List of ambassadors of the United States to Madagascar

Ambassador of the United States to Madagascar and Comoros
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent Claire A. Pierangelo since June 29, 2022
Nominator	The President of the United States
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder	Frederic P. Bartlett as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Formation	August 27, 1960
Website	U.S. Embassy - Antananarivo

This is a list of United States ambassadors to Madagascar. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations since June 1960. The embassy in Tananarive (now Antananarivo) was established on June 26, 1960. Currently, the ambassador also serves US diplomatic interests or relations to Comoros.

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".

Note: Embassy Tananarive (now Antananarivo) was established June 26, 1960.


Name	Title	Appointed	Presented credentials	Terminated mission	Notes
Frederic P. Bartlett^[1] - Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 27, 1960	October 5, 1960	June 6, 1962
C. Vaughan Ferguson, Jr.^[2] - Career FSO		December 17, 1962	January 15, 1963	May 21, 1966
David S. King^[3] - Political appointee		January 26, 1967	April 21, 1967	August 16, 1969
Anthony D. Marshall^[4] - Political Appointee		December 15, 1969	January 6, 1970	June 6, 1971	Departure requested by Government of the Malagasy Republic, June 1, 1971
Joseph Mendenhall^[5] - Career FSO		September 11, 1972	November 15, 1972	May 11, 1975	Between 1975 and 1980, the following officers served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim: Gilbert H. Sheinbaum (November 1975-March 1977) and Robert S. Barrett (March 1977-June 1980).
Fernando E. Rondon^[6] - Career FSO		September 26, 1980	November 10, 1980	May 25, 1983
Robert Brendon Keating^[6] - Political appointee		July 6, 1983	August 11, 1983	May 1, 1986
Patricia Gates Lynch^[6] - Political appointee		June 16, 1986	August 6, 1986	August 31, 1989
Howard K. Walker^[6] - Career FSO		August 7, 1989	September 27, 1989	July 12, 1992
Dennis P. Barrett - Career FSO		June 15, 1992	December 3, 1992	November 12, 1995
Vicki Huddleston - Career FSO		October 3, 1995	December 12, 1995	July 24, 1997^[7]	Howard T. Perlow served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, July 1997-August 1998.
Shirley Elizabeth Barnes - Career FSO		June 29, 1998	August 30, 1998	July 28, 2001
Wanda L. Nesbitt - Career FSO		November 5, 2001	January 28, 2002	June 23, 2004
James D. McGee - Career FSO		June 30, 2004	October 29, 2004	June 1, 2007
R. Niels Marquardt^[8] - Career FSO		May 30, 2007	August 22, 2007	June 7, 2010
Eric M. Wong^[8] - Career FSO	Chargé d'Affaires ad interim	September 2011^[9]	Unknown	August 2014
Robert T. Yamate^[8] - Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	November 19, 2014	December 19, 2014	April 1, 2018
Michael Pelletier^[8] - Career FSO		January 2, 2019	March 5, 2019	June 18, 2021^[10]
Claire A. Pierangelo^[8] - Career FSO		March 2, 2022	June 29, 2022	Present

Notes

^ Commissioned to the Malagasy Republic.
^ Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Mar 12, 1963. Commissioned to the Malagasy Republic.
^ Commissioned to the Malagasy Republic. Also accredited to Mauritius; resident at Tananarive.
^ Commissioned to the Malagasy Republic.
^ Commissioned to the Malagasy Republic.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Also accredited to the Comoros; resident in Antananarivo.
^ https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/huddleston-vicki-j
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Also accredited to the Union of the Comoros; resident in Antananarivo.
^ https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/wong-eric
^ https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4455575777806780&id=126866674011067^{[bare URL]}

References

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