List of ambassadors of the United States to Kyrgyzstan

Ambassador of the United States to Kyrgyzstan
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent Lesslie Viguerie since December 29, 2022
Nominator	The President of the United States
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder	Edward Hurwitz as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Formation	August 11, 1992
Website	U.S. Embassy - Bishkek

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Kyrgyzstan.

Until 1991 the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic had been a constituent SSR of the Soviet Union. Upon the breakup of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of Kyrgyzstan declared itself independent of the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991, and renamed itself the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The United States recognized Kyrgyzstan on December 26, 1991. An embassy was established in the capital, Bishkek, on February 1, 1992, with Edmund McWilliams as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Relations between the United States and Kyrgyzstan have been continuous since that time.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan is located in Bishkek.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms
Career FSO After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time. Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends). Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office. Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely. Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy. Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".


Name	Title	Appointed	Presented credentials	Terminated mission
Edward Hurwitz – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 11, 1992	September 17, 1992	October 11, 1994
Eileen A. Malloy – Career FSO		August 26, 1994	October 25, 1994	July 7, 1997
Anne M. Sigmund – Career FSO		August 1, 1997	September 30, 1997	August 10, 2000
John Martin O'Keefe – Career FSO		June 14, 2000	September 23, 2000	July 6, 2003
Stephen M. Young – Career FSO		April 16, 2003	August 26, 2003	August 17, 2005^[1]
Marie Yovanovitch – Career FSO		November 20, 2004	February 4, 2005	February 4, 2008
Tatiana C. Gfoeller – Career FSO		October 22, 2008	October 14, 2008	March 8, 2011
Pamela L. Spratlen – Career FSO		April 15, 2011	May 24, 2011^[2]	December 12, 2014
Richard Miles – Career FSO	Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim	February 13, 2015	N/A	October 14, 2015
Sheila Gwaltney – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 6, 2015	October 14, 2015	August 2, 2017
John Bernlohr	Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim	August 2, 2017	N/A	September 18, 2018
Donald Lu – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	September 18, 2018	October 12, 2018	September 14, 2021
Sonata Coulter – Career FSO	Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim	September 14, 2021	N/A	November 2022
Lesslie Viguerie	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	September 29, 2022	December 29, 2022	Incumbent

References

^ "Stephen M. Young. LinkedIn Profile". linkedin.com. ^{[better source needed]}
^ "Pamela Leora Spratlen (1954–)". U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. January 27, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.

United States Department of State: Background notes on Kyrgyzstan
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.