Thad Osterhout is a Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) and a member of the Senior Foreign Service. Currently, he is the Acting Assistant Director of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for High Threat Programs. In this capacity, he provides oversight of security policies and programs, special projects, and operational planning between high-threat posts and other stakeholders within the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Defense and other agencies. While in this acting role, Mr. Osterhout will continue to serve as the Deputy Assistant Director for High Threat Programs, managing policy and operational efforts directly supporting 30 posts with more than 5,000 personnel.
Mr. Osterhout joined the Foreign Service in 1997 and has served as the Regional Security Officer at U.S. Embassies in Belize, Senegal, Nigeria, Iraq and Belgium. His prior domestic service includes Deputy Regional Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Chief of Overseas Training and the Regional Director for Africa.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Mr. Osterhout received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Gettysburg College and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the State University of New York at Albany. He is the recipient of Department of State Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, including several Senior Foreign Service performance awards.