Jonathan Don Farrar (born 1956) was the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Panama from 2012 to 2015. He was previously the Chief of Mission of the

United States Interests Section in Havana The United States Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Havana, Cuba ("USINT Havana" in the State Department telegraphic address) represented United States interests in Cuba from September 1, 1977 to July 20, 2015. It was staffed b ...

, Cuba, from July 2008 to September 2011.

Background information

Farrar joined the

U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...

in 1980 as an economic officer, and is a career member of the

Senior Foreign Service The Senior Foreign Service (SFS) comprises the top four ranks of the United States Foreign Service. These ranks were created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and Executive Order 12293 in order to provide the Foreign Service with senior grades ...

. He was born in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, graduated from

Covina High School Covina High School, commonly known as Covina High or CHS to the students, is a public high school located in Covina, California. Covina High School is one of three comprehensive high schools within the Covina-Valley Unified School District. Estab ...

, and studied at

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a Public university, public Institute of Technology (United States)#Polytechnic universities, polytechnic research university in Pomona, California, United States. It is the l ...

Claremont Graduate University The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California, United States. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium which includes five undergraduate and two grad ...

, and the

Industrial College of the Armed Forces The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University (Washington, D.C.), National Defens ...

. Farrar is married and has three children.

Career

Farrar's career includes extensive experience in Latin America. His most recent overseas posting was as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Montevideo,

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

. Farrar also served at the U.S. embassies in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

, and

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

. Prior to assuming his position as USINT COM, Farrar served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department's

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) is a bureau within the United States Department of State. The bureau is under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. History ...

(DRL), and was DRL's Acting Assistant Secretary from August 2007 to March 2008. In this capacity, Farrar oversaw DRL's human rights and democracy programs around the world, with a particular focus on Asia and the Western Hemisphere. From 2004 to 2005, Farrar served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department's

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is an agency that reports to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights within the United States Department of State. Under the umbrella of i ...

(INL), with responsibility for INL's programs in the Western Hemisphere, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Farrar has held a variety of domestic assignments in the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, including service as deputy director of the Office of Andean Affairs and as country desk officer for Argentina. Farrar served twice on the staff of the

Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs The under secretary for democracy and global affairs is a former position within the United States Department of State that, according to the department website, "coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy ...

, most recently as chief of staff to the Under Secretary from 2002 to 2004.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Farrar, Johnathan Don 1956 births Living people People from Covina, California California State Polytechnic University, Pomona alumni United States Department of State officials Ambassadors of the United States to Cuba Claremont Graduate University alumni Ambassadors of the United States to Panama United States Foreign Service personnel Obama administration personnel