MaryKay Loss Carlson is an American diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to the Philippines since 2022. She was previously the United States chargé d'affaires in Argentina from 2021 to 2022, after having served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in the country from September 2019.

Early life and education

Carlson graduated from Rhodes College in 1985 with a degree in Spanish and international studies before pursuing an M.A. in international relations from Georgetown University and M.S. in national security strategy from the

National War College The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National War Colle ...

Career

Carlson is a career member of the Foreign Service, serving since 1985. She holds the rank of Minister-Counselor. Carlson worked at the

Embassy of the United States in New Delhi The Embassy of the United States of America in New Delhi is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in the Republic of India. The Embassy is headed by the U.S. Ambassador to India. The embassy complex is situated on a 28-acre pl ...

, India as the Deputy Chief of Mission for three years and Chargé d'affaires for two years. She has also served at U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China (twice), Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, Consulate General in Hong Kong, Embassy in

Maputo, Mozambique Maputo (), formerly named Lourenço Marques until 1976, is the Capital city, capital, and largest city of Mozambique. Located near the southern end of the country, it is within of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. The city has a popul ...

, Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She had also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S embassy in

Buenos Aires, Argentina Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

. Her domestic assignments include director of the Secretary's Executive Secretariat Staff and deputy director of Korean Affairs.

United States ambassador to the Philippines

On February 4, 2022, President Joe Biden intended to nominate Carlson to serve as

US Ambassador to the Philippines The ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Sugo ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas) was established on July 4, 1946, after the Philippines gained its independence from the United States. The ambassador t ...

. Hearings were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 7, 2022. The committee favorably reported the nomination to the Senate floor on May 4, 2022. Carlson was confirmed by the entire Senate via voice vote on May 5, 2022. Carlson was sworn in on May 26, 2022. She presented her credentials to Philippine president

Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...

on July 22, 2022.

Awards and recognitions

Carlson has received numerous performance awards, including six Superior Honor Awards.

Personal life

Carlson is married to retired Foreign Service officer Aubrey Carlson, and they have two daughters. She is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and speaks Spanish and

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

References

External links

Government webpage
Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century American diplomats Ambassadors of the United States to Argentina Ambassadors of the United States to India Ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines American women ambassadors Georgetown University alumni National War College alumni Rhodes College alumni {{US-diplomat-stub