Rufus Gifford was sworn in as Chief of Protocol for the United States with the rank of Ambassador on January 3, 2022.
Most recently he was Deputy Campaign Manager for Biden for President with a focus on finance, external outreach and coalition building.
From 2013 to 2017, Ambassador Gifford served as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark where he led efforts to address the effects of climate change, build international coalitions, and invest in clean energy. He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark for his meritorious service.
Before his time in Denmark, Ambassador Gifford was the National Finance Director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Prior to that, he served as National Finance Director at the Democratic National Committee.
A native of Massachusetts, Ambassador Gifford holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University. He is married to Dr. Stephen DeVincent and they have two Golden Retrievers, Argos and Svend.