Rebecca E. Gonzales
{{Short description|American diplomat (born 1963)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Rebecca Gonzales
|image = Rebecca E. Gonzales.jpg
|office = Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
|president = Joe Biden
|term_start = May 31, 2022
|term_end = January 20, 2025
|predecessor = Cliff Seagroves (acting)
|successor = Cliff Seagroves (acting)
|office1 = United States Ambassador to Lesotho
|president1 = Donald Trump
Joe Biden
|term_start1 = February 8, 2018
|term_end1 = February 4, 2022
|predecessor1 = Matthew T. Harrington
|successor1 = Maria Brewer
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|5|19}}
|birth_place = Sumter, South Carolina, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|education = George Washington University (BA, MBA)
National Defense University (MS)
}}
Rebecca Eliza Gonzales (born May 19, 1963) is an American diplomat who had served as the director of the Office of Foreign Missions. She served as the United States ambassador to Lesotho from 2018 to 2022.
Early life and education
Gonzales was born on May 19, 1963, in Sumter, South Carolina.{{cite news|last1=Straehley|first1=Steve|title=United States Ambassador to Lesotho: Who Is Rebecca Eliza Gonzales?|url=http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/united-states-ambassador-to-lesotho-who-is-rebecca-eliza-gonzales-171024?news=860343|access-date=October 31, 2017|publisher=AllGov|date=October 24, 2017}} She earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University and a Master of Science from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at Fort Lesley J. McNair.{{cite news|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/07/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-his-administration |access-date=October 31, 2017|via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |date=September 7, 2017}}{{PD-notice}}
Foreign service career
Gonzales is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service; she has been a diplomat since 1992. Gonzales has served diplomatic assignments in Panama City, Athens, Bogotá, New Delhi, Riyadh, Gaborone, and Pretoria. She previously served as chief of staff of the Bureau of Administration at the United States Department of State.
=Ambassador to Lesotho=
On September 7, 2017, President Donald Trump announced Gonzales as the nominee to serve as the United States ambassador to Lesotho. On November 1, 2017, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and her nomination was reported out of committee on November 14, 2017. On November 16, 2017, her nomination was confirmed in the Senate by voice vote.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2017 |title=PN1011 - Nomination of Rebecca Eliza Gonzales for Department of State, 115th Congress (2017-2018) |url=http://www.congress.gov/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |website=www.congress.gov}}
=Biden administration=
On August 4, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Gonzales to serve as the director of the Office of Foreign Missions.{{Cite press release |title=President Biden Announces Intent to Nominate Nine Foreign Policy and National Security Leaders |date=August 4, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/04/president-biden-announces-intent-to-nominate-nine-foreign-policy-and-national-security-leaders/}} {{PD-notice}} On September 13, 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate.{{Cite press release |title=Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate |date=September 13, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/13/nominations-and-withdrawal-sent-to-the-senate-2/}} {{PD-notice}} On March 15, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and she was reported out of committee on March 23. On May 19, 2022, her nomination was confirmed in the Senate by voice vote.{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2022 |title=PN1059 - Nomination of Rebecca Eliza Gonzales for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=http://www.congress.gov/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |website=www.congress.gov}} She assumed office on May 31, 2022.{{Cite web |date=May 31, 2022 |title=Ambassador Rebecca E. Gonzales |url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/rebecca-e-gonzales/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603210458/https://www.state.gov/biographies/rebecca-e-gonzales/ |archive-date=June 3, 2022 |access-date=June 16, 2022 |website=United States Department of State}}
Personal life
References
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{{s-start}}
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{{s-bef|before=Matthew T. Harrington}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Ambassador to Lesotho|years=2018–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Maria Brewer}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Cliff Seagroves
Acting}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of the Office of Foreign Missions|years=2022–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzales, Rebecca Eliza}}
Category:21st-century American diplomats
Category:21st-century American women civil servants
Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Lesotho
Category:American women ambassadors
Category:Biden administration personnel
Category:Directors of the Office of Foreign Missions
Category:Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni
Category:George Washington University alumni