Ambassador Christopher Robert Hill has been at the forefront of American diplomacy for more than three decades. He is an author, a news analyst, foreign policy expert, and a professor, in addition to being a highly distinguished career diplomat.
During his career in the foreign service Hill was nominated by three presidents to serve as U.S. Ambassador. His post included Iraq, South Korea, Poland, and Macedonia. Among his many positions as a Foreign Service officer, he has also served as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Southeast European Affairs in the National Security Council.
A strong believer in the use of multi-party talks to bring about diplomatic change, he has helped negotiate several peace treaties and deals, particularly as Special Envoy to Kosovo, and the Head of the U.S. delegation to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear program. Hill has received several State Department Awards, including the Department’s Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the Bosnian Peace Settlement and the Robert S. Frasure Award for Peace Negotiations for his work during the Kosovo Crisis. He has also received honorary citizenship from Macedonia and was appointed to the New Zealand Order of Merit.
After retiring from the foreign service, Hill served as Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, and then as the university’s Head of Global Engagement and Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy. Hill is currently the George W. Ball Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and serves as the Senior Advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group.
Ambassador Hill published his highly regarded memoir, Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy in 2014. He currently writes as a monthly columnist for Project Syndicate, and remains a sought-after voice in the media for his insights on international affairs.
Ambassador Hill graduated from Bowdoin College and received a Master’s degree from the Naval War College. He began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon.
He previously spoke at The Common Good on February 3, 2015, and he currently serves as a member of The Common Good Honorary Advisory Board.
Read more:
What Does Washington Want From China? (Foreign Affairs Article)
Christopher R. Hill, Project Syndicate Column
Book: Outpost: A Diplomat at Work
Twitter:@ambchrishill
(1) Material from the Albright Stonebridge Group website.
