Kristie Kenney

Kenney announced her retirement from the State Department in April 2017.

In January 2017, she was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary Kerry "in recognition of exceptionally outstanding leadership, professional competence, and significant accomplishment over a sustained period of time in the field of foreign affairs".

Kristie Anne Kenney is a former senior U.S. diplomat who served as the 32nd Counselor of the United States Department of State from 2016 to 2017. She is a recipient of the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award and held the nation's highest diplomatic rank of Career Ambassador in the United States Foreign Service. She served as the Department of State Transition Coordinator for the 2016-17 Transition.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appointed Ambassador Kenney as Counselor of the State Department on February 12, 2016. In this role, Ambassador Kenney "provides strategic guidance to the Secretary on foreign policy, undertakes efforts to enhance U.S. diplomacy and public outreach, and conducts special diplomatic assignments as directed by the Secretary."

In January 2016, she became the first high-level diplomatic visitor to Argentina and Uruguay in many years, following the 2015 elections in Argentina, among other overseas trips on behalf of the Secretary. She made similar early visits to engage new governments and leaders in Myanmar, the Philippines, Peru, and Panama.

In advance of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Kenney was designated by Secretary Kerry as the lead Transition Coordinator for the State Department. In this role, she represented the State Department on the White House's Agency Transition Directors Council (ATDC) to ensure the Federal Government and the State Department implemented a transition from the Obama Administration to the Trump Administration that was smooth, well-managed, and efficient. She was retained in her position for an extra month by the Trump Administration to help manage the arrival of Secretary Rex Tillerson and his team.

As Ambassador to Thailand, Kenney managed the bilateral relationship and led a large U.S. Mission during the consequential 2011 Thai elections, historic 2011 Thai floods, and the 2014 Thai coup.

Kenney was known in Thailand for her active use of social media for official and personal diplomacy and use of Thai language for social media messages and videos. The Thai public reacted positively, with her outreach called a "charm offensive" and resulting in a great deal of social engagement with the U.S. Embassy. In 2011, she was awarded the National Thai Language Day award by the prime minister for her high-profile use of the Thai language.

In July 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Kenney as the United States ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 29, 2010.

Kenney was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first female U.S. Ambassador to Thailand on September 29, 2010. In her confirmation testimony before the Senate, Kenney noted the long U.S.-Thai treaty alliance "based on a common set of values that define our two peoples" and noted that the relationship "provides important benefits to both countries in health, security, trade and investment, in law enforcement cooperation, and in humanitarian assistance to refugees.

On November 19, 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama designated Harry K. Thomas, Jr. to replace Kenney. Philippine media reported that Kenney, widely known to have become fond of her post, felt "heartbroken" at the thought of leaving it, quoting her Facebook status update, which reportedly read:

Following the 2007 Manila Peninsula rebellion, Kenney voiced support for Arroyo, a key Bush ally in the Southeast Asian theatre of the U.S.-led war on terror. She congratulated Philippine authorities for their quick action that led to the arrest of suspects behind the 2007 Batasang Pambansa bombing, and she praised the Metro Manila Development Authority for keeping the capital clean and orderly.

Regarding the question of U.S. bases, she said: "We are not building any bases in the Philippines, we don't have any plans to have bases, and we don't need any bases." On December 4, 2007, Kristie Kenney turned over seven Navy utility boats and two Boston whalers to the Philippine Navy in ceremonies held at its headquarters along Roxas Boulevard, City of Manila.

Kenney was nominated by U.S. President George W. Bush on November 3, 2005 to succeed Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr.. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 16, 2006, and was sworn into office by Secretary Condoleezza Rice on March 6, 2006. Kenney arrived in the Philippines on March 17 and submitted her credentials to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 22.