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ELENA B. POPTODOROVA
Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria
to the United States of America
Term of Appointment: 08/10/2010 to present
On August 10, 2010, Ms Elena Poptodorova presented her Letters of Credence to
President Barack Obama, accrediting her as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United States of
America.
Prior to her appointment in Washington
Ambassador Elena Poptodorova was Director of the
Security Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a position,
which she held for a year since August 1, 2009. In the period 2008 – 2009
she served as Ambassador-at-Large for the Black Sea Region at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2008 she was Bulgaria’s Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, when
Bulgaria became member of NATO and the EU. Prior to becoming Ambassador to
the US, she served as Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Director of the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Organizations
Directorate.
Earlier in her career (1990-2001) Ms Poptodorova was elected Member of Parliament in the 7th
Constituent Assembly and in the 36th, 37th and 38th National Assemblies of
the Republic of Bulgaria. She served on the committees on foreign policy,
national security, radio and TV, human rights, agriculture. She was the
Deputy Chair of the Bulgarian delegation to the International Parliamentary
Union (IPU), member of the national delegations to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and the Joint Parliamentary
Committee ‘Bulgaria-EU’. She also served as Deputy Chair of the
Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (IEPFPD)
From 1987 to 1990 she was
minister-counselor at the Bulgarian embassy in Rome and Bulgaria’s Consul
General to the Republic of San Marino.
Ambassador E. Poptodorova
joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1975 and served from 3rd
secretary through minister-counselor in the Secretariat, the State
Protocol, the Cabinet of the Minister and the UN and Disarmament
Directorates through 1990, when she was elected in the national
legislature.
Ms Poptodorova
earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees at the Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia in English and Italian
linguistic and literary studies, after which she attended a post-graduate
course in international relations at the University of National and World
Economy in Sofia. She specialized at the University of Leeds, UK and the
University of Siena, Italy.
Ambassador Poptodorova
is Doctor Honoris Causa
of the Assumption College, Worcester, USA.
She is a founding member and member of
the Boards of Bulgarian nongovernmental organizations among which: The
Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, The Centre for Regional and Geopolitical
Research, The Bulgarian Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
which she currently chairs.
She is also member of the
Washington-based Executive Council on Diplomacy and Women’s Foreign Policy
Group.
Since
1995
Ambassador Poptodorova is trustee on the Board of
Directors of the American University in Bulgaria.
Ambassador Poptodorova
is recipient of a number of awards and distinctions, such as:
2007 - The Gold Medal
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for outstanding contribution to
Bulgaria’s accession to the EU;
2003 - The Gold Medal
of Bulgaria’s Atlantic Club for promoting Bulgaria’s membership in NATO;
2003 - Silver Medal
on the occasion of 100 Years of Bulgarian-US Diplomatic Relations;
2008 - The Annual
Award of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of the United States of
America for leadership and outstanding contribution to the empowerment of
women;
2008 - Medal of Honour “For Valour and Merit”,
I class, of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior, for outstanding contribution
to establishing the rule of law in Bulgaria, and the enhancement of the
national interest and of national and European security;
2008 - Recognition
Award of the Director of the US Secret Service in appreciation of her many
contributions in support of the Secret Service mission and selfless
commitment to the ideals and principles of law enforcement.
As of 2002, Ambassador Poptodorova is an
Honorary Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in
recognition of services rendered to the European cause.
Languages: English, Italian, French,
Russian, Bulgarian (native)
She is married, with one son.
August, 2010
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