farewell Script |url=http://sl.usembassy.gov/ambassador-brewer-farewell-script/ |access-date=2021-03-02 |website=U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone |language=en-US}}
=Ambassador to Lesotho=
On April 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Brewer to be the next United States Ambassador to Lesotho.{{Cite press release |title=President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Nine Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service as Ambassadors |date=April 15, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/15/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-nine-career-members-of-the-senior-foreign-service-as-ambassadors/}} {{PD-notice}} The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings on her nomination on June 9, 2021. The committee reported her favorably to the Senate floor on June 24, 2021. On December 18, 2021, the entire United States Senate confirmed her nomination by voice vote.{{Cite web |date=December 18, 2021 |title=PN379 - Nomination of Maria E. Brewer for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/379 |access-date=January 8, 2022 |website=www.congress.gov}}{{Cite web |title=Ambassador Maria E. Brewer |url=https://ls.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213181357/https://ls.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ |archive-date=February 13, 2022 |access-date=February 28, 2022 |website=U.S. Embassy in Lesotho}} On March 10, 2022, she presented her credentials to King Letsie III.{{Cite tweet |user=USEmbassyMaseru |number=1501942688777588737 |title=U.S. Ambassador to Lesotho Maria Brewer presented her credentials to His Majesty King Letsie III today.}}
= Foreign Service Institute =
On May 13, 2024, Brewer assumed the role as the deputy director of the Foreign Service Institute.{{Cite web |title=Maria Brewer - Biography |url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/maria-brewer/ |website=U.S. Department of State}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://sl.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ Biography at U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone]
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{{s-bef|before=John Hoover}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone|years=2017–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=David Dale Reimer}}
{{s-bef|before=Rebecca Gonzales}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Ambassador to Lesotho|years=2022–2024}}
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{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewer, Maria}}
Category:21st-century American diplomats
Category:21st-century American women
Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Lesotho
Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Sierra Leone
Category:American women ambassadors
Category:National Defense University alumni
Category:United States Foreign Service personnel
Category:Valparaiso University alumni