John Forbes Kerry was named as the 68th Secretary of State of the United States on February 1, 2013.
Previously, Mr. Kerry served 28 years in the United States Senate, with the last four as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
As a senator Mr. Kerry was a leader on key foreign policy and national security issues, including nuclear nonproliferation and global climate change. Prior to chairing the committee, Mr. Kerry chaired the Asia and Middle East subcommittees where he authored and passed major legislation on international drug trafficking, international money laundering, humanitarian aid, and climate change, and he helped negotiate the agreement establishing the United Nations tribunal to prosecute war crimes in Cambodia.
Mr. Kerry was represented on the Board by Richard Stengel, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. On December 8, Ambassador Bruce Wharton was designated as acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.