Mark Toner

Mark Toner
United States Ambassador to Liberia
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 7, 2024
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byCatherine Rodriguez (acting)
26th Spokesperson for the United States Department of State
In office
January 20, 2017 – April 24, 2017
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJohn Kirby
Succeeded byHeather Nauert
Deputy Spokesperson for the United States Department of State
In office
June 1, 2015 – May 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byMarie Harf
In office
May 2011 – June 2013
Acting: January 2010 – April 2011[1][2]
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byRobert A. Wood[3]
Succeeded byMarie Harf
Personal details
Born1964 (age 59–60)
United States
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame
Industrial College of the Armed Forces

Mark Christopher Toner[4] (born 1964) is a U.S. Foreign Service officer and former Spokesperson for the United States Department of State.[5][6] He has served as the United States ambassador to Liberia since 2024.[7]

Early life and education

Toner was raised in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, graduating from the Salesianum School in nearby Wilmington, Delaware in 1982.[8] He earned a B.A. degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1986[4] and later studied journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. Toner received a graduate degree from the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia.[9]

Career

As a career Foreign Service Officer, Toner served overseas in West Africa and Europe. Toner was the Information Officer in Dakar, Senegal, the Public Affairs Officer in Kraków, Poland, and the Spokesman for the U.S. Mission to NATO, in Brussels, Belgium. In Washington, Toner worked as a senior advisor for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; as a Senior Watch Officer in the Department's Operations Center; and as the Director of the European Bureau’s Press and Public Outreach Division.[citation needed]

Toner currently holds the rank of Minister-Counselor.[7]

State Department deputy spokesperson

Toner was deputy spokesperson for the State Department from 2010 to 2013, serving with Spokesperson Victoria Nuland.[1][10] Toner became Deputy Spokesperson again on June 1, 2015.[11] Following Rear Admiral John Kirby's departure as the Department's Chief Spokesperson on January 20, 2017, Toner became Acting Spokesperson.[12] He announced the pass of the spokesperson baton to Heather Nauert on April 27, 2017.[13]

U.S. ambassador to Liberia

On March 27, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Toner to be the next ambassador to Liberia.[7] He was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on May 2, 2024. He arrived in Monrovia on August 2, 2024.[14] Toner presented his credentials to Liberian President Joseph Boakai on August 7, 2024.[15]

Personal life

Toner speaks French and Polish.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Press Releases (2011)". United States Department of State. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Press Releases (2009–2017)". United States Department of State. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  3. ^ "Wood, Robert A. (ca. 1966– )". August 19, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  4. ^ a b 1986 Commencement (PDF). The University of Notre Dame du Lac. May 16–18, 1986. p. 39. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Toosi, Nahal (March 7, 2017). "State Department's resumed briefing strives for normal". Politico. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  6. ^ Koran, Laura (March 7, 2017). "Trump State Department defends influence at first press briefing". CNN. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. March 27, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Salesian 82. Vol. 38. Wilmington, Delaware: Salesianum School. 1982. p. 197.
  9. ^ "Mark C. Toner". United States Department of State. June 1, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "Senior Diplomat Mark C. Toner Returns to Foggy Bottom Podium as Deputy Spox". Diplopundit. May 26, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  11. ^ Spero, Domani (May 1, 2017). "@StateDept Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner Says Goodbye". Diplopundit. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  12. ^ Mills, Curt (January 26, 2017). "State Senior Management All Asked to Leave, Report Says". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  13. ^ "Department Press Briefing – April 27, 2017". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  14. ^ "Ambassador Mark C. Toner". August 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Mark Toner Presents His Credentials to President Joseph Boakai". FrontPage Africa. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.