Carmen G. Cantor (born February 23, 1968) is an American diplomat who is serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs. She previously served as the United States ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia.
Carmen Cantor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular and International Affairs | |
| Assumed office August 4, 2022 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Douglas Domenech |
| United States Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia | |
| In office January 31, 2020 – August 4, 2022 | |
| President | Donald Trump Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Robert Annan Riley III |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer L. Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carmen G. Castro[1] February 23, 1968 Puerto Rico |
| Education | University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (BA) Interamerican University of Puerto Rico (MA) |
Early life and education
editCantor was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the city of Mayagüez. Her father was a veteran of the United States Army.[2] After initially studying industrial engineering, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. She later earned a Master of Arts from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.[3][4]
Career
editCantor is a career member of the Senior Executive Service. Before joining the Department of State, Cantor served in the United States Postal Service. She later served as director of the Office of Civil Rights for the Foreign Agricultural Service, and as director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at the Federal Maritime Commission. Previous posts at the Department of State include being executive director of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Bureau of International Information Programs from 2013 to 2016, executive director of the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism from 2011 to 2013, and serving as deputy director for recruitment, examination, and employment. From 2016 to 2019, she was the director of civil service human resource management at the State Department.[3][5]
Ambassador to Micronesia
editOn July 15, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Cantor as the next ambassador to Micronesia. Her nomination was sent to the United States Senate on July 17, 2019.[6] Hearings on her nomination were held before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on October 16, 2019.[7] The committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor on November 20, 2019. On December 19, 2019, her nomination was confirmed by voice vote.[8]
On January 31, 2020, she presented her credentials to President David W. Panuelo.[9]
U.S Interior Department
editOn March 11, 2022, Cantor was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the assistant secretary of the interior for insular and international affairs.[10] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Energy Committee on April 28, 2022. The committee favorably reported the nomination to the Senate on June 14, 2022.[11] She was confirmed by voice vote on July 20, 2022.[12]
Personal life
editCantor is fluent in Spanish.[5] She is married to Carlos A. Cantor.[1] Carmen Cantor has one sister, three daughters, and three stepchildren.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Marriage Licenses". Orlando Sentinel. December 21, 1997. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "Executive Reports of Committees". U.S. Congress. November 20, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts" White House, July 15, 2019
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Island Diplomacy, from Mayagüez to Micronesia: The Journey of Esperanza of Ambassador Carmen Gloria Cantor - National Museum of American Diplomacy". September 30, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Cantor, Carmen G. - Federated States of Micronesia - July 2019". United States Department of State. July 29, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "Seven Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, July 17, 2019
- ^ "Statement by Carmen G. Cantor: Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia" (PDF). Senate Foreign Relations Committee. October 16, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "PN965 - Nomination of Carmen G. Cantor for Department of State, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. December 19, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "Marianas Variety - US envoy presents credentials to FSM president". www.mvariety.com. February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ "Business Meeting: Pending Nominations". U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "PN1864 - Nomination of Carmen G. Cantor for Department of the Interior, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. April 28, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
