Karen Sasahara

Karen Hideko Sasahara (born 1959) is an American diplomat who served as Consul General in Jerusalem until the US Embassy in Israel moved to Jerusalem, and the US Consulate closed down. She is the designate to be the next United States Ambassador to Kuwait.

Karen Sasahara
United States Ambassador to Kuwait
Designate
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingAlina Romanowski
Chargé d'Affaires to Jordan
In office
March 14, 2019 – August 30, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byHenry T. Wooster
(Chargé d'Affaires)
Succeeded byMike Hankey
(Chargé d'Affaires)
United States Consul General in Jerusalem
In office
August 2018 – March 2019
Preceded byDonald Blome
Succeeded byPosition terminated
Personal details
Born1959
NationalityAmerican
SpouseMichael Ratney
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (B.A.)
George Washington University (M.A.)

Early life and education

Sasahara was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Dr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Sasahara[1] and raised in the Boston area. Sasahara has a M.A. in Near East Studies from the George Washington University, and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.[2][3]

Career

Sasahara is a member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the rank of Minister-Counselor. As Consul General, she was the point person for the State Department with the Palestinian Authority.[2] Her next assignment was Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Embassy in Amman since March, 2019.[2]

In 1989 she served as Political and Economic officer at the US Consulate General in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.[4]

Ambassador Nomination to Kuwait

On August 19, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Sasahara to be the next ambassador to Kuwait.[3] On September 6, 2022, her nomination was sent to the Senate.[5] Sasahara's nomination expired at the end of the year and was returned to President Biden on January 3, 2023.[6]

President Biden renominated Sasahara the following day. Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 15, 2023. The committee reported her nomination favorably on April 27, 2023. Her nomination was confirmed by the full Senate via voice vote on October 16, 2023.[7]

Personal life

Sasahara is married to fellow diplomat Michael Ratney.[1] She speaks Arabic, Spanish, French and Russian.[3]

References
  1. "WEDDINGS; Karen Sasahara, Michael Ratney". The New York Times. July 19, 1998. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  2. Estrin, Daniel (March 1, 2019). "As U.S. Jerusalem Consulate Shuts, Pro-Israel Envoy Takes On Palestinian Relations". NPR. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  3. "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  4. Information on p. 41
  5. "Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  6. "PN2490 - Nomination of Karen Sasahara for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  7. "PN42 — Karen Sasahara — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved 17 October 2023.


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