Patrick Francis Kennedy retired from the U.S. Department of State on January 31, 2017, after a 44 year career as a management professional, during which he rose to the rank of Career Minister in the Foreign Service.

He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Under Secretary for Management on November 6, 2007 and served in that position until January 27, 2017. In that position he was responsible for the people, resources, finances, facilities, technology, consular affairs and security of the Department of State, both domestically and overseas, and served concurrently as the Department’s Chief Financial Officer.

Prior to assuming that position, he was Director of the State Department’s Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation from May, 2007; Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Management from April, 2005 to May, 2007; and from February, 2005 to April, 2005 he headed the Transition Team that set up the newly established Office of the Director of National Intelligence. From September, 2001 to May, 2005, he was U.S. Representative to the United Nations for Management and Reform with the Rank of Ambassador. During that period he also served from May, 2003 to the end of November 2003 as Chief of Staff of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, and from May, 2004 to late August, 2004 as Chief of Staff of the Transition Unit in Iraq.

In 1993 he became Assistant Secretary of State for Administration and served in that post until 2001. Concurrently, from August, 1996 to August, 1997 he served as the Acting Under Secretary for Management; during 1998, as Acting Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security; and from 1997 to 2001 as the Coordinator for the Reorganization of the Foreign Affairs Agencies.

From 1973, when he joined the Foreign Service, to 1993, he served in a number of positions in Washington and overseas, including as Management Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt and as Executive Director and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Department’s Executive Secretariat.

Mr. Kennedy is a native of Chicago, Illinois and received a BSFS degree from Georgetown University.

Mr. Kennedy is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a SAGE at the Partnership for Public Service, a Member of the Board of Directors of the American College of National Security Leaders, and a member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs.

He is married to Mary Elizabeth Swope, also a retired Foreign Service Officer.