Michael A. Raynor

Michael A. Raynor
United States Ambassador to Senegal
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 10, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byTulinabo S. Mushingi
United States Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 20, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byTulinabo S. Mushingi
United States Ambassador to Ethiopia
In office
September 29, 2017 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPatricia M. Haslach
Succeeded byGeeta Pasi
United States Ambassador to Benin
In office
September 13, 2012 – May 29, 2015
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJames Knight
Succeeded byLucy Tamlyn
Personal details
Born1962 (age 62–63)
SpouseKathleen
Children2
Alma materLafayette College
Columbia University

Michael Arthur Raynor (born 1962) is an American Foreign Service Officer specializing in relations with Africa who has served as the United States ambassador to Senegal and the United States ambassador to Guinea-Bissau since 2022. He was the United States ambassador to Ethiopia[1] until January 2021.[2] He previously served as the Director of the Office of Career Development and Assignments in the Bureau of Human Resources of the United States Department of State.[3][4] Raynor served as United States Ambassador to Benin from 2012 to 2015 after being nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to his post in Benin, he was deputy executive director and then executive director of the Bureau of African Affairs.

Early life and education

Raynor earned his bachelor's degree in 1984 from Lafayette College, going on to obtain a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University.[5]

Career

Raynor is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, having joined the United States Foreign Service in 1988.[6] He has served eight U.S. missions overseas, including six in Africa. He has been assigned to the U.S. embassy in Brazzaville, the consular officer at the embassy in Luxembourg, and the U.S. embassies in Djibouti City, Conakry, and Windhoek. He was a desk officer for Zimbabwe before becoming legislative management officer and special assistant in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Raynor was the management counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Harare from 2004 to 2008.[5]

After returning from his post in Harare, Raynor was named deputy executive director of the Bureau of African Affairs in 2008. In 2010, he was elevated to executive director.

Ambassador to Benin

On December 15, 2011, Raynor was nominated by President Barack Obama to become United States Ambassador to Benin.[7] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 22, 2012. The committee favorably reported the nomination on April 26, 2012. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 24, 2012, and assumed the ambassadorship on September 13, 2012.[8] Raynor left his post in Benin on May 29, 2015, and became Director of the Office of Career Development and Assignments in the Bureau of Human Resources at the United States Department of State.[5] Raynor left the position in May 2015.[citation needed]

Ambassador to Ethiopia

In May 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Raynor to become United States ambassador to Ethiopia.[6] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 26, 2017. The committee favorably reported his nomination on August 3, 2017. He was confirmed to the position by the United States Senate on August 3, 2017.[9] Raynor left the position in January 2021.[citation needed]

Ambassador to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau

On April 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Raynor to be the next United States ambassador to Senegal and serve concurrently as the United States ambassador to Guinea-Bissau.[10] On August 5, 2021, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[11] On October 19, 2021, his nomination was reported favorably out of committee.[12] On December 18, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote.[13] He presented his credentials to Senegal President Macky Sall on March 10, 2022.[14] He presented his credentials to Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on April 20, 2022.[15]

Awards and recognitions

Raynor is the recipient of the State Department’s Leamon R. Hunt Award for Management Excellence.[10]

Personal life

Raynor speaks French.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "PN519 — Michael Arthur Raynor — Department of State". U.S. Congress. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  2. ^ Firew, Eskinder (January 26, 2021). "Departing US Envoy Warns Ethiopia Against Violence". VOA News. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  3. ^ Fantahun, Arefayné (May 27, 2017). "Trump nominated career diplomat as ambassador to Ethiopia". Ethiopia Observer. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  4. ^ "PN519 — Michael Arthur Raynor — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Bewig, Matt (March 10, 2012). "Ambassador to Benin: Who Is Michael Raynor?". AllGov. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The White House. May 22, 2017. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  7. ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. December 14, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  8. ^ "PN1181 - Nomination of Michael A. Raynor for Department of State, 112th Congress (2011-2012)". www.congress.gov. May 24, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  9. ^ "PN519 - Nomination of Michael Arthur Raynor for Department of State, 115th Congress (2017-2018)". www.congress.gov. August 3, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c "President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Nine Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service as Ambassadors" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. April 15, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. ^ "PN383 - Nomination of Michael Raynor for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "SFRC APPROVES 33 CRITICAL FOREIGN POLICY NOMINATIONS" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  13. ^ "PN383 - Nomination of Michael Raynor for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. December 18, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  14. ^ "L'ambassadeur Michael Raynor présente ses lettres de créances au Président Macky Sall" (in French). United States Department of State. March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Ambassador of the United States of America to Guinea-Bissau, Michael Raynor, presented his credentials". U.S. Virtual Presence in Guinea Bissau. April 27, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Benin
2012–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Ethiopia
2017–2021 		Succeeded by
David Renz
as Chargé d'Affairs
Succeeded byas Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Senegal
2022–present 		Incumbent
United States Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau
2022–present