Michael Ratney
Michael Ratney | |
|---|---|
United States Special Envoy for Syria | |
| In office July 27, 2015 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Daniel Rubinstein |
| Succeeded by | Joel Rayburn |
| United States Consul General in Jerusalem | |
| In office July 27, 2012 – July 27, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Rubinstein |
| Succeeded by | Donald Blome |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1961 (age 62–63) |
| Spouse | Karen Sasahara |
| Education | Boston University (BS) George Washington University (MA) |
Michael Alan Ratney[1] (born 1961) is an American diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia since April 2023. He previously served as the chargé d'affaires of the United States embassy in Israel.[2]
Early life and education
Raised in Massachusetts, Ratney is a 1979 graduate of Bedford High School.[3] He has a bachelor of science in mass communication from Boston University and a master of arts in international affairs from the George Washington University.[4]
Career
Ratney is a career member of the
Nomination as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia
On April 22, 2022, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Ratney to be the next United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia.[5] On April 25, 2022, his nomination was sent to the Senate.[7] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 16, 2022. The committee favorably reported his nomination to the Senate floor on June 23, 2022.
On September 28, 2022, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden placed a hold on Ratney's nomination due to a Saudi national killing Fallon Smart, a teenager from Wyden's home state of Oregon. The Saudi national responsible for Smart's death was reportedly aided by the Saudi government in fleeing the United States, and Wyden urged any ambassador to Saudi Arabia to make this a priority.[8] His nomination expired at the end of the year and was returned to President Biden on January 3, 2023.[9]
President Biden renominated Ratney the same day. The committee favorably reported the nomination to the Senate floor on March 8, 2023. Ratney was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia by the Senate via voice vote on March 14, 2023.[10]
He presented his credentials to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 27, 2023.[11]
Awards and recognitions
Ratney has won multiple State Department performance awards, including a Presidential Meritorious Service award.[5]
Personal life
Ratney is married to fellow Foreign Service officer Karen Sasahara; she has served as the US ambassador to Kuwait since November 2023. Ratney speaks Arabic and French.[5]
References
- ^ "PN1794 — Foreign Service — 103rd Congress (1993-1994)". U.S. Congress. October 4, 1994. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Ambassador Thomas R. Nides". U.S. Embassy in Israel.
- ^ Missile. Bedford High School. 1979. p. 48.
- ^ "State Dept Appoints Senior Diplomat Michael Ratney as New U.S. Special Envoy for Syria". Diplopundit. July 28, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "President Biden Announces Key Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. April 22, 2022.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Ratney, Michael". U.S. Department of State.
- ^ "Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. April 25, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Wyden Announces Hold On Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon". www.wyden.senate.gov. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ "PN1962 - Nomination of Michael Alan Ratney for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. April 25, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ "PN53 — Michael Alan Ratney — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ "Newly appointed US ambassador to the Kingdom presents credentials to Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Arab News. April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
