Barbro Owens-Kirkpatrick
Encyclopedia
Barbro Owens-Kirkpatrick (born 1946) is an American
diplomat
.
Owens-Kirkpatrick earned a Bachelor of Arts
in Economics
from the Helsinki School of Economics
in Finland
. She received her Master of Public Administration
from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
at Princeton University
.
Owens-Kirkpatrick joined the United States Department of State
and was one of two State Department Political Officers deployed to support the 82nd Airborne Division during the invasion of Grenada
in 1983.
Owens-Kirkpatrick served at Deputy Chief of Mission
at the U.S. embassies in Barbados
and the West Indies. She also served as Political Officer in El Salvador
1986-88 and as Special Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
In 1989 she graduated from the U.S. Army War College
.
From 1992-93, she was Deputy Director of the Office of International Security Operations (PM/ISO) in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
at the State Department. Her team participated in establishing U.S. policy and coordinating global crisis management with Department of Defense
counterparts, including in Bosnia
, northern Iraq
, and Somalia
. Owens-Kirkpatrick was promoted from this job into the Senior Foreign Service
in 1993.
From 1993-94, she was Director of Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council
, focusing on Cuba
, the Haiti
crisis, Central and South America.
Ambassador Owens-Kirkpatrick was Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City
from 1994–97, a crucial period in Mexico’s transition from authoritarian government to democracy, and the start-up of the Chiapas rebellion.
From 1997-98, she was Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs (EUR/RPM) in the State Department. As head of this large office tasked with day-to-day management of U.S. policy at NATO and the OSCE
, Ambassador Owens-Kirkpatrick played a key role in NATO’s enlargement, NATO’s relations with its partners, management of the Kosovo crisis, and organizing NATO’s 50th anniversary.
She was promoted to the personal rank of Minister Counselor in 1999, and sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Niger on September 10, 1999.
She has received three individual Superior Honor Awards.
She speaks French, Spanish, Swedish, and Finnish.
She is married to a Foreign Service Officer, Alexander Kirkpatrick. They have two children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Owens-Kirkpatrick earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the Helsinki School of Economics
Helsinki School of Economics
The Aalto University School of Economics , known as Helsinki School of Economics until 2009, is the largest and leading business school in Finland and one of the most renowned in Europe...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. She received her Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school has granted undergraduate A.B. degrees since 1930 and graduate degrees since 1948...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Owens-Kirkpatrick joined the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
and was one of two State Department Political Officers deployed to support the 82nd Airborne Division during the invasion of Grenada
Invasion of Grenada
The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was a 1983 United States-led invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 100,000 located north of Venezuela. Triggered by a military coup which had ousted a four-year revolutionary government, the invasion...
in 1983.
Owens-Kirkpatrick served at Deputy Chief of Mission
Deputy Chief of Mission
A Deputy Chief of Mission , is the number-two diplomat assigned to an embassy or other diplomatic mission. He or she is usually considered the second-in-command or top lieutenant to the Head of Mission...
at the U.S. embassies in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
and the West Indies. She also served as Political Officer in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
1986-88 and as Special Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
In 1989 she graduated from the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
.
From 1992-93, she was Deputy Director of the Office of International Security Operations (PM/ISO) in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is an agency within the United States Department of State that bridges the Department of State with the Department of Defense. It provides policy in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and policy,...
at the State Department. Her team participated in establishing U.S. policy and coordinating global crisis management with Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
counterparts, including in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. Owens-Kirkpatrick was promoted from this job into the Senior Foreign Service
Senior Foreign Service
The Senior Foreign Service comprises the top four ranks of the United States Foreign Service. These ranks were created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and Executive Order 12293 in order to provide the Foreign Service with senior grades equivalent to general- and flag ranks in the military and...
in 1993.
From 1993-94, she was Director of Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
, focusing on Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, the Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
crisis, Central and South America.
Ambassador Owens-Kirkpatrick was Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
from 1994–97, a crucial period in Mexico’s transition from authoritarian government to democracy, and the start-up of the Chiapas rebellion.
From 1997-98, she was Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs (EUR/RPM) in the State Department. As head of this large office tasked with day-to-day management of U.S. policy at NATO and the OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
, Ambassador Owens-Kirkpatrick played a key role in NATO’s enlargement, NATO’s relations with its partners, management of the Kosovo crisis, and organizing NATO’s 50th anniversary.
She was promoted to the personal rank of Minister Counselor in 1999, and sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Niger on September 10, 1999.
She has received three individual Superior Honor Awards.
She speaks French, Spanish, Swedish, and Finnish.
She is married to a Foreign Service Officer, Alexander Kirkpatrick. They have two children.
See also
- Plame affairPlame affairThe Plame Affair involved the identification of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert Central Intelligence Agency officer. Mrs. Wilson's relationship with the CIA was formerly classified information...