Stephen Akard
{{Short description|American diplomat (born 1964)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Stephen Akard
|image = Stephen J. Akard official photo (cropped).jpg
|office = Inspector General of the Department of State
|status = Acting
|president = Donald Trump
|term_start = May 15, 2020
|term_end = August 7, 2020
|predecessor = Steve Linick
|successor = Diana Shaw (acting)
|office1 = Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
|president1 = Donald Trump
|term_start1 = September 16, 2019
|term_end1 = August 7, 2020
|predecessor1 = Cliff Seagroves (acting)
|successor1 = Cliff Seagroves (acting)
| birth_name = Stephen James Akard
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1964}}
|birth_place= Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|education = Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (BA, JD, MBA)
}}
Stephen James Akard (born 1964) is a former American diplomat who was the United States director of the Office of Foreign Missions, a division of the Department of State, and beginning in May 2020 also the acting inspector general of the department after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor, Steve Linick. Akard resigned less than three months later to return to the private sector, according to a department spokeswoman.{{Cite news|last1=Verma|first1=Pranshu|last2=Wong|first2=Edward|date=2020-08-05|title=Another Inspector General Resigns Amid Questions About Pompeo|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/inspector-general-pompeo-state.html|access-date=2020-08-07|issn=0362-4331}}
Early life and education
Akard is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/biographies/stephen-j-akard/|title=Stephen J. Akard|website=United States Department of State|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-23}} He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and French from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and a Juris Doctor from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law. He received a Master of Business Administration from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Career
After graduating from law school, Akard practiced law in Indianapolis and was an instructor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. He also worked as a law clerk for James E. Noland on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Under the George W. Bush administration, he served as special assistant to Secretary of State Colin Powell in the Executive Secretariat, as well as in assorted officer roles at multiple United States embassies between 1997 and 2005.{{Cite web |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-administration-35/ |language=en-US |access-date=2019-10-23 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |date=March 19, 2018}}
He served as the senior foreign affairs advisor to Indiana governors Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence, and Eric Holcomb. Akard served as the chief of staff, vice president and general counsel, and director for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
Beginning January 2017, he served as senior advisor and acting chief of staff in the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
In October 2017, he was nominated to serve as Director General of the Foreign Service.{{Cite news |title=White House Taps Pence Associate to Run Foreign Service |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/11/01/white-house-taps-pence-associate-to-run-foreign-service-diplomacy-state-department-tillerson-redesign-foreign-policy-director-general/ |last=Gramer |first=Robbie |work=Foreign Policy |language=en-US |access-date=2019-10-24 |date=2017-11-01}} In March 2018, he withdrew his nomination after State Department officials and lawmakers raised objections that the role should be filled by a more experienced career diplomat and someone less politically connected to the Trump administration.{{Cite news |title=Pompeo's Hiring Moves Soothe Diplomats |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/05/09/exclusive-state-department-staff-sees-good-sign-in-pompeos-early-moves-foreign-service-diplomats-diplomacy-secretary-of-state-internal-staffing/ |last=Gramer |first=Robbie |work=Foreign Policy |language=en-US |access-date=2019-10-24 |date=2018-05-09}}
Akard was confirmed by a vote of 90–2 as the director of the Office of Foreign Missions on September 11, 2019 under President Donald Trump and began service in his role on September 16.
After the firing of incumbent inspector general of the Department of State Steve Linick in May 2020, President Donald Trump announced that Akard would be named as his successor.{{Cite news |first1=Meridith |last1=McGraw |first2=Nahal |last2=Toosi |author-link2=Nahal Toosi |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/15/state-department-inspector-general-fired-261536 |title=Trump ousts State Department watchdog |work=Politico |date=2020-05-15}}{{Cite news |last1=Shear |first1=Michael D. |author-link=Michael D. Shear |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |date=2020-05-16 |title=Trump Removes State Dept. Inspector General |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/16/us/politics/trump-state-dept-inspector-general.html |access-date=2020-05-18 |issn=0362-4331}} On August 5, 2020, less than three months after he assumed the IG role, Akard resigned, leaving Deputy Inspector General Diana Shaw serving in an acting position as Inspector General.{{Cite web|last=Riga|first=Kate|date=2020-08-05|title=Newest Acting State Department IG Out After Just Three Months, Deputy Will Take Over|url=https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pompeo-inspector-general-akard-linick|access-date=2020-08-05|website=Talking Points Memo|language=en-US}}{{cite news|last1=Hudson|first1=John|date=5 August 2020|title=State Department watchdog resigns in another shake-up at IG's office|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/state-department-watchdog-resigns-in-another-shakeup-at-igs-office/2020/08/05/8217c054-d71f-11ea-b9b2-1ea733b97910_story.html?tidr=a_breakingnews&hpid=hp_no-name_hp-breaking-news%3Apage%2Fbreaking-news-bar|access-date=5 August 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en}}
References
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Category:Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law alumni
Category:Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis alumni
Category:Kelley School of Business alumni
Category:People from Indianapolis
Category:First Trump administration personnel