John Kelly (diplomat)
John Kelly is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, serving as the United States Ambassador to the State of Qatar. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 30, 2023, and sworn in on December 7, 2023. He presented his credentials to the Qatari government on January 25, 2024.
Prior to his ambassadorship, Kelly served as Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. He previously held the position of Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Other overseas assignments include service in Rome, Italy, and Cairo, Egypt. Domestically, Kelly has worked on the Secretary of State's staff and in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs.
Kelly holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College and an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He speaks Arabic and Italian.