Speaker: Ambassador Charles Shapiro

Thursday, December 3
IC Room 111
6:30 PM
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Ambassador Charles Shapiro is the Senior Coordinator for Economic Initiatives in the State Departments Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Ambassador Shapiro served as chargé d’affaires (acting ambassador) at the United States Embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, through the April 17-19 Fifth Summit of the Americas.  President Obama and 33 other heads of state and prime ministers attended this, the Fifth Summit of the Americas. 

Previously, Shapiro led the Western Hemisphere Trade Task Force (2007-2009), served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2005-2007) and U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela (February 2002 until August 2004).    

Ambassador Shapiro joined the Department of State in 1977.  In addition to his posting as Ambassador to Venezuela, he has served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassies in Santiago, Chile and Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  Other overseas postings include El Salvador and Denmark.  His Washington assignments include Director of the Office of Cuban Affairs as well as various assignments in Public Affairs, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Western Hemisphere Affairs.

In 2007 the Government of Chile decorated Ambassador Shapiro with the “Orden al Mérito.”  His foreign languages are Spanish and Danish. 

A proud native of Atlanta, Shapiro is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Georgia State University, and the Department of State’s Senior Seminar.