U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Karen B. Stewart

Biography

Ambassador Stewart

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Karen Brevard Stewart is a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service. She was nominated by President Bush to be Ambassador to Belarus on July 21, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 4, and was sworn in by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on September 8. She arrived in Minsk September 18, 2006.

A native of Florida, Ms. Stewart joined the Foreign Service in 1977. She has served overseas in Bangkok, Thailand; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Vientiane, Laos (twice); Udorn, Thailand; Islamabad, Pakistan; and most recently as Deputy Chief of Mission in Minsk, Belarus.

Her Washington assignments at the State Department have included tours as international relations officer in the Office of Fisheries Affairs, economic officer in the Office of Energy Consuming Countries, and economic/commercial desk officer in the Office of Israel and Arab-Israeli Affairs. Most recently, she was the Director of the Office of Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

Ms. Stewart graduated from Wellesley College, as Phi Beta Kappa and a Durant Scholar, with a B.A. in astronomy (with honors) and economics, and pursued further studies in astronomy at the University of Virginia. In 1998, she received an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College of the National Defense University at Ft. McNair.

Ms. Stewart speaks Thai, Lao, and some Russian. She is the recipient of Department of State Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards.

Ambassador Stewart presented her credentials to the Belarusian head of state on October 24, 2006.

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Functions

The Chief of Mission with the title of Ambassador, Minister, or Charge d'Affaires is responsible for and heads the mission's "country team" of U.S. Government personnel. He is also U.S. President's personal representative in the country of assignment.