Join Weiser Diplomacy Center and American Academy of Diplomacy for a conversation with Ambassador Peter Bodde about his work helping lead international response in disaster areas, especially his involvement in earthquake response in Pakistan and Nepal as well as flood relief and making communities more resilient against flooding.

From the speaker's bio:

Peter William Bodde, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, was confirmed by the Senate as the U.S. Ambassador to Libya on November 19, 2015. Ambassador Bodde arrived in Tunis, Tunisia on January 21, 2016 (as Embassy operations in Libya are currently suspended). Ambassador Bodde served as U.S. Ambassador to Nepal from 2012 to September 2015. As such, he received the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award for his work promoting democracy, protecting U.S. citizens, and helping lead the international response to the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

Ambassador Bodde is a strong leader who fosters productive interagency cooperation while maintaining high staff morale. His skills have proven invaluable in leading the USG response to the Nepal earthquake. His extensive experience in nascent democracies, especially in South Asia, makes him well qualified to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Libya. He is particularly well regarded for his extraordinary efforts in mentoring his younger colleagues across interagency lines.

Ambassador Bodde previously served as Assistant Chief of Mission for Assistance Transition at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq (2010-2012) and as Ambassador to Malawi at U.S. Embassy Lilongwe (2008-2010). He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at both U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan (2006-2008) and at U.S. Embassy Kathmandu, Nepal (1994-1997), as well as Principal Officer at the U.S Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany (2002-2006). Prior to that, he served as Director of the Department’s Office of Management Policy (2000-2002), and as Administrative Counselor at U.S. Embassy New Delhi, India (1997-2000). Ambassador Bodde also served as Administrative Officer at both U.S. Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark (1990-1994) and at U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria (1988-1990). His early assignments in the Foreign Service included serving as Special Assistant in the Department’s Bureaus of Diplomatic Security and Administration, as Budget and Fiscal Officer, U.S. Embassy Kathmandu, and as Consular Officer, U.S. Embassy Georgetown, Guyana. Before the Foreign Service, he worked for the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Bodde earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1976. He has won numerous Department performance awards. He speaks German, Bulgarian, and Nepali.