Biography

As Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Gregory B. Starr leads a powerful global force of 32,000 special agents, engineers, couriers, security specialists, and other professionals who make up the security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. State Department. Diplomatic Security is dedicated to ensuring that the United States can conduct diplomacy safely and securely around the world. As Acting Director of Diplomatic Security's Office of Foreign Missions, Mr. Starr manages reciprocity and immunity issues for foreign diplomats in the United States.

Mr. Starr assumed these responsibilties on November 1, 2007. Just seven months earlier, in April 2007, he was named Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Director of the Diplomatic Security Service, where he managed the Bureau's day-to-day operations.

Mr. Starr holds the rank of Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service.

From July 2004 through February 2007, Mr. Starr served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Countermeasures where he was responsible for formulating security policy and plans for countermeasures in the areas of physical security, technical security, and Diplomatic Courier operations, for the Departments overseas and domestic operations and facilities. As Deputy Assistant Secretary, Mr. Starr worked to transform the Countermeasures Directorate into a fully integrated global security operation that collects, transmits, and analyzes information and data from hundreds of Department of State facilities and sites worldwide.

Other domestic assignments for Mr. Starr have included the Director of the Office of Physical Security Programs (2000-2004), Division Chief for worldwide local guard and residential security programs (1995-1997), and assignments to the Secretary’s detail, technical security operations, and the New York Field Office.

His overseas assignments have included Senior Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv (1997-2000), as well as Regional Security Officer positions in Tunis, Tunisia; Dakar, Senegal; and Kinshasa, Zaire (presently the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Mr. Starr is the recipient of numerous Department of State awards including Senior Foreign Service Performance awards, and Superior and Meritorious Honor awards. He began his career as a Special Agent in July of 1980 and joined the ranks of the Senior Foreign Service in 2000.

A New York native, Mr. Starr received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Masters degree in Forensic Science from the George Washington University.

Nov. 1, 2007