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 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Electronic Information and Publications Office > Biographies > Biographies Listed Alphabetically by Last Name 
BIOGRAPHY

Eric J. Boswell
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Director, Office of Foreign Missions
Term of Appointment: 07/07/2008 to present

Eric J. Boswell was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security on July 7, 2008, to serve concurrently as Director of the Bureau’s Office of Foreign Missions. He previously held the position of Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security from 1996 to 1998.

As Assistant Secretary, Ambassador Boswell leads a powerful global force of 34,000 special agents, engineers, couriers, security specialists, and other professionals who make up the security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State. Diplomatic Security is dedicated to ensuring that the United States can conduct diplomacy safely and securely around the world. As Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, Ambassador Boswell manages reciprocity and immunity issues for foreign diplomats in the United States.

Ambassador Boswell served from 2005 until 2008 as Assistant Deputy Director for Security in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for the development of security policies and standards in the Intelligence Community.

Ambassador Boswell held senior management and security positions in the Department of State and the United Nations system. He was Director of Administration for the Pan American Health Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, from 1998 to 2005. In 2004, he was Senior Advisor for Security Change Management at UN Headquarters in New York.

Ambassador Boswell entered the Foreign Service in 1972, and served as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, 1993-1998; Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary for Management, 1992-1993; Executive Director for the Bureau of Middle East and South Asian Affairs, 1990-1992; Minister Counselor for Administration at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, 1987-1990; and Counselor for Administration in Amman, 1985-1987. He received a distinguished service award from President George H. W. Bush for his work during the Gulf War in 1991, and also is a recipient of the Department of State's Distinguished Honor Award. Ambassador Boswell retired from the Foreign Service in 1998 with the rank of Minister Counselor.

Ambassador Boswell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, and served in the U.S. Army. He speaks French.


Released on July 7, 2008

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