Jim Derham retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2008 after a career of more than 30 years. His last assignment was as U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, 2005-2008. His other senior responsibilities include Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA); Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City; chargé d’affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia; and Consul General in Rio de Janeiro.
Since 2008 Jim has undertaken several temporary assignments for the Department of State including consular assignments to Havana, Ciudad Juarez, and Sao Paulo. In 2010 he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Lisbon. He has also worked as Chief of Party for a USAID project in Pristina, Kosovo, and on Capitol Hill.
Jim is a graduate of Fordham University and has masters’ degrees from the Kennedy School of Harvard University and the George Washington University.
