Joan A. Polaschik

Joan A. Polaschik
United States Ambassador to Algeria
Assumed office
August 14, 2014
President Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded by Henry Ensher
Succeeded by John Desrocher
Personal details
Born 1969 (age 47–48)
Alma mater University of Virginia
Georgetown University

Joan A. Polaschik (born 1969) is a diplomat and United States Ambassador to Algeria. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate July 29, 2014. Her term began August 14, 2014.

Early life and education

Polaschik grew up in Alexandria, Virginia.[1] Polaskchik attended the University of Virginia, where she earned a B.A. in Russian Studies and Foreign Affairs in 1993. She earned an M.S. from Georgetown University in foreign service.[2]

Career

Polaschik joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1995. Her initial assignments brought her to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and in 1997 she became a political officer at the embassy in Tunis, Tunisia. In 1999 she became a staff assistant in the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Her next assignments brought her to Amman, Jordan, where she dealt with the issue of refugees from the Iraq war and to Baku, Azerbaijan.

In 2009 Polaschik moved to Tripoli, Libya, as deputy chief of mission. On September 11, 2012, the consulate was attacked and four people, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed.[3] As the embassy's chargé d'affaires she coordinated evacuation of non-essential embassy staff and dependents.[4] The embassy in Tripoli was then shut down, the first time in 12 years the U.S. closed a mission. Before the final evacuation, Polaschik stayed up all night destroying computers and sensitive information.[5] After escaping from Libya, embassy staff reunited in Washington, D.C. and established an embassy-in-exile.[6]

In 2013 she began an assignment as Director in the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs with the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.[7]

Personal life

In addition to English, Polaschik speaks French and Arabic, having studied Arabic at the Foreign Service Institute.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ America’s advocate in Algeria says country is up to challenge posed by terrorism WTOP, March 24, 2015
  2. ↑ Joan Polaschik AllGov, August 9, 2014
  3. ↑ "U.S. Senate Select Committee Review of the Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Diplomatic Facilities in Benghazi, Libya, September 11-12, 2012" (PDF). January 15, 2014.
  4. ↑ U.S. closes embassy in Tripoli, prepares sanctions The Washington Post, February 25, 2011
  5. ↑ At U.S. embassy-in-exile, anguished diplomats watch Libyan conflict The Washington Post, June 9, 2011
  6. ↑ New reports emerge on ransacking of U.S. Embassy in Tripoli The Washington Post, August 31, 2011
  7. ↑ State Department: Joan Polaschik U.S. Department of State, accessed April 1, 2016
  8. ↑ State Department: Joan Polaschik U.S. Department of State, accessed April 1, 2016
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Henry Ensher		 United States Ambassador to Algeria
2014–present 		Incumbent
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