Daughton, Thomas Frederick, 1963-

In a foreign service career spanning three decades and five U.S. Presidents, Ambassador (ret.) Thomas F. Daughton served in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean, as well as in Washington, D.C. In his last assignment before retiring from government service in late 2019, Daughton was deputy commandant at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Management, one of the nation's premier war colleges. As Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia, Daughton revitalized the U.S. government’s multimillion-dollar HIV/AIDS program in that country, significantly improving its reach and impact. As senior advisor for security negotiations and agreements, Daughton strategized and negotiated complex security agreements for the U.S. defense department with partner countries around the world.

In much of his 18 years of service overseas, Daughton held leadership positions in U.S. embassies, particularly on the African continent. He served as deputy chief of mission (deputy ambassador and chief operating officer) in Gabon, Algeria and Lebanon, gaining extensive experience in promoting U.S. diplomatic and national security interests in dynamic, high-threat environments. He also acquired expertise in analyzing foreign cultures and political systems in earlier assignments in Malaysia, Greece, Morocco and Jamaica.

Daughton received the 2012 Secretary of State’s Award for Excellence in International Security Affairs and other honors. Originally from Arizona, Daughton now lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, a democracy and peace-building specialist. Prior to joining the foreign service, he worked in New York as an associate at a major law firm. He is a graduate of Amherst College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He speaks French and Greek.