Virginia Palmer | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| United States Ambassador to Ghana | |
| In office May 10, 2022 – May 28, 2025[1] | |
| President | Joe Biden Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Stephanie S. Sullivan |
| Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources | |
Acting | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – September 7, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Francis R. Fannon |
| Succeeded by | Harry R. Kamian |
| United States Ambassador to Malawi | |
| In office February 27, 2015 – June 7, 2019 | |
| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Jeanine Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Robert K. Scott |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 (age 61–62) |
| Spouse | Ismail Asmal |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Georgetown University (BS) University of Virginia (MA) |
Virginia Evelyn Palmer[2] (born 1963) is an American diplomat who had served as theUnited States ambassador to Ghana. Palmer is the formerUnited States ambassador to Malawi. She was nominated by PresidentBarack Obama and confirmed by the Senate, beginning that assignment in January 2015.
Palmer is the daughter of Becky and Richard Palmer, who was a professor of drama atWashington University in St. Louis. She grew up inUniversity City, Missouri, and graduated fromUniversity City High School. She attendedGeorgetown University and earned a Bachelor of Science in foreign service in 1983. She then earned a Master of Arts at theUniversity of Virginia in 1986.[3] Palmer also attended Washington University in St. Louis.[4]
In 1986, following completion of her graduate studies, Palmer joined theUnited States Foreign Service. Her early assignments included serving as consular officer at the U.S. Consulate inCalgary, Canada, and as economic officer at theU.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. International assignments also include ones inZimbabwe,Hong Kong,Kenya andVietnam.[2] She was director of theBureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs's Office of Economic Policy from 2004 to 2005. From 2005 to 2008 she served in the Department of State as the deputycoordinator for counterterrorism.
When she was nominated by President Barack Obama to be U.S. ambassador to Malawi, she was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy inPretoria, a position she had held since 2011.[5] In that role, Palmer welcomed Obama as he visited three nations inAfrica, when she explained to local media, "This visit highlights the potential of Africa and our President to interact and highlight the role of the 600 American companies that are already operating in South Africa and are creating jobs in South Africa."[6]
Delays in the Senate kept her nomination, as well as those of many other ambassador nominees, from being approved. TheAmerican Foreign Service Association expressed concern that delays in Senate proceedings were putting the U.S. at risk because of the absence of ambassadors in countries engaged in "the war on Ebola", the killer virus which dominated the 2014United States–Africa Leaders Summit.[7]
After assuming her role as Malawi ambassador, Palmer became vocal in defense of civil rights for gay couples in the country.[citation needed]
Palmer was succeeded by Robert Scott on August 7, 2019.[8] From November 4, 2019, she served as principal deputy assistant secretary for theBureau of Energy Resources. Palmer was appointed as the actingassistant secretary of state for energy resources on January 20, 2021, by PresidentJoe Biden.[9]
On July 2, 2021, PresidentJoe Biden announced his intent to nominate Palmer to be the nextUnited States Ambassador to Ghana.[10] On July 13, her nomination was sent to theSenate.[11] On September 29, a hearing on her nomination was held before theSenate Foreign Relations Committee.[12] On October 19, 2021, her nomination was reported favorably out of committee.[13] On December 18, 2021, her nomination was confirmed in the Senate byvoice vote.[14] She presented her credentials to foreign ministerShirley Ayorkor Botchwey on May 10, 2022.[15]
In addition to English, Palmer speaksChinese andFrench. Palmer is married to Ismail Asmal, who is also a Foreign Service officer. They have two daughters.[16]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Malawi 2015–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Ghana 2022–present | Incumbent |
| Chargé d'Affaires |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | ||
 Republic of Vietnam(1950–1975) | |
|---|---|
 Socialist Republic of Vietnam(1997–present) | |
