Pamela L. Spratlen is a mentor, board member and public speaker who served 30 years in the U.S. Department of State. She retired as a Senior Foreign Service Officer in 2019. She briefly returned to State in 2021 to oversee efforts to address the “Havana Syndrome.” Ms. Spratlen’s leadership experience included 10 years in Central Asia, of which she served eight as U.S. Ambassador, first to Kyrgyzstan (2011-14) and then to Uzbekistan (2015-18). She also served as Deputy Chief of Mission (Deputy to the Ambassador) in Kazakhstan (2009-11) and in Washington as the Country Director/acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia (2006-07). During her service in Central Asia, Ms. Spratlen consistently addressed human rights and economic reform as she worked to improve bilateral diplomatic and security relations with the governments of the region.

Ms. Spratlen’s senior Washington assignments include Senior Advisor in the Office of the Inspector General (2018-19); Director of Western European Affairs (2008-09), Director of Central Asian Affairs and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary (2006-08); Special Assistant to the Counselor to the Secretary of State (2005-06), Consul General in Vladivostok (2002-04). In her early and mid-career Ms. Spratlen served in Guatemala City, Paris, Moscow, Honolulu, and Washington (1990-2002). She began her career as a VISTA volunteer in California. Before joining State she served for over eight years on the professional staffs of committees of the California Legislature, where she focused higher education.

Ms. Spratlen was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up on the U.S. West Coast in California and Washington. She received her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and holds master’s degrees from the Army War College and the Goldman School of Public Policy at U.C. Berkeley. Ms. Spratlen has received numerous awards. The President of Uzbekistan conferred the country’s highest civilian award on her in 2018 – the Order of Do’stlik (Friendship).

Ms. Spratlen continues to support strong U.S. diplomacy and development as a member of the boards of the American Academy of Diplomacy, the Eurasia Foundation and on the Policy Council of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation. She speaks Russian, French and Spanish. Ms. Spratlen resides in Alexandria, VA.