On June 26, 2002, President Bush nominated Nancy Powell, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, as U.S. Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, where she had been serving as Charge d'Affaires ad interim at the U.S. Mission since June 2. As required by the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination on August 1 and Secretary of State Colin Powell swore her into office on August 9. Ambassador Powell presented her credentials to President Musharraf on August 16, 2002.
Prior to her present assignment, Ambassador Powell was U.S. Ambassador to Ghana from September 2001 through May 2002. She also served in Washington as Acting Assistant Secretary for African Affairs from January until June 2001. From July 1999 until January 2001 she was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs.
Ambassador Powell has also previously served as Ambassador to Uganda from 1997 to 1999, and was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1995 to 1997. After a 1-year tour as Consul General in Calcutta, Ms. Powell served in New Delhi as Political Counselor from 1993 to 1995. She was Deputy Chief of Mission in Lome, Togo from 1990 until 1992. Her other overseas assignments have included Islamabad, Kathmandu and Ottawa, and previous Washington assignments included those of Nepal Desk Officer and Refugee Assistance Officer.
Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Ambassador Powell joined the Foreign Service in 1977 following 6-1/2 years as a high school social studies teacher in Dayton, Iowa. She has studied French, Nepali and Urdu.
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