Former deputy U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan appointed first deputy Secretary of State

She is expected to take up her new assignment in early fall, and will remain in Bulgaria until late summer. The ambassador was awarded “The Stara Planina” medal by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.

Ambassador Nancy McEldowney was confirmed by the Senate on April 29, 2008, to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, and took the oath of office on July 25, 2008. She previously served as the Deputy Chief Mission in Ankara, Turkey, from June 2005 to March 2008. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In her most recent Washington assignment, Ambassador McEldowney served at the White House as Director of European Affairs on the National Security Council.

/APA/