Nesbitt, Wanda Letitia, 1956-

<p>A career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to two other African nations, Wanda L. Nesbitt became U.S. ambassador to Namibia in November 2010.</p>

<p>A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor of arts degrees in international relations and French, Nesbitt also earned a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College in 1997.</p>

<p>Nesbitt joined the Foreign Service in 1981.</p>

<p>Her first assignments were as vice-consul in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (1982-1983) and then Paris, France (1983-1985). She served as regional consular officer in Kinshasa, Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1990-1992, then returned to the states.</p>

<p>In Washington, Nesbitt was chief of the Europe and Africa Division of Citizens Emergency Center (1992-1993), deputy director of the State Department’s Executive Secretariat Staff (1994-1995) and the officer in charge of immigration and refugee issues for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (1995-1997).</p>

<p>Nesbitt has twice been deputy chief of mission, first at the embassy in Kigali, Rwanda (1997-1999) and then at the embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she was chargé d'affaires from January to November 2001.</p>

<p>From January 2002 to August 2004, Nesbitt was ambassador to Madagascar. During this time she focused on such issues as environmental preservation and protection, increased private sector involvement in poverty reduction strategies, and long-term commitment to good governance and democratic practices.</p>

<p>Next, Nesbitt was director of the Senior Level Division in the Bureau of Human Resources’ Career Development and Assignments Division, which handles assignments issues for the State Department’s most senior career officers and acts as the executive secretariat for the chief of mission and deputy chief of mission/principal officer selection committees.</p>

<p>From September 2005 to August 2007, Nesbitt served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs.</p>

<p>She received her second ambassadorship from President George W. Bush in 2007, when she was posted to the Ivory Coast. She held that assignment until August 2010.</p>

<p>Nesbitt was born December 7, 1956, in Philadelphia. Her hobbies include piano and tennis. She is married to photojournalist James Stejskal.</p>

<p>Her previous Consular assignments included Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (1982-1983); Paris, France (1983-1985); Kigali, Rwanda (1997-1999), and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1999-2001).</p>

<p>As the U.S. envoy in Madagascar, she promoted policies for environmental protection, reducing poverty, and more effective governance. She signed an “Open Skies” Aviation Agreement between the United States and Madagascar in 2004 which also improve trade and investments, opened commercial airline routes, and provided boats for costal surveillance.</p>

<p>As Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, she collaborated with Ivoirian leaders to improve child labor and orphan care policies and cocoa and coffee trade issues. She also wrote prerequisites for electoral reform.</p>

<p>During her three years in Namibia, she coordinated President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In addition, she led a US delegation for World AIDS Day, oversaw an increase in local Peace Corps volunteers and expanded the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) which provided funding for a Community Skills Development Center, a Regional Study and Resource Center, a State Veterinary Office and the upgrading of three schools with computers, libraries and solar panels for electricity.</p>

<p>Nesbitt also served in other capacities in Washington, D.C. including Chief of the Europe and African Division of Citizens Emergency Center (1992-93) and the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (1994-96). At the United States Department of State, she was the Director of the Senior Level Assignments Division in the Bureau of Human Resources Career Development and Assignments Division (2005-2005). She coordinated assignments and acted as the Executive Secretariat for the Chief of Mission Officer Selection committees. She was also a member of the Department of State’s Performance Review Board for Senior Executive Service members and Officer in Charge of Immigration and Refugee Issues (1995-1997).</p>

<p>A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations and French, she later received her Master’s Degree in national security strategies at the National Defense University (NDU) or War College in Washington, D.C. Before her graduation in 1997 she received an award from the College for her paper “Military Strategies in Ethnic Conflicts.” Later she was the interim president of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. Nesbitt is the recipient of four Superior Honor Awards and two Presidential awards for outstanding performance.</p>

<p>Nesbitt was born on December 7, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is married to James Stejskal, a decorated Special Forces veteran and military historian. Her mother worked also at the Foreign Service Institute from 1948 to 1964.</p>

<p>Wanda Letitia Nesbitt (born December 7, 1956) is a United States diplomat. A career Foreign Service officer, she has been appointed U.S Ambassador to several countries. From November 2013 to October 2017, she served as senior vice president of the National Defense University.</p>

<p>From January 2002 to August 2004, Nesbitt was the United States Ambassador to Madagascar, the United States Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire from 2007-2010 and she was appointed United States Ambassador to Namibia on September 24, 2010. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in international relations and French and also attended the National War College.</p>

<p>She was succeeded as US Ambassador to Namibia by Thomas F. Daughton, who was sworn in on October 6, 2014.</p>