Paul R. Houston (born 1979) is an American federal law enforcement officer who serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the U.S. Department of State for the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for Threat Investigations and Analysis (TIA).[1][2]
Paul R. Houston | |
|---|---|
 A photography portrait of Paul R. Houston, 2022 | |
| Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) | |
| Assumed office August 22, 2022 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul R. Houston Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | University of Iowa (BA) University of Kentucky (MS) |
| Profession | Special agent |
Early life and education
editPaul Houston received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Iowa. He holds an Master's Degree in National Security Policy and international economics from the University of Kentucky's School of Diplomacy and International Commerce.[1]
Career
editPaul Houston served in the United States Marines prior to his employment for the United States Department of State as a special agent and diplomat in the Diplomatic Security Service. Houston was a legislative assistant employed by U.S. House of Representatives Jim Leach.[3] During his career with the DSS, Houston served as the director of the DSS Office of Special Investigations conducting criminal and administrative investigations for the U.S. Department of State. Paul served as the deputy director of the Department of State (DS) Command Center.[3] As a member of the Advisory team, he led and participated in numerous projects in the public and private sections, involving conducting overseas criminal and administrative investigations, threat dissemination and crisis command and control.[1]
In November, 2022, Paul Houston held the Foreign Press Centers (FPC) Briefing in Washington D.C. to discuss the Rewards for Justice Program's countermeasures in disrupting financial mechanisms that support the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).[4]
In January 2023, Paul R. Houston made an appearance for the Rewards for Justice program to make an announcement to the public offering a reward up to $10 million in rewards for the information leading to the location of the Al-Shaabab terrorists responsible for attack on the U.S. military base who murdered two American U.S. army soldiers and killed a contractor on January 5, 2020.[5][6]
In December 2023, the President of the United States of America announced the FY2023 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA) to 64 Senior Foreign Service (SFS) members of the State Department. Houston was nominated and received the Senior Foreign Service (SFS) award approved by the President, Joe Biden who had recognized his outstanding impact making in contributions to the U.S. Government in the field of foreign affairs, public diplomacy and international trade and development.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Paul R. Houston". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ "Leadership – Bureau of Diplomatic Security". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ a b "Former aide to retired Iowa U.S. Rep. Jim Leach named as head of threat operations at U.S. Department of State". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ "Rewards for Justice: Disrupting financial mechanisms that support the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)". United States Department of State. 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ AP (2020-01-05). "Al-Shabaab kills three Americans in attack on US military base in Kenya". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
- ^ "Rewards for Justice – reward offers for information on key leaders of al-Shabaab". www.africom.mil. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
- ^ "FY 2023 Presidential Rank Awards for the Senior Executive Service and Foreign Service". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2023-12-16.