Levine, Jeffrey D., 1955-

<p>We’re announcing an awesome addition to the team today: everyone, say hi to Jeffrey D. Levine, who is joining Teleport to lead our User Engagement efforts.</p>

<p>Raised in California, Jeff has had a spectacularly interesting career. Before becoming President Obama's Ambassador to Tallinn, Estonia in 2012, he was the State Department’s director of Recruitment, Examination and Employment, and prior to that, served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, Hungary.</p>

<p>In addition to the assignment in Hungary, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Sofia, Bulgaria and has also been posted to Brasilia, Brazil; Nicosia, Cyprus; Alexandria, Egypt; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Lima, Peru - an enviable list and true Teleporter’s dream!</p>

<p>Before joining the Department of State, Jeff worked as a newspaper reporter for seven years and was also a founding staff member of USA Today, one of the largest newspapers in the United States.</p>

<p>In an unplanned coincidence, we can consider Jeff's addition also a true celebration of the Estonian American Innovation Award Teleport got presented just last week by his successor and former colleagues in Tallinn.</p>

<p>In the User Engagement role, Jeff's first focus will be front line support: he’ll dive into the emails and support tickets submitted by you, the Teleport users, to get an idea of what our user base is really like and how we could help you out better.</p>

<p>Born circa 1954 and raised in California, as a teenager Jeffrey Levine was a fan of the band Jefferson Airplane and the movie Blazing Saddles. Levine earned a B.A. in Journalism at Humboldt State University in 1976. Much later he would add an M.S. in Resource Strategy at the National Defense University in 1999.</p>

<p>Levine worked as a newspaper reporter for seven years, most notably as a founding staff member at USA Today from 1982 to 1985, after which he moved on to the State Department.</p>

<p>A career member of the Senior Foreign Service since 1985, Levine’s first foreign postings were as consular/political officer at the embassy in Lima, Peru, from 1985 to 1987, as consular/general services officer at the embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 1988 to 1990, and at the consulate in Alexandria, Egypt, from 1990 to 1991.</p>

<p>He then took three straight stateside appointments in Washington, DC, serving as watch officer in the State Operations Center from 1992 to 1993; as Hungary desk officer in the Office of Eastern European Affairs from 1993 to 1994; and as special assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary for Management from 1994 to 1995.</p>

<p>Four overseas postings followed, starting with service as management officer at the embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus, from 1995 to 1998, and as management counselor in Brasilia, Brazil, from 1999 to 2002. He then served as deputy chief of mission in Sofia, Bulgaria, from August 2003 to August 2006. Taking advantage of his expertise regarding Hungary, Levine served at the embassy in Budapest, first as deputy chief of mission from July 2007 to March 2009, and as chargé d’affaires ad interim from April 2009 to August 2010. Back home, he served as director of the State Department Office of Recruitment, Examination and Employment, starting in September 2010.</p>

<p>Levine and his wife, Janie, have one son, Nick.</p>

<p>Jeffrey D. Levine (born 1955) was nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to be the United States Ambassador to Estonia on February 17, 2012 and was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 29, 2012. He presented his credentials to President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves on September 17, 2012. He left his post sometime in 2015.</p>

<p>Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from California State University, Humboldt and a master's degree in Resource Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington D.C.</p>

<p>Before joining the Department of State, Jeff Levine worked as a newspaper reporter for seven years and was a founding staff member of USA Today, one of the largest newspapers in the United States.</p>

<p>Levine joined the Foreign Service in 1985.</p>

<p>At the United States Department of State, he served in the Operations Center as desk officer for Hungary and as a special assistant to the Under Secretary for Management.</p>

<p>He served as Deputy Chief of Mission/Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, Hungary from 2007-2010.</p>

<p>In addition to his assignment in Hungary, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Sofia, Bulgaria and has also been posted to Brasilia, Brazil; Nicosia, Cyprus; Alexandria, Egypt; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Lima, Peru.</p>

<p>Levine is a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor. At the time of his nomination, he had been the State Department’s director of Recruitment, Examination and Employment since September 2010.</p>

<p>Levine has received numerous Department of State awards as well as the Golden Laurel Medal, presented by the Government of Bulgaria.</p>

<p>Jeff Levine is married to Janie L. Keeler and has a son, Nick.</p>

<p>Levine has studied Spanish, Portuguese, Bulgarian and Hungarian and is currently taking Estonian lessons.</p>