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User:WWB Too/Colleen Bell

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Colleen Bell
United States Ambassador to Hungary
Assumed office
January 21, 2015
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byEleni Kounalakis
Personal details
Born
Colleen Clark Bradley

(1967-01-30) January 30, 1967 (age 57)
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseBradley Bell
Alma materSweet Briar College

Colleen Bradley Bell (born January 30, 1967) is the United States Ambassador to Hungary. She is an American television producer known for her work on The Bold and the Beautiful. Bell is also a philanthropist and advocate for the environment, arts and social issues. Prior to assuming the ambassadorship on January 21, 2015, Bell lived with her family in Los Angeles, California.

Early life and education edit

Bell (née Bradley) was born in 1967 in Evanston, Illinois, to Sheila, an interior designer, and Edward Bradley, a lawyer.[1][2] Bell studied economics and political science at Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia, where she graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree.[2][3] She studied international relations during her junior year abroad at University of St Andrews in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.[2] Following college, Bell began working for Bell-Phillip Television Productions in Los Angeles.[1][2]

Producing career edit

Bell's television career began in 1991 at Bell-Phillip Television, the production company for the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.[4] Bell served in various roles for the show, including as an associated producer,[4] script supervisor[5] and director of special projects.[6] As the special projects director in 2011, Bell led a project to overhaul and update all the fashion on the show, which focuses on two rival fashion houses.[6] She became a full producer of the series in 2012.[5] As producer, Bell was named three times in Daytime Emmy Award nominations when The Bold and the Beautiful was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series in 2013,[7] 2014[8] and 2015.[9]

Advocacy and political involvement edit

Bell has been active in advocacy and philanthropy during her career. In 2007, Bell visited Washington, D.C., to lobby Congress on global warming as part of a delegation from the Leadership Council, a Los Angeles County group focused on environmental issues.[10]

Bell was named to President Barack Obama's Advisory Committee on the Arts in 2010. In 2011, she was elected as the group's chair.[6] Obama appointed Bell to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Board of Trustees in 2012.[2] Additionally, she has served as trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles Music Center, vice chair of the Children's Institute Inc.[11] and member of UCLA Rape Treatment Center's advisory board.[5]

Bell is also active with the Democratic Party. She served as an at-large delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.[12] As a "bundler", Bell helped raise more than $2.1 million for Obama's 2012 presidential campaign throughout 2011 and 2012.[13] In February 2012, Bell and her husband, The Bold and the Beautiful executive producer and head writer Bradley Phillip Bell, hosted a fundraiser for Obama at their home with actor Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin.[14] The event featured a speech by the president and a short concert by the Foo Fighters and was attended by approximately 1,000 people.[15]

Ambassadorship edit

On November 6, 2013, President Obama nominated Bell as Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis' successor to the ambassadorship to Hungary.[2][11][16] The Senate confirmed Bell in a 52-42 vote on December 2, 2014.[17] Bell's nomination was opposed by Republicans. The most vocal critic was Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, who questioned Bell's qualifications for the role.[17] Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, responded to support Bell, noting her intelligence and ability to "make friends".[17]

Bell was sworn in on December 16, 2014.[18] On January 19, 2015, Bell arrived to her post in Budapest, marking the end of a year-and-a-half absence of an American ambassador in Hungary. Predecessor Kounalakis left the post in July 2013.[19] Bell presented her credentials to President János Áder of Hungary on January 21, 2015.[20]

In February 2015, Bell signed a deal that, when approved by both countries' lawmakers, would end dual taxation of U.S. and Hungarian citizens.[21] Speaking at an event held by the American Chamber of Commerce that month, Bell told a forum that transparency and predictability regarding Hungarian laws and regulations are needed to attract U.S. investors to the country.[22][23] In her post, Bell has also publicly spoken in support of Ukrainian sovereignty amid conflict between Hungary's northeastern neighbor and Russia.[24] Bell made her remarks to diplomats from NATO member states and Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin of Russia visited Budapest.[24]

As the European migrant crisis unfolded, Hungary saw the largest spike of migrants per capita from January to June 2015.[25] By October 2015, Hungary had blocked off its southern borders with Serbia[26] and Croatia to counter the influx of migrants.[27] Bell spoke in the press on September 30, 2015, that her office had been in contact with the Hungarian government, NGOs and the public regarding the matter since she first entered the country.[28][29] In addition to information sharing and logistical help, her office gave directly to organizations such as the Hungarian Red Cross.[28][29] While acknowledging that Hungary's sovereignty allows the country to choose how to secure its borders, she stated that the U.S. "promote[s] the humane treatment of refugees".[28][29] She was also critical of the "anti-immigration rhetoric" in the media, stating that it "doesn't represent the Hungarian people".[28][29]

On October 28, 2015, Bell delivered her first "major" speech at Corvinus University of Budapest,[30] where she repeated her criticism of xenophobia toward refugees in Hungary, as well as being critical of the Hungarian government.[31][32][33] During her remarks, Bell criticized Hungary's government for corruption, lack of transparency, crackdowns on NGOs and the free press.[31][34] Her speech drew rebuffs from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán,[35] cabinet chief János Lázár[36] and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó[37]. Bell's speech raised her profile in the international political community and the Hungarian Free Press reported she had won the support of the Hungarian-American community.[34][30]

