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Stephanie Sullivan
Stephanie Sullivan
United States Ambassador to the African Union
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; August 29, 2024
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Jessica Lapenn
United States Ambassador to Ghana
	In office; January 23, 2019 – April 8, 2022
President	Donald Trump; Joe Biden
Preceded by	Robert P. Jackson
Succeeded by	Virginia Palmer
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
	In office; January 2017 – October 2018
President	Donald Trump
Succeeded by	Geeta Pasi
United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo
	In office; November 26, 2013 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Christopher Murray
Succeeded by	Todd Haskell
Personal details
Born	September 27, 1958 (age 66); United States
Spouse	John Sullivan
Children	2
Alma mater	Brown University; National Defense University

Stephanie Sanders Sullivan (née Sanders; born September 27, 1958) is an American diplomat and the previous ambassador to Ghana. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central African Affairs and Security Affairs for the Bureau of African Affairs from January 2017 to November 2018. She previously served as United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo, having been nominated by President Obama on June 13, 2013, confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2013, and served through January 20, 2017.^[3]^[4]

As of August 29, 2024, Sullivan is the US Representative to the African Union.^[5]^[6]

Early life and education

Sullivan was born Stephanie Sanders, daughter of Dr. John E. Sanders, a geologist who taught at Yale University^[7] and Barnard College and his wife, Barbara Wood Sanders, an art teacher. Sullivan attended the Hackley School.^[8] As an undergraduate, Sullivan attended Brown University, where she majored in English language and literature and received the Francis Driscoll Premium Award from the Classics Department. She also excelled as a collegiate athlete. She played soccer and lacrosse all four years, and made All-Ivy teams in ice hockey, lacrosse and soccer. She graduated with a B.A. in 1980.^[9]

Sullivan later received an M.S. in security strategy from the National Defense University at the National War College.^[10]^[11]

Career

Sullivan began her career with service in The Peace Corps, working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) from 1980 to 1983, teaching English in Mbanza Mboma. It was in the Peace Corps that she met her husband, John Sullivan, who was serving as a volunteer in Zaire.

When she embarked on a career as a U.S. diplomat, Sullivan returned to Africa, serving as a consular and political officer in Cameroon from 1986 to 1988. In 1988 she began the first of several tours with the Executive Secretariat Operations Center. Other assignments included serving as Chief of Operations for the Africa Region of Peace Corps from 1994 to 96, as well as a role as Political Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana. Just before accepting the role as Ambassador, she served two years as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.^[12]

Ambassador to Ghana

Sullivan was nominated to be the next ambassador to Ghana by President Donald Trump on July 9, 2018, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 6, 2018.^[13] She presented her credentials to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on January 23, 2019.^[14]

Representative to the African Union

On June 15, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Sullivan to be the next US Representative to the African Union.^[5] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on November 29, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination on December 7, 2022. Her nomination was not further acted upon for the rest of the year and was returned to Biden on January 3, 2023.^[15] President Biden renominated her the same day and her nomination was favorably reported out of committee on March 8, 2023, but it was once again returned to Biden on January 3, 2024.^[16] President Biden renominated her on January 11, 2024. Her nomination was favorably reported out of committee a third time on April 17, 2024, and was confirmed by the full Senate on June 20, 2024, by a 45–26 vote.^[17] She sworn on July 12, 2024.^[18] She arrived in Addis Ababa on August 8, 2024.^[19] She presented her credentials Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki on August 29, 2024.^[1]

Personal life

Sullivan and her husband, John, have two sons.^[20] In addition to English, she speaks French, Spanish and Lingala.

References

^ ^a ^b "Message from U.S. Mission to the African Union". www.facebook.com. 2024-08-29.
^ "Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
^ Stephanie S. Sullivan- Ambassador to the Republic of Congo Embassy of the United States, Republic of the Congo, accessed March 6, 2016
^ "Sullivan, Stephanie S." U.S. Department of State.
^ ^a ^b "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^ "Ambassador Stephanie S. Sullivan". U.S. Mission to The African Union. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
^ John E. Sanders, 73, Geologist and Professor The New York Times, Oct 23, 1990
^ John H. Sullivan Wed To Stephanie Sanders The New York Times, June 30, 1985
^ Stephanie Sanders Brown University Athletics, accessed March 6, 2016
^ President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts The White House, June 12, 2013
^ Ambassadorial Nomination U.S. Department of State, March 6, 2014
^ Stephanie Sullivan U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) U.S. Department of State, accessed March 6, 2016
^ "PN2238 — Stephanie Sanders Sullivan — Department of State". U.S. Congress. 6 September 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
^ "Ambassador Stephanie S. Sullivan Presents Credentials to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo". U.S. Embassy in Ghana. 23 January 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
^ "PN2259 — Stephanie Sanders Sullivan — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^ "PN59 — Stephanie Sanders Sullivan — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
^ "PN1343 — Stephanie Sanders Sullivan — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
^ "x.com".
^ "Message from U.S. Mission to the African Union". www.facebook.com. 2024-08-08.
^ Introducing Stephanie Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Congo YouTube, Nov 26, 2013

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Christopher Murray	United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo 2013–2017	Succeeded by Todd Haskell
Preceded by Robert Jackson	United States Ambassador to Ghana 2019–2022	Succeeded by Virginia E. Palmer
Preceded by Jessica Lapenn	United States Ambassador to the African Union 2024–present	Incumbent