Lucy Tamlyn (born 1955) is an American diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since February 2023. She previously served as chargé d'affaires to Sudan (from February to August 2022); as United States ambassador to the Central African Republic (from 2019 to 2022); and as United States ambassador to Benin (from 2015 to 2018).

Lucy Tamlyn
United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Assumed office
February 6, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byMichael A. Hammer
United States Ambassador to Sudan
In office
February 3, 2022 – August 24, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byBrian W. Shukan (acting)
Succeeded byJohn Godfrey
United States Ambassador to the Central African Republic
In office
February 6, 2019 – January 28, 2022[1]
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byJeffrey Hawkins
Succeeded byPatricia Mahoney
United States Ambassador to Benin
In office
November 8, 2015 – October 19, 2018
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byMichael A. Raynor
Succeeded byPatricia Mahoney
Personal details
Born1955 (age 68–69)[2]
Alma materSt. John’s College (BA)
Columbia University (MA)

Early life and education

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Tamlyn is from New York City. Her father, Thomas Tamlyn, was a cardiologist who served in 1969 on the SS Hope, a ship that brought medical support to underserved areas. Her mother, Ann Donaldson Tamlyn,[3] later ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.

Tamlyn earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. John's College in 1978. Tamlyn then completed her Master of Arts at Columbia University's School of International Affairs in 1980.[4]

Career

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Tamlyn joined the United States Foreign Service in 1982. In her early career, she held assignments in Austria, Colombia, Mozambique, and domestically, in Washington, DC and New York City, NY. She served as political officer in Brazil and represented the United States to the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome.[5] From 2005 to 2008, Tamlyn served as deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy in N’Djamena, Chad. She then became provincial reconstruction team leader in Erbil, Iraq from 2008 to 2009. After Iraq, she served in Paris, France, as Economic Counselor at the United States Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and in Lisbon, Portugal as deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy there.[6] From 2013 to 2015, Tamlyn served in Washington, DC as director of the Office of the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan.[7]

Ambassador to Benin

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On March 24, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Tamlyn to be the next United States ambassador to the Republic of Benin.[8] Hearings were held on her nomination by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 30, 2015. The committee favorably reported the nomination to the Senate floor on October 1, 2015. She was confirmed by the Senate on October 8, 2015, via voice vote.[9] Her term began October 13, 2015, and she presented her credentials on November 8, 2015.[2][10] She left her post as ambassador to Benin in October 2018.[11]

Ambassador to Central African Republic

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On July 27, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Tamlyn to be the next United States ambassador to the Central African Republic.[12] Hearings on her nomination were held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 26, 2018. The committee favorably reported the nomination on November 28, 2018. She was confirmed by the Senate via voice vote on January 2, 2019,[13] and sworn in on January 11, 2019. Tamlyn presented her credentials to President Faustin-Archange Touadéra on February 6, 2019. She left her post as ambassador to the Central African Republic in January 2022.

Charge d'Affaires to Sudan

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Tamlyn was appointed Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to Sudan on January 17, 2022.[14] She arrived in Khartoum on February 3, 2022, and she left on August 11, 2022.

Ambassador to DRC

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On June 22, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Tamlyn to serve as the United States ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[15][16] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on August 3, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor on December 7, 2022. On December 20, 2022, her nomination was confirmed by the Senate via voice vote.[17]

Tamlyn was officially sworn in as ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on December 28, 2022. She arrived in Kinshasa on January 26, 2023, and she presented her credentials to President Félix Tshisekedi on February 6, 2023.[18]

Awards and recognitions

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Tamlyn has won notable State Department awards, including the Secretary's Award for Expeditionary Service.[19]

Personal life

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Tamlyn is married to travel writer and photographer Jorge M. Serpa of Portugal. They have two children. She speaks French and Portuguese.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "x.com".
  2. ^ a b "Lucy Tamlyn (1955–)". Office of the Historian. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. ^ Thomas T. Tamlyn M.D. The New York Times, May 1, 2009
  4. ^ U.S. Ambassador to Benin: Who Is Lucy Tamlyn? AllGov, accessed April 10, 2016
  5. ^ Statement of Record Lucy Tamlyn Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Benin U.S. Senate, July 30, 2015
  6. ^ President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts the White House, March 24, 2015
  7. ^ Sudan, Iran, the Obama Administration, and Khartoum’s political vision Sudan Tribune, October 16, 2014
  8. ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  9. ^ "PN317 - Nomination of Lucy Tamlyn for Department of State, 114th Congress (2015-2016)". www.congress.gov. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  10. ^ PRÉSENTATION DE LETTRES DE CRÉANCES : LE NOUVEL AMBASSADEUR DES ETATS-UNIS ACCRÉDITÉ[permanent dead link] La Nation Benin, November 9, 2015
  11. ^ "Ambassador Tamlyn Farewell message". U.S. Embassy in Benin. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  12. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2019-02-07 – via National Archives.
  13. ^ "PN2350 - Nomination of Lucy Tamlyn for Department of State, 115th Congress (2017-2018)". www.congress.gov. 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  14. ^ Blinken, Anthony. "Appointment of Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn as Chargé d'Affaires at Embassy Khartoum". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  15. ^ a b "President Biden Announces Key Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 22, 2022.
  16. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 22, 2022.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  17. ^ "PN2272 - Nomination of Lucy Tamlyn for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn". cd.usembassy.gov. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Tamlyn, Lucy - Central African Republic - September 2018". United States Department of State. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Benin
2015–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to the Central African Republic
2019–2022
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2023–present
Incumbent