Bauer, Denise Campbell, 1963-

Denise Campbell Bauer (born January 30, 1963) is the former United States Ambassador to Belgium. After being nominated as ambassador by United States President Barack Obama, Bauer was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on August 2, 2013, and sworn in as ambassador on August 7, 2013. She is a former television producer and political manager. She left office on January 20, 2017.

Bauer graduated at Occidental College in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, with an emphasis in foreign affairs and national security. She started her career in television in Los Angeles, where she worked as a field producer and researcher for KCBS-TV News from 1985 to 1988, as a news producer for the North American bureau of Nine Network Australia from 1988 to 1990, and as a freelance film and video producer from 1990 to 1992. From 1993 until 1994 she worked as a public affairs officer for the American Red Cross Bay Area in San Francisco. Bauer has been active in, and served as president on the board of directors of, the Belvedere Community Foundation located in Belvedere, California. On June 21, 2013, she was nominated ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium by President Barack Obama. On July 23, 2013, she succeeded Howard Gutman as the American ambassador in Belgium.

A longtime Democrat, Bauer hosted multiple fundraisers and raised $4.3 million for the President’s two election campaigns, served on the Obama for America National Finance Committee from 2007 to 2008 and from 2011 to 2012, and was finance chair for Women for Obama from 2011 to 2012. She was also on the Democratic National Committee from 2008 to 2012, serving as chair and co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Forum and as co-chair of the National Issues Conference. She has also personally contributed nearly $20,000 to Democratic candidates and organizations.

Denise Bauer is married to litigation attorney Steven M. Bauer, who is a partner in the firm of Latham and Watkins in San Francisco. They have two daughters, Katharine and Natalie.