Meridian Hosts American Ambassadors for Secretary Blinken’s Chiefs of Mission Conference
Secretary of State Antony Blinken providing remarks at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
On June 21, 2022, Meridian International Center hosted an outdoor reception in partnership with the U.S. Department of State to honor U.S. Chiefs of Mission.
Held at the end of the first day of Secretary Blinken’s first U.S. Chiefs of Mission conference, the reception provided U.S. ambassadors and chargé d’affaires an opportunity to engage with colleagues from around the world as well as senior State Department officials, and a range of leaders from the private sector and civil society. Those in attendance included Deputy Secretaries of State Brian McKeon and Wendy Sherman; Under Secretaries John Bass, Bonnie Jenkins, and Uzra Zeya; Acting Under Secretary Elizabeth Allen; Chief of Protocol Rufus Gifford; Senator Chris Coons (D-DE); President and Chair of EXIM Bank Reta Jo Lewis; former Meridian President and current Assistant Secretary Lee Satterfield; Meridian Board of Trustees Chair Ann Stock; Meridian Board Member Clarke Cooper; and former Michigan Governor James Blanchard. Scores of U.S. Chiefs of Mission attended, including Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake, Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier, Permanent Representative to UN Agencies in Rome Ambassador Cindy McCain, Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, and Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Meridian CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Secretary of State Antony Blinken provided remarks acknowledging the chiefs of missions’ pivotal role representing the U.S. and impact of their work as to advance foreign policy goals.
Meridian is grateful to Deloitte, Gilead Sciences, HP, Oracle and SAP for their generous contributions that made the event possible.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Belarus and current nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Julie Fisher, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger, U.S. Ambassador to Moldova Kent Logsdon, and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Attendees at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception had a chance to catch up with colleagues posted around the world and in Washington, DC at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) in conversation with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Meridian CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday welcomes U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Meridian for the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Meridian Executive Vice President Natalie Jones, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Meridian CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday discuss Meridian’s role in diplomacy at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed U.S. Chiefs of Mission and State Department Colleagues at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome Ambassador to Cindy McCain listening to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shares a laugh with Meridian CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday and State Department colleagues at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Chair of Meridian’s Board of Trustees Ann Stock in conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim and U.S. Secretary of State exchange pleasantries at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
The American Pops Orchestra performing at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland and former Meridian Diplomatic Engagement Advisory Committee Member Mark Brzezinski engaging in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Kelu Chao and former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception in the Linden Grove at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador nominee to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and U.S. Ambassador to Burma Thomas Vajda in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception in the Linden Grove at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy and Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya engage in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
State Department Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley mingling with colleagues at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Chairman and CEO of the Motion Pictures Association Ambassador Charles Rivkin, Assistant Secretary of State Lee Satterfield, and Chief of Protocol Ambassador Rufus Gifford posing for a photo at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception in the Linden Grove at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer and U.S. Ambassador to Cabo Verde Jeff Daigle in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Guests at the Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception mingling at the historic Meridian House and Linden Grove on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Guests share a laugh at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Micronesia Carmen Cantor and Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Sandra Oudkirk in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception in the Linden Grove at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
U.S. Ambassador to Angola Tulinabo Mushingi and Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement Frank Justice in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Director of the Ford’s Theatre Paul Tetreault and U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer in conversation at the U.S. Chiefs of Mission Conference Reception at Meridian on June 21, 2022. Photo by Kris Tripplaar.
Project summary
Meridian Hosts American Ambassadors for Secretary Blinken’s Chiefs of Mission Conference | June 2022
