Michelle Kwan officially confirmed as US ambassador to Belize

Nominated by Biden in December, Michelle Kwan has been confirmed by the Senate as the U.S. ambassador to Belize.

She was praised by the State Department in January in a Certificate of Competency.

“Kwan’s extensive work experience at the U.S. State Department in public diplomacy and youth outreach and her work with non-profit organizations combined with her strong management and business skills make her a well-qualified candidate to be the U.S. Ambassador to Belize,” the State Department said.

The agency highlighted some of her career accomplishments both on and off the ice. Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, having won 43 championships, nine national titles, five world championships and two Olympic medals.

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She graduated from the University of Denver with a B.A. from the University of Denver with a focus on international relations and later earned an M.A. from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. In 2006, she became the first public diplomacy envoy and worked with the State Department for a decade traveling across the globe to speak with youth regarding social and educational issues. Additionally, she served as a senior advisor at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department. More recently, in 2020, she was the surrogate director for Biden’s presidential campaign.

Currently, Kwan is the treasurer and a board member of Special Olympics International.

During her nomination by Biden last December, Kwan said, “If confirmed, I will be very proud to serve my country. Belize is full of incredible history and culture, and has been a tremendous partner to the United States. I look forward to working with the Belizean government on economic issues, to put an end to this pandemic, and to address the root causes of migration.”

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Feature Image via @michellewkwan

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