This biography is no longer current; at present, no other official U.S. Department of State biographical information is available.
Robin Renee Sanders, a career member of the senior Foreign Service, was sworn in as Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria on November 19, 2007. Most recently, she served as the International Advisor and Deputy Commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces—one of the U.S. military’s premier colleges at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. Prior to that she served as Ambassador to the Republic of Congo (2002-2005) and as Director for Public Diplomacy for Africa for the State Department (2000-2002). She served twice as the Director for Africa at the National Security Council at the White House (under former Presidents Bush 1988- 1989, and Clinton 1997-1999.); was the Special Assistant for Latin America, Africa, and International Crime for the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the State Department (1996-1997); and served as the Chief of Staff and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor for a member of the House International Relations Committee – working on democracy, reconstruction and nation-building issues (1994-1996). Ambassador Sanders holds a Master of Art degree in International Relations and Africa Studies, and a Masters of Science degree in Communications and Journalism from Ohio University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Hampton University.
Ambassador Sanders is the recipient of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Civilian Honor Award; three State Department Superior Honor Awards; four State Department Meritorious Honor Awards, the “President Merit of Honor Award” from the Republic of Congo, and several citations in Who’s Who of America and Who’s Who of American Women in Politics. Her overseas postings have included Dominican Republic, Portugal, Sudan, Namibia, Senegal, and Republic of Congo with missions to Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Botswana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zambia, and Benin.
She is a national board member of Operation Hope - a non-profit organization focused on working in at risk communities in the areas of economic education and empowerment and development. Ambassador Sanders speaks French, and some Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.
