James C. O'Brien is an American attorney and diplomat currently serving as assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs in the Biden administration. He served as head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination from April 14, 2022 to October 5, 2023 and as the special envoy for hostage affairs from August 28, 2015 to January 20, 2017.
James O'Brien | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 28th Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs | |
| Assumed office October 5, 2023 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Karen Donfried |
| Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination | |
| In office April 14, 2022 – October 5, 2023 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Daniel Fried (2017) |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| 1st Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs | |
| In office August 28, 2015 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Robert C. O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Education | Macalester College (BA) University of Pittsburgh (MA) Yale University (JD) |
Education
editIn 1978, O'Brien graduated from Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska.[1] He earned a BA from Macalester College, his MA from the University of Pittsburgh, and his JD from Yale Law School.
Career
editO'Brien joined the United States Department of State in 1989 as an attorney and diplomatic advisor. He later served as special presidential envoy for the Balkans, deputy director of the State Department's Office of Policy Planning, and as a senior adviser to the ambassador to the United Nations and secretary of state Madeleine Albright. O'Brien also had a role in managing the Dayton Agreement, a peace deal between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia.[2]
From August 28, 2015 to January 20, 2017, O'Brien served as the first special envoy for hostage affairs in the Obama administration.[3] Since leaving his position, O'Brien has worked as a co-founder and principal at the Albright Stonebridge Group.[4]
Biden Administration
editOffice of Sanctions Coordination
editIn October 2021, O'Brien was nominated to serve as Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination in the Biden administration, a position with the rank of ambassador.[5] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 12, 2022. The committee favorably reported his nomination on March 8, 2022. On April 6, 2022, his nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by a 71–26 vote.[6][7] O'Brien was sworn in on April 14, 2022.[8]
European & Eurasian Affairs Nomination
editOn May 19, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated O'Brien to be an assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.[9] On October 4, 2023 his nomination was confirmed in the Senate by a 67–31 vote.[10]
References
edit- ^ "James C. O'Brien '78 Appointed Special Presidential Envoy". creightonprep.creighton.edu. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "O'Brien, James". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Obama Appoints First Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs". NBC News. August 29, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "About Us | Albright Stonebridge Group". www.albrightstonebridge.com. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Nominations". The White House. October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ "PN1284 — James C. O'Brien — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: James C. O'Brien, of Nebraska, to be Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, with the rank of Ambassador)". US Senate. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
- ^ "Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination". United States Department of State. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. May 19, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "PN676 — James C. O'Brien — Department of State 118th Congress (2023-2024)". US Congress. Retrieved October 5, 2023.