Robert Wood's term ended on October 26, 2021.
Ambassador Robert A. Wood arrived in Geneva on August 13, 2014 to assume his duties as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament and U.S. Special Representative for Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) Issues. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the European Union from August 2013 – July 2014. Before his service in Brussels, Ambassador Wood was the Deputy U.S. Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria from 2010-July 2013. From July 2008- January 2010, Mr. Wood was the State Department’s Deputy Spokesman and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. During the first 6 months of the Obama Administration he served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Acting State Department Spokesman.
Mr. Wood has been a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State and the former U.S. Information Agency since 1988. From 2004-2008 he served as the Press Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany. Prior to his assignment to Berlin, he was Deputy Spokesman at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York (2001-2004).
In Washington, Mr. Wood has worked as a public affairs advisor for the Bureau of African Affairs, as a special assistant to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and in several positions dealing with the Balkans.
Mr. Wood has also served in public affairs positions in Mexico City, Mexico; Lagos, Nigeria; Islamabad, Pakistan; and Pretoria, South Africa. He speaks German, Spanish and French.