Donald James Planty (born 1945) is an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Guatemala from 1996 to 1999. After his diplomatic service, he has worked as a senior advisor in the private sector, including at the Albright Stonebridge Group.
Early life and education
Planty was born in Lowville, New York, in 1945. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University in 1966. While at Fordham, he studied at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago on a Fulbright‑Hays grant (1964). He later obtained a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Mexico in 1970, during which time he served as a teaching assistant in the Peace Corps Training Center for Latin America.
Career
Planty began his professional career in 1967 as a caseworker for the New York City Department of Social Services. He entered the United States Foreign Service and held a variety of positions, including serving as Ambassador‑in‑Residence at the National War College in Washington, D.C., from 1984 to 1985.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton appointed Planty as United States Ambassador to Guatemala. During his tenure (1996‑1999), he played a role in facilitating the 1996 Peace Accords that ended Guatemala’s internal armed conflict. After completing his ambassadorship, Planty transitioned to the private sector, becoming a senior advisor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, where he advises on international affairs and security sector issues. He has also contributed to policy research, authoring a paper on security sector transformation in the Arab Awakening for the United States Institute of Peace (2012).
Personal life
Planty is married and has three sons: Reverend Donald J. Planty, Jr., a pastor at St. Charles Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia; Matthew Planty; and Mark Planty.
Selected bibliography
- Security Sector Transformation in the Arab Awakening (United States Institute of Peace, 2012) – a study on security reforms in post‑Arab Spring states.