The Leaderboard: Kathleen Stephens

The Leaderboard profiles the people behind the policies of the Asia-Pacific.Who is she?

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens is a 35 year career diplomat who has held posts in the United States, East Asia and Europe. She most recently served as the acting undersecretary of state for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in 2012. Prior to that she was the U.S. ambassador to South Korea from 2008 to 2011.

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, left, in the cockpit of an F16 during her time as ambassador to South Korea. Source: expertinfantry's flickr photostream., used under a creative commons license.

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, left, in the cockpit of an F-16 during her time as ambassador to South Korea. Source: expertinfantry’s flickr photostream., used under a creative commons license.

Why is she in the news?

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens will soon relocate to New Delhi to head the U.S. embassy following Ambassador Nancy Powell’s retirement. There had been a great deal of speculation on who may succeed Ambassador Nancy Powell in New Delhi. The State Department decided to send Ambassador Stephens, one of the country’s most experienced diplomats, to India to serve on an interim basis until a new permanent ambassador is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

What can we expect from her?

Ambassador Stephens will be the senior point person for leading U.S. engagement with the incoming Indian government led by Narendra Modi. She will have a delicate balancing act, seeking to find opportunities for bilateral engagement while cognizant of a possible hangover effect from the United States largely ignoring Mr. Modi for the last 12 years.

In this role, Ambassador Stephens will have to set the right tone with key Indian officials, work constructively with them to strengthen ties, and make sure some of the recent noise reverberating from Washington is dialed down. She will also play a key role in planning another round of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, which is typically held over the summer.

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