Thomas A. Shannon Jr.

For other people with the same name, see Thomas Shannon (disambiguation).
Thomas Shannon
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Assumed office
February 12, 2016
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Wendy Sherman
In office
July 28, 2011 – September 21, 2011
Acting
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Bill Burns
Succeeded by Wendy Sherman
Counselor of the United States Department of State
In office
December 24, 2013 – February 12, 2016
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Heather Higginbottom
Succeeded by Kristie Kenney
United States Ambassador to Brazil
In office
February 4, 2010 – September 6, 2013
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Clifford Sobel
Succeeded by Liliana Ayalde
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
In office
October 17, 2005 – November 10, 2009
President George W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded by Roger Noriega
Succeeded by Arturo Valenzuela
Personal details
Born 1958 (age 57–58)[1]
Alma mater College of William and Mary
University of Oxford

Thomas Alfred Shannon Jr. (born 1958)[1] is Career Ambassador in the United States Foreign Service, and the current Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the United States Department of State.[2][3][4]

Prior to this position, he was Counselor of the United States Department of State and U.S. Ambassador to Brazil from 2009 to 2013. Previously he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, leading the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the U.S. Department of State from 2005 through 2009.[5]

Career

Shannon holds an M.Phil (1982) and D.Phil. (1983), both in politics, from Oxford University, and a B.A. with high honors in government and philosophy from the College of William & Mary (1980).[5]

During his career as a Foreign Service Officer he has served as Special Assistant to the Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Brasília, Brazil from 1989 to 1992; as Country Officer for Cameroon, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe from 1987 to 1989; and as the Consular/Political Rotational Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 1984 to 1986.[5]

Shannon served as Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council from 1999 to 2000; as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, from 1996 to 1999; and as Regional Labor Attaché at the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa from 1992 to 1996.[5]

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Shannon served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council from 2003 to 2005. From 2002 to 2003, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State, where he was Director of Andean Affairs from 2001 to 2002. He was U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) from 2000 to 2001.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Thomas Alfred Shannon Jr. (1958–)". U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. December 24, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Appointment of Ambassador Tom Shannon To Serve as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs". U.S. Department of State. 18 September 2015. Retrieved November 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". The White House. 18 September 2015. Retrieved November 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. ↑ "State Department gets some nominees, after Cruz clears his roadblock". Washington Post. February 12, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Department of State - Biography - Thomas A. Shannon Jr.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas A. Shannon Jr..
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Clifford Sobel		 United States Ambassador to Brazil
2010–2013 		Succeeded by
Liliana Ayalde
Political offices
Preceded by
Roger Noriega		 Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
2005–2009 		Succeeded by
Arturo Valenzuela
Preceded by
Bill Burns		 Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Acting
2011 		Succeeded by
Wendy Sherman
Preceded by
Heather Higginbottom		 Counselor of the United States Department of State
2013–2016 		Succeeded by
Kristie Kenney
Preceded by
Wendy Sherman		 Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
2016–present 		Incumbent
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