Personal life edit

On October 4, 1991, Bell married Bradley Phillip Bell at Athanasius Roman Catholic Church in Evanston, Illinois.[1] The Bells have four children[10] and live in Los Angeles in the Holmby Hills neighborhood.[38]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Colleen Cradley, Bradley Bell Wed". Chicago Tribune. 16 November 1991. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Ambassador to Hungary: Who is Colleen Bell?". AllGov.com. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  3. ^ Peet, Lisa (22 June 2015). "Sudden Sweet Briar Closure Leaves Library in Limbo". Library Journal. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b Chambers, Francesca (2 December 2014). "White House unable to list qualifications of Obama's choice for U.S. ambassador to Hungary (but she does produce The Bold and the Beautiful)". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Kevin Mulcahy Jr. (2 December 2014). "'The Bold and the Beautiful' Producer Colleen Bell Confirmed by Senate as Ambassador to Hungary". WeLoveSoaps.net. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  6. ^ a b c Logan, Michael (1 July 2011). "The Bold and the Beautiful gets a fashion makeover". TV Guide. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  7. ^ Labrecque, Jeff (1 May 2013). "Daytime Emmy nominations: 'Young and the restless' leads CBS". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  8. ^ "2014 Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced". The Hollywood Reporter. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  9. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (31 March 2015). "'General Hospital,' Ellen DeGeneres, CBS Lead Daytime Emmy Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  10. ^ a b Williams, Alex (21 October 2007). "Washington Feels Hollywood's Heat". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  11. ^ a b Johnson, Ted (6 November 2013). "Obama Nominated Producer Colleen Bell to be Ambassador to Hungary". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  12. ^ Johnson, Ted (8 August 2012). "Showbiz Figures Among Delegates to DNC". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  13. ^ "Obama's Top Fund-Raisers". The New York Times. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  14. ^ Daunt, Tina (26 January 2012). "Two Obama Hollywood fundraisers set for soap opera titan's Holmby Hills Estate". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  15. ^ Almendrala, Anna (16 February 2012). "Obama's Foo Fights Concert Fathers 1,000 Angelenos At Holmby Hills Estate". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  16. ^ Hayden, Erik (6 November 2013). "Producer Colleen Bradley Bell Nominated U.S. Ambassador to Hungary". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  17. ^ a b c Saenz, Arlette (2 December 2014). "Soap opera producer is now an ambassador and John McCain isn't happy". ABC News. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Remarks at the swearing in ceremony". hungary.usembassy.gov. United States Department of State. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  19. ^ Woodard, Colin (19 June 2015). "American ambassador's frank memoir of Hungary's slide into autocracy". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  20. ^ "Prime Minister Orbán holds talks with US Ambassador Colleen Bell". Hungary Today. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  21. ^ "US, Hungary sign to end dual taxation". Budapest Times. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  22. ^ Keszthelyi, Christian (12 February 2015). "Bell stresses importance of transparency". Budapest Business Journal. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  23. ^ Szakacs, Gergely (11 February 2015). "More predictability, more trade - U.S. tells Hungary". Reuters. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  24. ^ a b "US ambassador sends Putin strongly-worded message on day of Budapest visit". Hungary Today. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  25. ^ "Migrant crisis: Migration to Europe explained in graphics". BBC News. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  26. ^ Bienvenu, Helene; Lyman, Rick (15 September 2015). "Hungary Blocks Migrants in Border Crackdown". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  27. ^ "Migrant crisis: Hungary closes border with Croatia". BBC News. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  28. ^ a b c d "Colleen Bell: A menekültellenes retorika nem segít" [Colleen Bell: The anti-refugee rhetoric will not help] (in Hungarian). 30 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  29. ^ a b c d "Interview with Hungarian news portal Origo". United States Department of State. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  30. ^ a b "U.S. Ambassador Colleen Bell delivered Washington's message to the Hungarian government". Hungarian Spectrum. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  31. ^ a b Pálfi, Rita (29 October 2015). "US ambassador sends alarm bell warning to Hungary". Euronews. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  32. ^ "Hungary PM rating jumps on handling of refugee crisis". Reuters. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  33. ^ Heffer, Greg (29 October 2015). "Top Brussels chief admits EU risks disintegrating over migrant crisis". Daily Express. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  34. ^ a b Lázár, György (31 October 2015). "Thank you, Ambassador Colleen Bell!". Hungarian Free Press. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  35. ^ "Hungary PM Orbán responds to US Ambassador's critique". Portfolio. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  36. ^ "Hungary says US ambassador remarks amount to 'interference' in country's affairs". Eurasia Review. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  37. ^ "Hungarian government rebuffs US ambassador Colleen Bell's criticism". Hungary Today. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  38. ^ Johnson, Ted (3 March 2013). "Hollywood's Diplomatic Intrigue". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2015.

External links edit

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Hungary
2015–present 		Incumbent



Category:1967 births Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Hungary Category:American television producers Category:Businesspeople from Evanston, Illinois Category:Illinois Democrats Category:Living people Category:Sweet Briar College alumni

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