List of ambassadors of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives

The position of United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives has existed since 1949.[notes 1] Sri Lanka–United States relations and Maldives–United States relations have been friendly throughout the history of Sri Lanka and the history of the Maldives. The diplomatic mission representing the United States in both countries is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Jefferson House is the ambassadorial residence of the ambassador in Colombo.

Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Julie Chung
since February 25, 2022
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderFelix Cole
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
FormationAugust 3, 1949
WebsiteU.S. Embassy – Colombo

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".

Julie Chung has been confirmed to be the ambassador from the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. She succeeded Alaina B. Teplitz to this position.

United States Ambassadors to Ceylon
# NameStart dateFinish date References
1 Felix ColeAugust 3, 1949October 30, 1949 Harry S. Truman
2 Joseph C. SatterthwaiteNovember 19, 1949July 25, 1953 Harry S. Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower
3 Maxwell Henry GluckSeptember 19, 1953September 27, 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower
4 Philip K. CroweSeptember 19, 1957October 2, 1958 Dwight D. Eisenhower
5 James Lampton BerryNovember 22, 1958June 3, 1959 Dwight D. Eisenhower
6 Bernard GuflerAugust 24, 1959March 1, 1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower

John F. Kennedy
7 Frances E. WillisMay 11, 1961September 20, 1964 John F. Kennedy

Lyndon B. Johnson
8 Cecil B. LyonOctober 30, 1964June 17, 1967 Lyndon B. Johnson
9 Andrew V. CorryMay 24, 1967March 21, 1970 Lyndon B. Johnson

Richard Nixon

United States Ambassadors to Sri Lanka
# Name Image Career trackStart dateFinish date President(s)References
10 Robert Strausz-Hupé Political appointee May 3, 1970 December 12, 1971 Richard Nixon
11 Christopher Van Hollen Career FSO October 27, 1972 April 21, 1976 Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford
12 John H. Reed
Political appointee July 2, 1976 June 1, 1977 Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter
13 William Howard Wriggins Political appointee August 18, 1977 December 13, 1979 Jimmy Carter
14 Donald R. Toussaint Career FSO January 21, 1980 January 17, 1982 Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan
15 John H. Reed
Political appointee February 8, 1982 September 3, 1985 Ronald Reagan
16 James W. Spain
Career FSO November 21, 1985 June 16, 1989 Ronald Reagan

George H. W. Bush
17 Marion V. Creekmore, Jr. Career FSO November 29, 1989 August 27, 1992 George H. W. Bush
18 Teresita Currie Schaffer Career FSO October 7, 1992 August 15, 1995 George H. W. Bush

Bill Clinton
19 Peter Burleigh
Career FSO January 19, 1996 August 1, 1997 Bill Clinton
20 Shaun E. Donnelly December 19, 1997 August 16, 2000 Bill Clinton
21 E. Ashley Wills November 13, 2000 June 17, 2003 Bill Clinton

George W. Bush
22 Jeffrey Lunstead September 26, 2003 September 9, 2006 George W. Bush
23 Robert O. Blake, Jr.
Career FSO September 9, 2006 August 19, 2009 George W. Bush

Barack Obama
24 Patricia A. Butenis
Career FSO August 19, 2009 June 29, 2012 Barack Obama
25 Michele J. Sison
Career FSO June 29, 2012 December 6, 2014 Barack Obama
26 Atul Keshap
Career FSO August 21, 2015 July 15, 2018 Barack Obama

Donald Trump
27 Alaina B. Teplitz
Career FSO November 1, 2018 December 6, 2021 Donald Trump

Joe Biden
28 Julie Chung
Career FSO February 25, 2022 Incumbent Joe Biden

Notes
  1. until 1972 the name was: "United States Ambassador to Ceylon and the Maldives"

See also

References
  • United States Department of State: Background notes on Sri Lanka
  • United States Department of State: Background notes on the Maldives
  • Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
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