Earle D. Litzenberger

Ambassador Lee Litzenberger retired as a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in 2022 after 38 years as a Political Officer. From 2019-2022 he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan during the COVID pandemic and the 2020 conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In prior assignments, he served as Chargé and Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO (2014-2017), Deputy Chief of Mission in Serbia (2010-2013) and in Kyrgyzstan (2006-2009), and NATO Deputy Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan (2013-2014). His other overseas assignments included the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels (2002-2006), the U.S. Embassies in Kazakhstan (1996-1999), Bulgaria (1992-1995) and Algeria (1984-1986), and at the Consulate General in Marseille, France (1996-1988).

His domestic assignments included Senior Bureau Official in the Bureau of Political Military Affairs in 2018, and assignments in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of State, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and the Bureau of Political Military Affairs. Prior to joining the State Department, he worked as a Management Analyst at the Defense Logistics Agency.

He is the recipient of the Sinclaire Language Award, six Superior Honor Awards, four Meritorious Honor Awards, and the NATO Afghanistan medal.

He received a Master's Degree in National Security Studies from the U.S. Army War College and a Bachelor's Degree in History from Middlebury College.

Ambassador Litzenberger speaks French, Russian, Serbian and Bulgarian.

He is married and has two grown children and two grandchildren.