SPEAKERS

Ambassador Michael (Mike) A. Hammer was appointed as Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa on June 1, 2022 by Secretary Blinken. He previously served as the U.S. ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2018 until 2022. He also served as the Acting Senior Vice President of the National Defense University (NDU). And previously served as the Deputy Commandant of NDU’s Eisenhower School and was additionally dual-hatted as the Vice Chancellor of the College of International Security Affairs. Ambassador Hammer is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service class of Minister-Counselor. He most recently served as U.S. ambassador to Chile from 2014-2016. He began his diplomatic career in 1988. Prior to his appointment in Chile, Ambassador Hammer served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from March 2012 to August 2013. He also served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. Before joining the Bureau of Public Affairs, Ambassador Hammer served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President, Senior Director for Press and Communications, and National Security Council Spokesman from January 2009 to January 2011. He previously served at the National Security Council as Deputy Spokesman from 1999 to 2000 and as the Director of Andean Affairs from 2000 to 2001. Ambassador Hammer’s overseas postings include Bolivia, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark. His other State Department assignments include the Operations Center and serving as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Ambassador Hammer has received several awards, including the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award, the Department’s Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy, and several Superior Honor awards.