Mark Gitenstein

The Romanian English-language newsdaily Nine O’Clock selected Ambassador Gitenstein as "The Foreign Diplomat of the Year for 2011."[4] Gitenstein worked to strengthen relations with Romania on a variety of issues, focusing on fighting corruption, improving transparency, and strengthening the rule of law.[5][6][7] He actively promoted deeper development of Romania's equity markets, as well as a fair and transparent business environment for all investors.[8][9] He also encouraged greater private sector involvement in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including the introduction of a corporate governance code for SOEs.[10] As a means of promoting social change, Gitenstein worked with TechSoup Romania to establish Restart Romania, a project designed to demonstrate the power of the internet and social media to find solutions to social justice problems, support transparency of public institutions, and promote grass roots efforts to fight corruption.[11][12] The U.S. – Romanian Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement was signed and negotiated during Gitenstein's tenure in Bucharest.[13] Gitenstein travelled to Afghanistan three times to visit U.S. and Romanian troops.[14][15] He was a human rights advocate for the country's minority Roma population.[16][17]

Gitenstein is of Romanian Jewish heritage, as his grandparents were immigrants from Botoșani,[18] Romania in the late 19th century.[19][20] He went to high school at the private Indian Springs School in Indian Springs, Alabama, graduating in 1964.[21] He attended Duke University and Georgetown Law School. He is married to Elizabeth (Libby) Gitenstein and has three children and five grandchildren.[3]

He was previously a law partner at Mayer Brown, beginning in 1989[22] and a "nonresident senior fellow" at the Brookings Institution.[23] He is the author of Matters of Principle, and has been selected by his peers several times for inclusion in "Best Lawyers in America".[24]

He was also on the advisory board for President-elect Barack Obama's presidential transition team.[25] He was named as a leading choice to lead the Office of Legal Policy in the Department of Justice.[26] but was rejected after public reports of his extensive work as a registered lobbyist for the US Chamber of Commerce.[27]

Prior to his work at Mayer Brown, Gitenstein served as Chief Counsel (1987–1989) and Minority Chief Counsel (1981–1987) to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, serving under then-Senator Joe Biden. Gitenstein also served as Counsel to the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (1975–1978).[22]

On September 5, 2020, Gitenstein was announced to be a member of the advisory council of the Biden-Harris Transition Team, which is planning the presidential transition of Joe Biden.[28][29]

• Romanian Royal Family: 53rd Knight of the Royal Decoration of the Cross of the Romanian Royal House[30]

• Mark H. Gitenstein (March 31, 2011). "Building Equity Markets and Reforming Energy Markets in Romania". Archived from the original on February 16, 2013.
• "Ambassador's Blog".