In March 2007, President Bush nominated Nancy Powell, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, as U.S. Ambassador to Nepal. As required by the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination on June 28 and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte swore her into office on July 16, 2007. Ambassador Powell arrived in Nepal on August 6 and presented her credentials to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on August 9, 2007. She previously served in Kathmandu as a consular officer from 1980 to 1982 and as the State Department Nepal Desk Officer from 1982 to 1984.
Prior to her present assignment, Ambassador Powell most recently served as the National Intelligence Officer for South Asia at the National Intelligence Council from 2006 to 2007, following assignments as the State Department’s Senior Coordinator for Avian Influenza and Acting Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Activities. Ambassador Powell was U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan from August 2002 through October 2004 and U.S. Ambassador to Ghana from September 2001 through May 2002. She served in Washington as Acting Assistant Secretary for African Affairs from January until June 2001. From July 1999 until January 2001 she was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. Ambassador Powell has also previously served as U. S. Ambassador to Uganda from 1997 to 1999, and was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1995 to 1997. After a one-year tour as Consul General in Calcutta, Ms. Powell served in New Delhi as Political Counselor from 1993 to 1995. She was Deputy Chief of Mission in Lome, Togo from 1990 until 1992. In addition, her other overseas assignments have included Islamabad and Ottawa, and a previous Washington assignment as a Refugee Assistance Officer.
Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Ambassador Powell joined the Foreign Service in 1977 following 61/2 years as a high school social studies teacher in Dayton, Iowa. She is a 1970 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. She has studied French, Nepali, Hindi and Urdu. She is the recipient of the Partnership for Public Service 2006 Service to America Homeland Security Medal.
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