Martina A. Strong

Martina Anna Tkadlec Strong is an American diplomat who served as the de facto United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia from January 20, 2021 until April 16, 2023. She has been nominated to become the next United States ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

Martina Anna Tkadlec Strong
United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingSean Murphy (acting)
United States Chargé d’affaires to Saudi Arabia
In office
January 20, 2021 – April 16, 2023
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byJohn Abizaid
Succeeded byDenison Offutt
Personal details
EducationSouthern Methodist University (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (MA)

Early life and education

Strong earned her B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University and her M.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley.[1]

Career

Strong is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the rank of Minister-Counselor. She served as the chargé d’affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January 20, 2021 until April 16, 2023. She previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and also chargé d’affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria,[2] and she also served as the Minister Counselor for Political and Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Strong served as Counselor for Political-Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, and as a Political Advisor in Basra, Iraq. Strong also was the Deputy Counselor for Political-Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassies in Prague, Czech Republic and in Bridgetown, Barbados. Domestically, she served as Director for the G-8 on the White House National Security Council in Washington, D.C.[1]

Nominee as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

On September 16, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Strong to be the next ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.[1] Her nomination expired at the end of the year and was returned to President Biden on January 3, 2023.[3]

President Biden renominated Strong the same day. Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 15, 2023.[4] The committee favorably reported her nomination to the Senate floor on April 27, 2023. It is pending before the full United States Senate.[5]

Personal life

Strong speaks Arabic, Czech, Polish, French, German, Russian, and Bosnian.[1]

References
  1. "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  2. "Who is Martina Strong, US' new ambassador nominee to the UAE?". Khaleej Times. September 17, 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  3. "PN2658 - Nomination of Martina Anna Tkadlec Strong for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  4. "Senate Foreign Relations Committee — Department of State Nominations Hearing (March 15, 2023) — 118th Congress (2023-2024)". foreign.senate.gov. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  5. "PN52 — Martina Anna Tkadlec Strong — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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