NATO Who's who?: Director Policy Planning

Ambassador Speckhard is Director of Policy Planning responsible for advising and assisting the Secretary General, senior NATO management, and the Council in addressing strategic issues facing the Alliance.

Prior to this he was NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, covering political relations with the countries of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and the Mediterranean. His directorate managed the process of NATO enlargement as well as the development of relations with Russia, Ukraine, the EU and OSCE. He received the NATO Service Medal for his work in support of crisis management in Macedonia, spending several months as NATO Senior Representative in Skopje at the height of the crisis.

From August 1997 to August 2000, he served as United States Ambassador to Belarus, working closely with the OSCE and European Union in promoting democratic reform, human rights, and institutional development. From 1993 to 1997, Ambassador Speckhard was a Deputy to the Ambassador-at-large for the New Independent States at the State Department in Washington. He was responsible for a broad range of political, security and economic issues involving the newly-independent states of the former Soviet Union.

From 1990 to 1993, he was an Advisor and then Director of Policy and Resources for the Deputy Secretary of State. He was responsible for the coordination and oversight of foreign aid funding in support of foreign policy objectives and received special recognition for his role in reorienting foreign assistance programs to meet the new challenges of post-Cold War era. He also played a key role in developing assistance packages in support of crisis response, post-conflict reconstruction and countries in transition.

From 1981 to 1990, he had a number of assignments, including at the International Affairs Division of the Office of Management and Budget of the Executive Office of the President of the United States; the US Agency for International Development; the staff of the US Senate; and in state and local government.

Ambassador Speckhard has a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Administration; a Masters Degree in Economics; and a Bachelor Degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Sept. 2003