REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
SUBJECT: Ambassadorial Nomination: Certificate of Demonstrated Competence — Foreign Service Act, Section 304(a)(4)
POST: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
CANDIDATE: Michael James Dodman
Michael James Dodman, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is currently Executive Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, Department of State, a position he has held since 2015. A former Principal Officer and senior State Department official overseas and in Washington, Mr. Dodman is known for leading impactful interagency teams aboard while balancing security concerns at high-threat posts, for which he received the Ryan C. Crocker Award for Outstanding Leadership in Expeditionary Diplomacy in 2014. His demonstrated expertise in foreign assistance, democratization, economic reform and counter-terrorism makes him an excellent candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania.
Previously, Mr. Dodman served as Director, Entry-Level Career Development & Assignments, Bureau of Human Resources, Department of State (2014-2015), Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Karachi, Pakistan (2012-2014), Economic Counselor, U.S. Mission to the European Union, Brussels, Belgium (2009-2012), Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq (2008-2009) and Political and Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy Prague, Czech Republic (2004-2008). He was Special Assistant, Office of Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Department of State (2002-2003), Deputy Economic Counselor, U.S. Embassy Warsaw, Poland (1999-2002) and Economic Officer, U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey (1994-1998). Other assignments included Economic Officer and Staff Assistant at the State Department and Economic and Consular Officer, U.S. Embassy Warsaw, Poland. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Dodman was a Research Assistant, Resources for the Future, Washington, DC and a News Reporter, KNOM Radio, Nome, Alaska.
Mr. Dodman earned a M.P.P. from Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton, New Jersey in 1999, a M.A. from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts in 1986 and a B.S from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in1983. He is the recipient of a numerous notable senior State Department awards, including the Ryan C. Crocker Award. He speaks French, Turkish, Polish and Czech.