Jessica "Jessye" Lapenn is an American career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, who was sworn in as the

U.S. Ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the President of the United States, president to serve as the country's diplomat, diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as Ambassador-at-large, ...

to the

African Union The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the Africa ...

and the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on August 27, 2019. Immediately prior, Lapenn served as the Chargé d'Affaires at U.S. Mission in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

from 2016 to 2019. Born and raised in New York City, Lapenn earned a BA in Women's Studies from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

and an MPhil in International Development from Cambridge University.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Diplomats from New York City Harvard College alumni Alumni of the University of Cambridge United States Foreign Service personnel American women ambassadors Ambassadors of the United States Ambassadors of the United States to South Africa Representatives of the United States to the African Union United Nations specialized agencies people 21st-century American diplomats 21st-century American women {{US-diplomat-stub