Teddy B. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Teddy Bernard Taylor is a United States
diplomat. He currently serves as the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
, Solomon Islands
and Vanuatu
.
. He graudated from Florida A&M University
in 1975 and has been a brother in Omega Psi Phi
fraternity. He is also a member of Senior Foreign Service
.
through 1980. From 1981 to 1983, he worked at the U.S. Embassy in Panama
and from 1983 to 1985, at the embassy in Honduras
. In 1985, upon his return to the states, he was appointed Deputy Director of Press and Public Affairs in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
remaining on the post until 1987 when he took up the role of Deputy Policy Officer for Latin America at the United States Information Agency
. From 1988 through 1991, he served as Deputy Director for East Asian and Pacific Assignments at the Bureau of Human Resources; from 1991 to 1992, he was the Deputy Examiner in the Board of Foreign Service Examiners in the same Bureau and from 1992 through 1993, he served as the Special Assistant in the Visa Services Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs
.
In 1995, he was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest
, Hungary
, where we worked as the Consular Affairs Officer until 1999. In 2001, Taylor was appointed Director of the Orientation Division of Foreign Service Institute
. He was the first African-American to hold this post. Shortly thereafter, he served as the Consul General at U.S. Interests Section in Havana
, Cuba
. In 2001-2003, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Director of the Office of Employee Relations in the Bureau of Human Resources. On September 21, 2009 he was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
, also accredited to US embassies in the Solomon Islands
and Vanuatu
.
; in Hungary, he was the Chairperson of the Cub and Boy Scout parent organization and merit badge instructor and Chairman of the Eagle Scout Board of Review committee.
He's married to Foreign Service officer, Antoinette Corbin-Taylor. The couple has two children. Taylor is fluent in Spanish
, Turkish
and Hungarian
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat. He currently serves as the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Papua New Guinea began on September 16, 1975 when the latter became an independent state. The United States Embassy was opened on September 10, 1975 and Mary S. Olmsted became the first U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea on January 5, 1976...
, Solomon Islands
United States Ambassador to the Solomon Islands
There is no embassy of the United States of America in the Solomon Islands.Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Solomon Islands began in July 7, 1978 following recognition of independence of Solomon Islands by the U.S. The United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea...
and Vanuatu
United States Ambassador to Vanuatu
There is no embassy of the United States of America in Vanuatu.Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Vanuatu began in September 1986 when the latter established diplomatic ties with US. The United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea handles the US interests in Vanuatu...
.
Early life
Taylor was born in 1953 in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He graudated from Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
in 1975 and has been a brother in Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
fraternity. He is also a member of 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...
.
Political career
Taylor started his diplomatic career in 1978 working as a Consular/Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
through 1980. From 1981 to 1983, he worked at the U.S. Embassy in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and from 1983 to 1985, at the embassy in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. In 1985, upon his return to the states, he was appointed Deputy Director of Press and Public Affairs in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
In the United States Government, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs is a part of the U.S. Department of State, charged with implementing U.S. foreign policy and promoting U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere, as well as advising the Under Secretary for Political Affairs...
remaining on the post until 1987 when he took up the role of Deputy Policy Officer for Latin America at the United States Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
. From 1988 through 1991, he served as Deputy Director for East Asian and Pacific Assignments at the Bureau of Human Resources; from 1991 to 1992, he was the Deputy Examiner in the Board of Foreign Service Examiners in the same Bureau and from 1992 through 1993, he served as the Special Assistant in the Visa Services Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs
Bureau of Consular Affairs
The Bureau of Consular Affairs is a bureau of the United States Department of State within that department's management office. The mission of the Bureau is to administer laws, formulate regulations and implement policies relating to the broad range of consular services and immigration. , the...
.
In 1995, he was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, where we worked as the Consular Affairs Officer until 1999. In 2001, Taylor was appointed Director of the Orientation Division of Foreign Service Institute
Foreign Service Institute
The Foreign Service Institute is the United States Federal Government's primary training institution for employees of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests overseas and in Washington...
. He was the first African-American to hold this post. Shortly thereafter, he served as the Consul General at U.S. Interests Section in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, 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...
. In 2001-2003, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Director of the Office of Employee Relations in the Bureau of Human Resources. On September 21, 2009 he was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea
Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Papua New Guinea began on September 16, 1975 when the latter became an independent state. The United States Embassy was opened on September 10, 1975 and Mary S. Olmsted became the first U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea on January 5, 1976...
, also accredited to US embassies in the Solomon Islands
United States Ambassador to the Solomon Islands
There is no embassy of the United States of America in the Solomon Islands.Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Solomon Islands began in July 7, 1978 following recognition of independence of Solomon Islands by the U.S. The United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea...
and Vanuatu
United States Ambassador to Vanuatu
There is no embassy of the United States of America in Vanuatu.Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Vanuatu began in September 1986 when the latter established diplomatic ties with US. The United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea handles the US interests in Vanuatu...
.
Personal life
Being a member of a Omega Psi Phi group, he was active in extracurricular activities in some places of assignment. In Panama, he coached a teenager basketball team in Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
; in Hungary, he was the Chairperson of the Cub and Boy Scout parent organization and merit badge instructor and Chairman of the Eagle Scout Board of Review committee.
He's married to Foreign Service officer, Antoinette Corbin-Taylor. The couple has two children. Taylor is fluent in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
.