Dorothy Shea

Shea earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, a Master of Science from Georgetown University, and a Master of Science from the National War College.[1]

She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor. She had served as Deputy Principal Officer at the United States Consulate General in Jerusalem, as Director of the Office of Assistance for Asia and the Near East in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, and as a Pearson Fellow with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She was also the Political/Economic Counselor at the United States Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, a Political Officer at the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, a Director for Democracy and Human Rights at the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant to the Special Envoy for War Crimes Issues in the United States Department of State.[1] Prior to her appointment as Ambassador she served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy, Cairo, Egypt from 2017 to 2020.[2]

On October 11, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Shea to be the next United States Ambassador to Lebanon. On October 17, 2019, her nomination was sent to the United States Senate.[3] On December 17, 2019, a hearing was held on her nomination before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[4] On January 15, 2020 her nomination was reported out of committee. On February 11, 2020, her nomination was confirmed by voice vote.[5] She presented her credentials to President Michel Aoun on March 11, 2020.[6]

In June 2020, a Lebanese judge, Mohammed Mazeh, accused her of interference in Lebanon's internal affairs and violating Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, so he passed an order preventing her from making any statement, as well as forbidding any local or foreign media outlet working in Lebanon from conducting any conversation or interview with her or they will face a $200,000 fine.[7][8]

Shea speaks French and Arabic.[1]

• List of ambassadors of the United States