Laura Holgate

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Laura Holgate
Laura S.H. Holgate, U.S. Ambassador.jpg
9th and 11th United States Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna
Designate
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingJackie Wolcott
In office
July 18, 2016 – January 18, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJoseph Macmanus (2014)
Succeeded byJackie Wolcott
Personal details
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)

Laura S. H. Holgate is an American diplomat who served as the United States ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna and to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 2016 to 2017. In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Holgate to the position again. While she was senior director of the United States National Security Council for weapons of mass destruction terrorism and threat reduction, she and Gary Samore first implemented Gift basket diplomacy.

Education[]

Holgate earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and a Master of Arts in political science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[1]

Career[]

Holgate began her career at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University.[2]

Laura Holgate after the Nuclear Security Summit 2010

The United States first implemented Gift basket diplomacy in the Nuclear Security Summit process between the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit and 2012 Nuclear Security Summit.[3] National Security Council (NSC) Director for Nuclear Threat Reduction Shawn Gallagher is credited with conceiving and first proposing Gift basket diplomacy while Holgate who was then the NSC Senior Director for WMD Terrorism and Threat Reduction worked with the White House WMD Czar Gary Samore to first implement the policy.[4]

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter with 25th anniversary Nunn-Lugar Trailblazer Award recipients Dr. Gloria Duffy, Laura Holgate, Dr. Susan Koch and Jane Wales in 2016

In 2016 she was made the United States ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna.[5] Importantantly she was also America's representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency and the other significant UN offices in Vienna.[2] During 2016 she was given a Nunn-Lugar Trailblazer Award for reducing the risk of nuclear war. The other recipients were Dr. Gloria Duffy, Dr. Susan Koch and Ms. Jane Wales. She served until January 2017.

In November 2018 she introduced the ideas of International Gender Champions into nuclear policy.[1]

In 2020 she was vice president for Materials Management at the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative.[1]

On July 27, 2021, President Joe Biden announced the nomination of Holgate to be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna.[6] Her nomination was sent to the Senate the following day.[7] The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported her favorably. The United States Senate confirmed her on December 18, 2021 by voice vote.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Laura S. H. Holgate, Ambassador (ret.) | Leadership & Staff | About | NTI". www.nti.org. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  2. ^ a b "Laura Holgate". The Breakthrough Institute. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. ^ Belfer Center at Harvard University, "Past Nuclear Security Summits". Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014., "Past Nuclear Security Summits", Retrieved 10 March 2014
  4. ^ White House Press Briefing, [1], “Press Briefing with Jay Carney, Ben Rhodes, and Shawn Gallagher”, 27 March 2012
  5. ^ "Laura Holgate Nominated for UN Vienna Ambassador". Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  6. ^ "President Biden Announces Nine Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  7. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
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