Ostfield, Marc – Republic of Paraguay – June 2021

REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

UNITED STATES SENATE

SUBJECT: Ambassadorial Nomination: Certificate of
Demonstrated Competence — Foreign Service
Act, Section 304(a)(4)

POST: Republic of Paraguay

CANDIDATE: Marc Ostfield

Marc Ostfield, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Ombudsman of the U.S. Department of State. In the Department, he has served as the Acting Director/Deputy Director of the Foreign Service Institute, and as Director of the Office of Policy and Global Issues in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs where he led policy development on issues including corruption, human rights, counterterrorism, and human trafficking. With over 30 years of experience in international affairs and national security, Marc Ostfield has established and led some of our most important global engagement programs. His strong record of leadership and coalition-building, extensive interagency experience throughout Latin America, Europe, and Asia, and breadth of expertise make him an excellent candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay.

Mr. Ostfield previously served in the State Department as Senior Foreign Affairs Officer, Office of Science and Technology Cooperation, and Senior Advisor for Bioterrorism, Biodefense, and Health Security, Office of International Health and Biodefense. From 1987-2002, he created, led, and evaluated global health programs in the U.S., Latin America, and worldwide for a range of organizations, including as Chief of Behavior Change Communication for Family Health International, Director of Health Education for New York University, and Curriculum Supervisor for GMHC.

Mr. Ostfield earned a B.A., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the recipient of a Presidential Rank Award, numerous senior State Department awards, and a range of other honors including the Meritorious Unit Award from the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, the Diplomacy Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the President’s Volunteer Service Award as a volunteer firefighter since 1995. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Arabic.