Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

United States
Under Secretary of State
for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
Incumbent
Judith McHale

since May 26, 2009
Inaugural holder Evelyn S. Lieberman
Formation 1999
Website Official Website

The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs is a position within the U.S. Department of State that is intended to help ensure that public diplomacy is practiced in combination with public affairs and traditional diplomacy to advance U.S. interests and security. The Under Secretary oversees three bureaus at the Department of State: Educational and Cultural Affairs, Public Affairs, and International Information Programs. Also reporting to the Under Secretary are the Office of Policy, Planning and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

The position was created on October 1, 1999, during the Clinton administration after Title XIII, Section 1313 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681-776). Section 2305 of the Act (112 Stat. 2681-825) increased the number of Under Secretaries of State from five to six. Subdivision A of the Act, also known as the Foreign Affairs Agencies Consolidation Act of 1998, abolished the United States Information Agency and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

List of Under Secretaries of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Name Assumed office Left office President(s) served under
Evelyn Lieberman October 1, 1999 January 19, 2001 Bill Clinton
Charlotte Beers October 2, 2001 March 28, 2003 George W. Bush
Margaret D. Tutwiler December 16, 2003 June 30, 2004 George W. Bush
Karen Hughes September 9, 2005 December 14, 2007 George W. Bush
James K. Glassman June 10, 2008 January 15, 2009 George W. Bush
Judith McHale May 26, 2009 Present Barack Obama

External links