List of ambassadors of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives

The position of United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives has existed since 1949.[notes 1] Sri Lanka–United States relations and Maldives–United States relations have been friendly throughout the history of Sri Lanka and the history of the Maldives. The diplomatic mission representing the United States in both countries is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Jefferson House is the ambassadorial residence of the ambassador in Colombo.

Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Seal of the United States Department of State
since February 25, 2022
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderFelix Cole
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
FormationAugust 3, 1949
WebsiteU.S. Embassy – Colombo

United States Ambassadors to Ceylon

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# Name Start date Finish date References
1 Felix Cole August 3, 1949 October 30, 1949 Harry S. Truman
2 Joseph C. Satterthwaite November 19, 1949 July 25, 1953 Harry S. Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower

3 Maxwell Henry Gluck September 19, 1953 September 27, 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower
4 Philip K. Crowe September 19, 1957 October 2, 1958 Dwight D. Eisenhower
5 James Lampton Berry November 22, 1958 June 3, 1959 Dwight D. Eisenhower
6 Bernard Gufler August 24, 1959 March 1, 1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower

John F. Kennedy

7 Frances E. Willis May 11, 1961 September 20, 1964 John F. Kennedy

Lyndon B. Johnson

8 Cecil B. Lyon October 30, 1964 June 17, 1967 Lyndon B. Johnson
9 Andrew V. Corry May 24, 1967 March 21, 1970 Lyndon B. Johnson

Richard Nixon

United States Ambassadors to Sri Lanka

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# Name Image Career track Start date Finish date President(s) References
10 Robert Strausz-Hupé Political appointee May 3, 1970 December 12, 1971 Richard Nixon
11 Christopher Van Hollen Career FSO October 27, 1972 April 21, 1976 Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford

12 John H. Reed
 
Political appointee July 2, 1976 June 1, 1977 Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter

13 William Howard Wriggins Political appointee August 18, 1977 December 13, 1979 Jimmy Carter
14 Donald R. Toussaint Career FSO January 21, 1980 January 17, 1982 Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

15 John H. Reed
 
Political appointee February 8, 1982 September 3, 1985 Ronald Reagan
16 James W. Spain Career FSO November 21, 1985 June 16, 1989 Ronald Reagan

George H. W. Bush

17 Marion V. Creekmore, Jr. Career FSO November 29, 1989 August 27, 1992 George H. W. Bush
18 Teresita Currie Schaffer Career FSO October 7, 1992 August 15, 1995 George H. W. Bush

Bill Clinton

19 Peter Burleigh
 
Career FSO January 19, 1996 August 1, 1997 Bill Clinton
20 Shaun E. Donnelly December 19, 1997 August 16, 2000 Bill Clinton
21 E. Ashley Wills[1] November 13, 2000 June 17, 2003 Bill Clinton

George W. Bush

22 Jeffrey Lunstead September 26, 2003 September 9, 2006 George W. Bush
23 Robert O. Blake, Jr.
 
Career FSO September 9, 2006 May 21, 2009 George W. Bush

Barack Obama

24 Patricia A. Butenis
 
Career FSO September 17, 2009 August 1, 2012 Barack Obama
25 Michele J. Sison
 
Career FSO September 14, 2012 December 6, 2014 Barack Obama
26 Atul Keshap
 
Career FSO August 21, 2015 July 15, 2018 Barack Obama

Donald Trump

27 Alaina B. Teplitz
 
Career FSO November 1, 2018 December 6, 2021 Donald Trump

Joe Biden

28 Julie J. Chung
 
Career FSO February 25, 2022 Incumbent Joe Biden

Notes

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  1. ^ until 1972 the name was: "United States Ambassador to Ceylon and the Maldives"

See also

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References

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  • United States Department of State: Background notes on Sri Lanka
  • United States Department of State: Background notes on the Maldives
  •   This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
  1. ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR E. ASHLEY WILLS" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. October 22, 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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