Draft:James Holtsnider

James Holtsnider is an American diplomat who is the nominee to serve as the United States ambassador to Samoa.

Education
Holtsnider received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and his master’s degree from Princeton University.

Career
Prior to joining the State Department, Holtsnider served for six years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor. He was the deputy director of the Office of Iranian Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Earlier, Holtsnider was the management officer of the U.S. Mission in Somalia. He also served in Afghanistan as a political advisor to the U.S. military’s Regional Command East in Bagram and in Iraq as a Provincial Action Officer on U.S. Provincial Reconstruction Team Ninewa, Mosul, Iraq. Holtsnider has also had assignments at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy as a general services officer, at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia as a consular officer, and as a special assistant to the deputy secretary of state for management and resources.

On May 2, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Holtsnider to serve as the next United States ambassador to Samoa. His nomination is pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Personal life
Holtsnider speaks Italian and French.