Lynne M. Tracy

Lynne M. Tracy is an American diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Russia, serving since January 2023. She formerly served as the United States ambassador to Armenia from 2019 to 2022.[1]

Lynne Tracy
United States Ambassador to Russia
Assumed office
January 30, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJohn J. Sullivan
United States Ambassador to Armenia
In office
March 1, 2019 – December 20, 2022
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byRichard M. Mills Jr.
Succeeded byKristina Kvien
Personal details
BornBarberton, Ohio, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Georgia (BA)
University of Akron (JD)

Early life and education

Tracy was born in Barberton, Ohio, one of three daughters of Albert and Carol Pontius Tracy.[2] She earned a B.A. in Soviet Studies from the University of Georgia in 1986, and a J.D. in 1994 from the University of Akron School of Law.[3]

Career

Embarking on a career in Foreign Service, Tracy served in a variety of international assignments, focused especially in Central and South Asia, including deputy chief of mission in the embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, principal officer in Peshawar, Pakistan from 1995 to 1997, and principal officer in Astana, Kazakhstan. Tracy served as political officer in Kabul from 2002 to 2003, consular officer in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 1997 to 2000; and as political/consular officer in Peshawar, Pakistan. In domestic assignments she served as desk officer for Kazakhstan from 2003 to 2004 and for Georgia in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs from 2001 to 2002, and staff assistant for the special envoy for the Newly-Independent States at the Department of State from 2000 to 2001.[4]

On August 26, 2008, while stationed as principal officer in Peshawar, she was attacked by gunmen who sprayed her automobile with bullets, shooting out the front tires. Tracy, her bodyguard and driver all escaped. The Secretary's Award for Heroism recognized her "quick thinking", her return to work on the same day, and her continuation in her role despite the risks.[5][4]

Tracy was director for Central Asia at the National Security Council from 2011 to 2012. From 2012 to 2014 she was deputy assistant secretary for Central Asia in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. From 2014 to 2017 Tracy was the deputy chief of mission at the embassy in Moscow, Russia. In 2017 Tracy received a Distinguished Honor Award for her contribution as deputy chief of mission in Moscow.[6]

United States ambassador to Armenia

On September 28, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Tracy as United States ambassador to Armenia, and she was confirmed by the Senate on January 2, 2019.[7] Tracy's approval was preceded by intense questioning by Senators Bob Menendez and Ed Markey about U.S. policy with regard to Turkey's denial of the Armenian genocide. She was sworn in as ambassador in February 2019.[8][5][1] Tracy presented her credentials on March 1.[9] She left office on December 20, 2022.[10]

On December 7, 2022, the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan awarded Lynne Tracy with the Medal of Honor of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.[11]

United States ambassador to Russia
Tracy with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2023

Tracy was nominated by President Joe Biden on September 20, 2022, for the ambassadorship to Russia.[12][13] Ambassador John Sullivan left Moscow on September 4, 2022, and stated he would retire.[14] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on November 30, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor on December 7, 2022. Her nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 21, 2022 by a 93–2 vote.[15] She was sworn in on January 9, 2023,[16] and presented her credentials at the end of that month.[17]

Personal life

Tracy speaks Russian.[3]

Distinctions
  • Medal of Honour of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.

See also

References
  1. "U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy". November 7, 2021. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  2. The Congressional Record, Senate,"Report of the Committee on Foreign Relations" 13 December 2018
  3. The White House "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts" 21 September 2018
  4. U.S. Department of State "Secretary Clinton to Present Lynne Tracy with the Secretary's Award for Heroism" 3 December 2009 accessed 1 March 2019
  5. Wehrman, Jessica. "Barberton native nominated as U.S. ambassador to Armenia". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  6. "Tracy Lynne M. – Armenia – October 2018". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  7. "PN2548 – Nomination of Lynne M. Tracy for Department of State, 115th Congress (2017-2018)". www.congress.gov. January 2, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  8. "Lynne M. Tracy sworn as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia". PanARMENIAN.Net. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  9. "Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan met with Lynne M. Tracy, newly appointed Ambassador of the United States". mfa.am. March 1, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  10. "US Ambassador Lynne Tracy's farewell video message". U.S. Embassy Yerevan via Facebook. December 20, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  11. "Armenian Foreign Minister awards Medal of Honor to outgoing United States Ambassador". armenpress.am. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  12. "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  13. Atwood, Kylie (September 14, 2022). "First on CNN: Biden to nominate new ambassador to Russia | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  14. Wong, Edward (September 4, 2022). "John Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, leaves Moscow to retire". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  15. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Lynne M. Tracy, of Ohio, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Russian Federation)". US Senate. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  16. "Lynne M. Tracy". United States Department of State. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  17. "New U.S. ambassador to Russia heckled by pro-Kremlin protesters". Reuters. January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
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