Ambassador Mary Jo Wills arrived in Mauritius on Thursday, February 18, 2010. She presented her credentials to President of the Republic Sir Anerood Jugnauth, at State House, on Friday, February 19, 2010.
Mary Jo Wills is a career diplomat with over thirty years of experience in international affairs. She was confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles on December 24, 2009. Before that Ms. Wills served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Southern African Affairs and Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs. She previously served as Director of the Office of Southern African Affairs.
In the course of her career, Ms. Wills has served as Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Milan, Italy. She has also served in the Economic Bureau of the Department of State as Chief of the Special Trade Activities Division and Deputy Chief of the Textile Trade Policy Division. In addition to her work in the Economic Bureau, Ms. Wills served as an International Economist in the European Bureau’s Office of Economic and Regional Affairs. Earlier in her career Ms. Wills was Desk Officer for Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia. She has also served at other posts abroad in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Ms. Wills has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Chatham College, a Masters degree in business administration from Virginia Tech, and a Masters degree in national security strategy from the National War College. She has also earned a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Virginia Tech Center for public administration and policy where she is currently a Doctoral candidate.
Ms. Wills is the recipient of the Department of State's Superior Honor Award and has been twice awarded the Department of State’s Meritorious Honor Award.
