Michele J. Sison

Michele Sison
United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka
In office September 14, 2012 – December 6, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Patricia Butenis
Succeeded by	Andrew Mann (Acting)
United States Ambassador to the Maldives
In office September 9, 2012 – December 6, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Patricia Butenis
Succeeded by	Andrew Mann (Acting)
United States Ambassador to Lebanon
In office January 25, 2008 – August 9, 2010 Acting: January 25, 2008 – September 4, 2008
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Jeffrey Feltman
Succeeded by	Maura Connelly
United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
In office February 7, 2005 – January 19, 2008
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Marcelle Wahba
Succeeded by	Martin Quinn
Personal details
Born	May 27, 1959 Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater	Wellesley College London School of Economics

Michele Jean Sison (born May 27, 1959, in Arlington, Virginia) is the United States Deputy Representative to the United Nations and a career member of the United States Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College and also studied at the London School of Economics (LSE). Ambassador Sison has two daughters in college.^[1]

Sison's overseas assignments include service as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires, i.e. at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (1999–2002) and as consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai, India (1996–1999). She also served at the U.S. Missions in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (1993–1996); Douala, Cameroon (1991–1993); Cotonou, Benin (1988–1991); Lomé, Togo (1984–1988); and Port-au-Prince, Haiti (1982–1984), as well as in Washington. Ambassador Sison is the recipient of numerous U.S. Department of State awards for exceptional service.

Stephen J. Rapp, the United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues and Michele J. Sison are discussing with E. Saravanapavan, Managing Director of the Uthayan newspaper and M. V. Kanamaylnathan, Editor-in-chief at Uthayan Newspapers's Office in Jaffna on 8 January 2014. Some of the bullet holes and portraits of slain staff are visible on the wall behind them.

She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, on May 6, 2004, and sworn in by Secretary of State Powell on July 12, 2004. Prior to her appointment to the UAE, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South Asian Affairs, charged with providing broad policy oversight of U.S. relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.^[2]

She also had a short stint as chargé d'affaires of Lebanon,^[3] before officially becoming the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, in June 2008. Ambassador Sison's assignment in Lebanon ended in August 2010.

She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 29, 2012 as US ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives .^[4]

Sources

1. http://www.nndb.com/people/658/000122292/
2. "Michele J. Sison: US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates". Asian Journal. 27 October 2009.
3. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. - U.S. Embassy Beirut, Lebanon
4. http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/ambassador.html Ambassador Michele J. Sison, Embassy of the United States, Sri Lanka and Maldives

External links

• United States Department of State: Biography of Michele J. Sison
• United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi: Biography of the Ambassador
• U.S. Ambassador Michele J. Sison Meets With Ministers of Telecommunications, Finance, and Interior, January 5, 2010
• "American Chargé d'Affairs Michele J. Sison Presents Scholarship Funding to AUB", AUBulletin, May 2008, Vol. 9 No. 7
• Appearances on C-SPAN