John F. Tefft | |
---|---|
8th United States Ambassador to Russia | |
Assumed office November 19, 2014 |
|
President |
Barack Obama Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Michael McFaul |
Succeeded by | Jon Huntsman Jr. (Nominee) |
United States Ambassador to Ukraine | |
In office December 7, 2009 – July 29, 2013 |
|
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | William Taylor |
Succeeded by | Geoffrey Pyatt |
United States Ambassador to Georgia | |
In office August 23, 2005 – September 9, 2009 |
|
President |
George W. Bush Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Richard Miles |
Succeeded by | John Bass |
United States Ambassador to Lithuania | |
In office August 30, 2000 – May 10, 2003 |
|
President |
Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Keith C. Smith |
Succeeded by | Stephen Mull |
Personal details | |
Born |
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
August 16, 1949
Spouse(s) | Mariella Cellitti Tefft |
Children | Christine Cathleen |
Alma mater |
Marquette University Georgetown University |
John F. Tefft (born August 16, 1949) is a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer since 1972. He was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Russia on July 31, 2014. He has previously served as the United States' ambassador to Ukraine,Georgia, and Lithuania, as well as chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of the United States in Moscow, Russia.
Tefft is a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, with the personal rank of Minister-Counselor. He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1972 and has served in Jerusalem, Budapest, Rome, Moscow, Vilnius, Tbilisi, and Kiev.
Until his appointment as ambassador to Georgia, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs since July 6, 2004. Tefft also served as International Affairs Advisor (Deputy Commandant) of the National War College in Washington, D.C. From 2000 to 2003, he was the United States Ambassador to Lithuania. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 1996 to 1999 (when Pickering was Ambassador), and was chargé d'affaires at the Embassy from November 1996 to September 1997. Tefft served as Director of the Office of Northern European Affairs from 1992 to 1994, Deputy Director of the Office of Soviet Union (later Russian and CIS) Affairs from 1989 to 1992, and Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome from 1986 to 1989. His other foreign assignments included Budapest and Jerusalem, as well as service on the U.S. delegation to the START I arms control negotiations in 1985.