Mattie R. Sharpless (born July 1, 1943) retired after 41 years working for the

Foreign Agricultural Service The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is the foreign affairs agency with primary responsibility for the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) overseas programs – market development, international trade agreements and negotiations, ...

, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). When she retired in January 2006, she had attained the rank of Ambassador, retired from the U.S. Foreign Service. From July 2003 to January 2006, she served as Special Adviser to USDA's Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. From 2001 to 2003, she was U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic. When she was nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Sharpless was Acting Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Sharpless holds a master's in Business Administration and Economics from

North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from b ...

and a B.S. Degree in Business Education from

North Carolina College North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from ...

Early life

Sharpless grew up in

Hampstead, North Carolina Hampstead is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. It is located between Wilmington and Jacksonville on U.S. Route 17 and comprises an area sized just over 20 square miles. ...

, the daughter of James and Lecola Sharpless. She graduated from Pender County Training School in Rocky Point.

Honors and awards

Sharpless has received many awards including the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Woman of the Year Award from the Foreign Agricultural Service, and the

Superior Honor Award The Superior Honor Award is an award of the United States Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and USAID. It is presented to groups or individ ...

from the USDA and the Presidential Distinguished Service Award.

References

North Carolina Central University alumni Ambassadors of the United States to the Central African Republic People from Pender County, North Carolina Heads of the Foreign Agricultural Service 1943 births Living people 21st-century American diplomats {{US-gov-bio-stub