Eric P. Whitaker

Eric P. Whitaker
United States Ambassador to Niger
In office
January 26, 2018 – December 1, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byEunice S. Reddick
Succeeded byKathleen A. FitzGibbon
Personal details
Born (1957-01-24) January 24, 1957 (age 67)
DeKalb, Illinois[1]
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
University of Pittsburgh
Princeton University

Eric Paul Whitaker[2] (born January 24, 1957) is an American diplomat and career member of the Senior Foreign Service who served as the United States Ambassador to Niger from 2018 to 2021. He was sworn in on December 15, 2017 and presented his credentials to President Mahamadou Issoufou on January 26, 2018. He left office in December 1, 2021.[3]

Early life and education

Whitaker has a BS in biology and an MS in community health education from the University of Illinois, a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Public Policy degree from the Wilson School at Princeton University.

Career

Whitaker has served as an American diplomat since 1990, including a tenure as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Africa and the Sudans in the Bureau of African Affairs at the United States Department of State. A two-time deputy chief of mission, he has served at U.S. embassies in ten African countries and was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines.[4][5]

Whitaker has a BS in biology and an MS in community health education from the University of Illinois, a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Public Policy degree from the Wilson School at Princeton University.

Personal life

Whitaker speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French, Visayan, and Korean.

References

  1. ^ Straehley, Steve (October 27, 2017). "United States Ambassador to Niger: Who Is Eric Whitaker?". AllGov. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  2. ^ "PN1005 — Foreign Service". U.S. Congress. January 3, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  3. ^ Whitaker, Eric P. (December 1, 2021). "Adieu le Niger : un grand merci pour les merveilleux souvenirs". ActuNiger (in French). Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. September 2, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017 – via National Archives.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Spero, Domani (September 12, 2017). "Career Diplomat Eric P. Whitaker to be U.S. Ambassador to Niger". Diplopundit. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Niger
2018–present 		Incumbent