Dennis B. Hankins
Dennis Bruce Hankins[2] (born 1959[3]) is an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Mali between 2019 and 2022. He is the current nominee to be the US Ambassador to Haiti.
Dennis B. Hankins | |
---|---|
United States Ambassador to Mali | |
In office March 15, 2019 – September 26, 2022[1] | |
President | Donald Trump Joe Biden |
Preceded by | Paul Folmsbee |
Succeeded by | Rachna Korhonen |
United States Ambassador to Guinea | |
In office October 22, 2015 – January 29, 2019 | |
President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Alexander M. Laskaris |
Succeeded by | Simon Henshaw |
Personal details | |
Born | 1959 (age 63–64) |
Spouse | Mira Hankins |
Children | Danu Hankins |
Alma mater | Georgetown University, National War College |
Early life and education
Hankins earned a B.S.F.S. at Georgetown University and an M.S. at the National War College.[4]
Consular career
Hankins joined the Foreign Service in 1984. His first overseas postings were as vice-consul in Recife, Brazil and then in the U.S. Embassy in Thailand. In 1989, Hankins was posted to Sudan and then in 1992, given the job of consul in Haiti.[5]
Four years later, Hankins was again posted to Africa to become the political and economic counselor in the Kinshasa embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working there during the First Congo War and, for a lesser time, the Second Congo War. He moved to be the political and economic counselor in Lisbon, Portugal in 1999, spending just two years in the job before returning to Africa to be the deputy chief of mission in Maputo, Mozambique.[5][6]
In 2004, Hankins was appointed consul general in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but was recalled to Washington to become the deputy director of the Office of Peacekeeping in the Bureau of International Organizations.[7][8] He returned to Africa in 2007 to be deputy chief of mission in Nouakchott, Mauritania and, in 2010, returned to Khartoum, Sudan as the deputy chief of mission.[9]
Ambassadorships
Ambassador to Guinea
In 2012, Hankins was given the post of consul general in Sao Paulo, Brazil, staying in the post until his nomination as United States Ambassador to Guinea by President Obama on July 8, 2015.[10] He was confirmed by the Senate on October 22 the same year.[11]
Ambassador to Mali
On 13 August 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Hankins to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mali.[12] The nomination was tendered to the Senate on August 16, 2018, and he was confirmed on January 2, 2019.[13] He presented his credentials to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on March 15, 2019.[14]
Ambassador nominee to Haiti
On May 19, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Hankins to be the next ambassador to Haiti.[4] His nomination is pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[15]
Personal life
Hankins has a wife, Mira, and a son, Danu, who works for the U.S. Navy.[5] He speaks French, Portuguese,[12] and Indonesian.[4]
References
- "At the end of the mission in Mali: His Excellency Dennis B. Hankins chose ICER-Mali for his last visit". 26 September 2022.
- "Statement of Dennis Bruce Hankins" (PDF). U.S. Senate. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- "Dennis B. Hankins (1959–)". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- Straehley, Steve. "U.S. Ambassador to Guinea: Who Is Dennis Hankins?". AllGov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "Dennis B. Hankins". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "Ambassador Dennis Hankins". U.S. Embassy in Guinea. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "Dennis B. Hankins U.S. Ambassador to Mali". U.S. Embassy in Mali. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "Dennis Hankins". LinkedIn. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "PN631 — Dennis B. Hankins — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "BHS grad new U.S. Ambassador to Guinea". The Bemidji Pioneer. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018 – via National Archives.
- "PN2390 — Dennis B. Hankins — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "U.S. Ambassador Dennis B. Hankins Presents Credentials to President Keïta". U.S. Embassy in Mali. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- "PN675 — Dennis B. Hankins — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved 3 June 2023.