Kristie Kenney

Kristie Kenney
Counselor of the United States Department of State
In office February 12, 2016 – February 17, 2017[1]
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Thomas A. Shannon Jr.
Succeeded by	Maliz E. Beams
United States Ambassador to Thailand
In office January 19, 2011 – November 6, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Eric G. John
Succeeded by	Glyn T. Davies
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
In office March 22, 2006 – July 28, 2009
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Francis J. Ricciardone Jr.
Succeeded by	Harry K. Thomas Jr.
United States Ambassador to Ecuador
In office September 25, 2002 – July 6, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Gwen C. Clare
Succeeded by	Linda Jewell
Executive Secretary of the United States Department of State
In office March 2, 1998 – April 30, 2001
President	Bill Clinton George W. Bush
Preceded by	William J. Burns
Succeeded by	Maura A. Harty
Personal details
Born	Kristie Anne Kenney (1955-05-24) May 24, 1955 (age 68) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse	William Brownfield
Alma mater	Clemson University Tulane University

Kristie Anne Kenney (born May 24, 1955) 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.^[2]

Ambassador Kenney previously served as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ecuador, as United States Ambassador to the Philippines, and most recently as United States Ambassador to Thailand.^[3] She was the first female U.S. ambassador to the latter two countries. Kenney holds a master's degree in Latin American studies from Tulane University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Clemson University.