Deputy Chief of Mission
Deputy Chief of Mission James Nealon.
Jim Nealon arrived in Ottawa on August 14, 2010 and assumed his duties as Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy. Before coming to Canada, Jim served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassies in Lima, Peru (2007 – 2010) and Montevideo, Uruguay (2005 – 2007). Jim was Charge d'Affaires in Montevideo for 16 months from July 2005 to November 2006.
Jim Nealon has been in the Foreign Service since 1984, and has the personal rank of Minister Counselor. In previous assignments he has served as Counselor for Public Affairs at the Embassies in Madrid, Spain and Budapest, Hungary; as Press Attaché at the Embassies in Manila, Philippines and Budapest; as Cultural Attaché in Montevideo; and as Assistant Press Attaché in Santiago, Chile. Nealon also served in Washington in the United States Information Agency, in the Bureau of Human Resources. He speaks Hungarian and Spanish.
A native of Virginia, Jim has a degree in American History from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and did graduate study, also in history, at Boston College. Before joining the Foreign Service he was a high school teacher and athletics coach.
His wife, Kristin, is a teacher. They have four children.