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Genta H. Holmes

Genta Hawkins Holmes (born September 3, 1940) is an American foreign service officer who served as ambassador to Namibia and Australia.[1] In addition, she has served as a "Diplomat-in-Residence" at the University of California, Davis.

Genta H. Holmes

None

(1940-08-03) August 3, 1940
Anadarko, Oklahoma

Early life and education[edit]

Holmes graduated from high school at Huntington Park High School, Huntington Park, California, in 1958. She received her B.A. in International Relations magna cum laude from the University of Southern California in 1962 and pursued graduate studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science on a Rotary International Fellowship from 1962 to 1963.[2]

Working for Congress as an American Political Science Association Fellow (1977–1978). She was the first woman selected for this position.

Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs at the (1979)

U.S. Agency for International Development

Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in , Haiti during a tense and violent period (1986–1988)

Port-au-Prince

Deputy Chief of Mission in the U.S. Embassy in at the time of the transition (1989–1990)

South Africa

Deputy Chief of Mission in 1984–1986

Malawi

Chief of the Economic/Commercial Section at the American Embassy in , Bahamas

Nassau

U.S. Embassy in

Paris

U.S. Embassy in , Cote d’Ivoire

Abidjan

During her career at the U.S. State Department, she was the first U.S. Ambassador to Namibia and later served as Ambassador to Australia. From 1992 to 1995 she was the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Personnel at the State Department. During her career in the Foreign Service, other assignments included:


Ambassador Holmes speaks French, and holds both the Presidential and a Superior Honor Awards of the Department of State. She is married to Michael Dayton Holmes, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran.

University of California, Davis: Biography of Professor Holmes

Professor Holmes’ course at UC Davis