Suzanne Lawrence

Suzanne Lawrence retired from the U.S. Department of State following 32 years as a Foreign Service Officer ending her career as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Prior to that assignment, she led the Office of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands.

Previously Ms. Lawrence served as the Special Advisor for Children’s Issues. In that role, she resolved emerging problems related to intercountry adoptions and international parental child abduction. Prior to her position as Special Advisor, she served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece.

Other assignments include Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Senior Level Division Director in the Office of Career Development and Assignments, Director of the Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs, and Country Consular Coordinator for Australia. Ms. Lawrence also served in Sydney, Jerusalem, Dublin, and Caracas.

Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Her graduate studies include a master’s degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management (“Thunderbird”) and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the National War College at the National Defense University.