President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Marie L. Yovanovitch as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine

On May 18, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Marie L. Yovanovitch to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Pending confirmation by the United States Senate, Ambassador Yovanovitch looks forward to building on the work of her predecessors in Kyiv to further strengthen the already close ties between the United States and Ukraine.

A career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, Ambassador Yovanovitch currently serves as Dean of the School of Language Studies at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute, a position she has held since 2014.

Ms. Yovanovitch was Deputy Commandant at the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University from 2013 to 2014.  She served in the Department of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary from 2012 to 2013 and as Deputy Assistant Secretary from 2011 to 2012.  Prior to that, she served as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia from 2008 to 2011 and as U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan from 2005 to 2008.

Ms. Yovanovitch was Senior Advisor and Executive Assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary for Political Affairs from 2004 to 2005 and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine from 2001 to 2004.  Since joining the Foreign Service in 1986, she has also served at posts in Canada, Russia, Somalia, and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Yovanovitch received a B.A. from Princeton University and an M.S. from the National War College.