Philip Goldberg

Philip Seth Goldberg (born August 1, 1956)[1] is an American diplomat and government official who currently serves as U.S. Ambassador to Colombia. He served previously as Ambassador to the Philippines and Bolivia, and Chief of the U.S. Mission in UN-administered Kosovo. He has served in Washington as Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research. From June 2009 until June 2010, he was Coordinator for Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1874 (Sanctions) on North Korea. He has also been Charge d'affaires, a.i. at the U.S. embassies in Chile and Cuba. Goldberg holds the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Philip Seth Goldberg
United States Ambassador to Colombia
Incumbent
Assumed office September 19, 2019
President	Donald Trump Joe Biden
Preceded by	Kevin Whitaker
United States Ambassador to Cuba Acting
In office February 11, 2018 – July 20, 2018
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Lawrence Gumbiner
Succeeded by	Mara Tekach
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
In office December 2, 2013 – October 28, 2016
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Harry Thomas
Succeeded by	Sung Y. Kim
Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
In office February 16, 2010 – November 21, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Randall Fort
Succeeded by	Daniel Smith
United States Ambassador to Bolivia
In office October 13, 2006 – September 14, 2008
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	David Greenlee
Succeeded by	Krishna Urs (Acting)
Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office in Pristina
In office July 28, 2004 – July 4, 2006
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Marcie Ries
Succeeded by	Tina Kaidanow
United States Ambassador to Chile Acting
In office July 23, 2001 – March 25, 2002
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	John O'Leary
Succeeded by	William Brownfield
Personal details
Born	August 1, 1956 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	Boston University

On May 6, 2019, President Donald Trump nominated Goldberg to be the United States Ambassador to Colombia.[2] On August 1, 2019, the Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote.[3] He presented his credentials to President Iván Duque Márquez on September 19, 2019.[4]

Early life and education

Goldberg is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and is a graduate of The Rivers School and Boston University.[5] Before joining the Foreign Service, Goldberg, who speaks Spanish, worked as a liaison officer between the city government of New York City and the United Nations and consular community.[5]

Department of State appointments

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg welcomes U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Manila, Philippines, for his two-day visit on December 17, 2013

Goldberg served overseas as a consular and political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, and political-economic officer in Pretoria, South Africa.[5]

From 1994 to 1996, Goldberg served as the State Department's Desk Officer for Bosnia and a Special Assistant to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.[5]

As Special Assistant to Ambassador Holbrooke, Goldberg was a member of the American negotiating team in the lead-up to the Dayton Peace Conference and Chief of Staff for the American Delegation at Dayton.[5] From 1996 to 1998, Goldberg served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State.[5]

From 1998 to 2000, he served as Executive Assistant (1998–2000) to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.[5] In 2001, Goldberg served as a senior member of the State Department team handling the transition from the Clinton to Bush Administrations.[5]

In 2000, Goldberg returned on temporary duty to Colombia to serve as the first coordinator for the U.S. contribution to Plan Colombia.

From January 2001 to June 2001, Goldberg served as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.[5] From 2001-2004 he was Charge d'affaires, a.i. and then Deputy Chief of Mission in Chile.

Goldberg during a meeting with Philippine-born entrepreneur Jonha Richman in the Philippines in 2015

In 2018, Goldberg served as Charge d'affaires, a.i. at the US Embassy in Cuba. He has received numerous honors for his work including Presidential Distinguished and Meritorious Rank awards, the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award, and the U.S. Intelligence Community's Silver Seal Medallion.

See also

• Ambassadors of the United States

References

1. date & year of birth according to LCNAF CIP data
2. "Three Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House. May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
3. "PN715 — Philip S. Goldberg — Department of State". United States Congress. August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
4. "El embajador Philip S. Goldberg presentó sus credenciales al presidente Duque". September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
5. United States Department of State. "Biography of Philip S. Goldberg". September 22, 2006.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Philip S. Goldberg (1956–)
• Presidential Nomination: Philip Seth Goldberg