Stephen D. Mull (born April 30, 1958) is a Senior Foreign Service officer who was most recently the Acting Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs. He previously served as United States Ambassador to Poland, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs and United States Ambassador to Lithuania.{{cite web |author=United States Department of State |title=Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs |accessdate=July 16, 2018 |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/262845.htm}}{{cite news |last=Toosi |first=Nahal |publisher=POLITICO |title=Pompeo gives U.S. diplomats 'dose of reality' after early high hopes |date=June 25, 2018 |accessdate=July 16, 2018 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/25/pompeo-state-department-honeymoon-667507}}

Ambassador Mull holds the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest diplomatic rank in the United States Foreign Service.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/1907|title = PN1907 - 2 nominees for Foreign Service, 114th Congress (2015-2016)|date = December 7, 2016}}

On September 18, 2015, Mull was appointed as the United States Lead Coordinator for Iran Nuclear Implementation, tasked with carrying out the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by United States Secretary of State John Kerry.[https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/09/247006.htm Appointment of Ambassador Stephen D. Mull as Lead Coordinator for Iran Nuclear Implementation]

In 2024, Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed him to coordinate the peaceful transfer of power with the Trump Presidential Transition Team. {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugY8jZjb1IQ&list=TLPQMDcxMTIwMjRyCYdteC-XrA&index=7 |title=‘We Are Ready To Go’: State Department Vows To Cooperate With Trump's Team On Transition Process |date=2024-11-07 |last=Forbes Breaking News |access-date=2024-11-07 |via=YouTube}}

Biography

Mull was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Politics in 1980.

Mull is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in the class of Career Ambassador. He previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Jakarta, Indonesia, and has served as a Consular or Political Officer for the U.S. Missions in Poland, the Bahamas, and South Africa since the beginning of his career in the Foreign Service in 1982.

File:Secretary Michael R. Pompeo poses with Ambassador Stephen D. Mull during the flag ceremony, at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2018. (29804999608).jpg Michael R. Pompeo during a flag ceremony at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2018.]]

Prior to his assignment in Jakarta, Mull worked as Deputy Director of the State Department Operations Center, as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, as Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs, and as Deputy Executive Secretary in the Office of the Secretary of State.

On March 10, 2003, then-U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Mull as the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania.[http://vilnius.usembassy.gov/03-10-03.html Mr. Stephen D. Mull Nominated as New United States Ambassador to Lithuania: Biography]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After being confirmed by the Senate, he assumed his position on August 26, 2003. He completed his tour of duty on July 18, 2006.[http://vilnius.usembassy.gov/08-10-06.html New U.S. Ambassador Arrives in Lithuania]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}

On April 30, 2009, Mull testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on international efforts to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110930155752/http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=285604-3 Stephen Mull on Piracy off of the Coast of Somalia]

Mull is married to Cheri Stephan. The Mulls have one child, Ryan.

Ambassador to Poland

Stephen Mull was appointed the United States Ambassador to Poland on October 24, 2012. He speaks Polish fluently.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dziennik.com/wiadomosci/artykul/ambasador-robi-pizze|title=Ambasador robi pizzę | Nowy Dziennik}}

Awards

Director General's Award for Political Reporting, 1988
Superior Honor Award (four times)
Balker-Wilkins Award
Presidential Meritorious Service Award, 2003
Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (5th Class), 1997[http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServlet?id=WMP19970660645 M.P. 1997 nr 66 poz. 645] – mistaken as Stephan Mull
Order for Merits to Lithuania (3rd Class), 2006[http://www.prezidente.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256.html Apdovanotų asmenų duomenų bazė]
Order of Polonia Restituta (2nd Class), 2015