Peter Bridges

With more than 29 years as an officer of the Foreign Service of the United States, Ambassador Bridges brings a wealth of history and policy experience to his presentations.
The Ambassador's last post was American Ambassador to Somalia (1984-6). From the embassy in Mogadishu, he supervised the largest American aid program in Sub-Saharan Africa in the difficult years before Somalia's civil war. Other posts have included Panama, Moscow, Prague and Rome.
In Washington, D.C., Bridges continued to serve our country in the Treasury Department as executive secretary (Carter Administration) and State Department as Director of United Nations Political Affairs and Director of East European Affairs (Reagan administration).
After government service, he worked as director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, manager of international affairs for Shell Oil of Houston, and resident representative in the Czech Republic of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Develoment.
New Orleans born, Chicago raised and a Dartmouth College graduate, Amb. Bridges earned his B.A. in Russian studies. His master's degree from Columbia Univrsity was in Slavic Languages.
Mr. Bridges' book, Safirka: An American Envoy deals largely with his experiences in Somalia. Another book about to be published (2001) is John Moncure Daniel: American diplomat and Confederate editor.

(created 23 October 2001)