Francis J. Ricciardone Jr.

Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr. (born 1952) is a former President of the American University in Cairo. Ambassador Ricciardone was the United States ambassador to Turkey[2] between 2011 and 2014.[3] Previously he was Deputy Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was also on leave from the U.S. Department of State as a guest scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (2005–2008),[4] the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Palau (2002–2005). As a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, he received U.S. government and other organization awards for his work in foreign policy and program management, political reporting and analysis, and peacekeeping.

Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr.
President of the American University in Cairo
In office
July 1, 2016 – June 2021
Preceded byThomas E. Thomason (interim)
Lisa Anderson
Succeeded byAhmad Dallal
United States Ambassador to Turkey
In office
January 28, 2011 – July 7, 2014[1]
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJames Franklin Jeffrey
Succeeded byJohn R. Bass
United States Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan
In office
2009–2010
United States Ambassador to Egypt
In office
November 13, 2005 – April 18, 2008
Preceded byC. David Welch
Succeeded byMargaret Scobey
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
In office
February 21, 2002 – April 3, 2005
Preceded byRobert W. Fitts
Succeeded byJoseph A. Mussomeli
United States Ambassador to Palau
In office
February 21, 2002 – October 10, 2004
Preceded byThomas C. Hubbard
Succeeded byHelen Reed-Rowe
Personal details
Born1951 (age 71–72)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
SpouseMarie Ricciardone
Alma materDartmouth College
ProfessionDiplomat

Ricciardone has extensive diplomatic experience with Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Jordan. He speaks fluent Arabic, Turkish, and Italian. He has served in two multinational military deployments: as chief of the Civilian Observer Unit of the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt's Sinai Desert, and as political advisor to the U.S. and Turkish commanding generals of Operation Provide Comfort, based in Turkey and operating in Iraq. In Washington, Ricciardone directed the Department of State's 9/11 Task Force on the Coalition Against Terrorism and served as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's special coordinator for the Transition of Iraq (1999–2001). He also has served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and in senior management positions under the Director General of the Foreign Service and of Human Resources.

Early life and career

Ricciardone is the son of Francis Ricciardone Sr., a Seabee veteran of World War II.[5] He graduated from Malden Catholic High School in Malden, Massachusetts.

Upon graduation summa cum laude with a BA from Dartmouth College in 1973, he received a Fulbright Scholarship for teaching and study in Italy. He went to Iran as a teacher in 1976 where he taught at the Community School, Tehran, traveling widely in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Middle East until he entered the Foreign Service in 1978.[6]

He speaks Italian, Turkish, Arabic and French.[7]

AUC Presidency

Ricciardone was named president of the American University in Cairo and assumed office on July 1, 2016.[8] Having no experience in higher education, and lacking an advanced university degree, Ricciardone's tenure was controversial. In 2016, protests erupted after Ricciardone raised tuition.[9] In February 2019, the faculty of the American University overwhelmingly voted that they had "no confidence" in Ricciardone's leadership.[10] According to the New York Times, the faculty members cited low morale, complaints about his management style, grievances over contracts and accusations of illegal discrimination. On Feb 10, 2019 the Board of Trustees of the American University in Cairo voted unanimously to reaffirm its “continued confidence” and “unqualified support” in Ricciardone and his administration, and extended his contract as President.[11] Ricciardone retired from the Presidency in June, 2021. Over the term of Ricciardone's presidency, AUC's ranking dropped from 364 to 1000, according to Times Higher Education.[12]

Foreign service

Nominated by President George W. Bush on July 25, 2005, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 29, 2005, Ricciardone was sworn in as United States Ambassador to Egypt on August 26, 2005.

Ricciardone was Deputy Ambassador for the American mission to Afghanistan from May 2010.[13][14][15]

Ricciardone's nomination to be ambassador to Turkey stalled during 2010, and in late 2010, President Obama gave Ricciardone a recess appointment so he could begin serving. The U.S. Senate then confirmed Ricciardone in a voice vote on October 4, 2011.[16]

Family

Ricciardone is married to Marie, a molecular biologist[17] who was educated and later taught in Turkish universities during her husband's service time in Turkey.[5] The couple has two daughters, Francesca and Chiara. Francesca was born in Turkey. Both daughters were schooled in Ankara for three years.[5]

References
  1. "Former Chiefs of Mission between 1778 and 2010". Embassy of the United States. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  2. "Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr". US State Department. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  3. "US Senate confirms John Bass as ambassador to Turkey". Archived from the original on October 9, 2014.
  4. "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". U.S. Department of State. September 8, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. "Testimony of Francis J. Ricciardone Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey July 20, 2010 Senate Foreign Relations Committee" (PDF). Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  6. "News and Events". Csre Union. January 16, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  7. "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". United States Institute of Peace. Archived from the original on August 13, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. "Francis J. Ricciardone Named President of the American University in Cairo". American University in Cairo. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  9. "American University in Cairo president criticised for fee hike". Times Higher Education (THE). November 8, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  10. "Revolt at American University Where Pompeo Addressed Middle East". The New York Times. February 6, 2019.
  11. www.aucegypt.edu/statements/reaffirmation-of-confidence
  12. "American University in Cairo". Times Higher Education (THE). November 12, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  13. Karen DeYoung (March 2009). "Hundreds of New Civilian Employees Proposed for Afghanistan". Washington Post. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  14. James Bone and Tom Coghlan (March 2009). "US strengthens diplomatic presence in Afghanistan". Times Online. London. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  15. "Deputy Ambassador". Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  16. "U.S. Senate Periodical Press Gallery". Senate. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  17. Kimberly Sheu (August 2, 2005). "Ricciardone '73 named ambassador to Egypt". The Dartmouth News.
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