Fall 2009 : Ambassador Shirley E. Barnes

In a distinguished Foreign Service career, Ambassador Shirley Barnes served as ambassador to Madagascar (1998-2001), Consul General in Strasbourg, Director of Western European Affairs, and in Cairo, Dakar, Berlin, Sofia,Sanaa and Rome. She currently serves as the Director of the Barnes Findley Foundation, dedicated to combatting human trafficking and promoting economic development, education and training for African women and girls. She is an active member of the Thursday Luncheon Group and the Association of Black American Ambassadors, among other organizations.

A graduate of City University of New York who was born in St. Augustine, FL, but considers New York City home, recently was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar.

For Ambassador Shirley Elizabeth Barnes, the promotion was a step forward for a woman who worked for the Ford Foundation in the Congo and with the African-American Institute in New York City.  She reached the level of vice president in several major advertising agencies in the city before she joined the State Department.  In her foreign service career, Barnes served in Cairo, Dakar, West Berlin and Sofia. Her most recent overseas assignment was as consul general in Strasbourg.

Ambassador Barnes is an avid collector of African art, a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a member of the American Foreign Service Association.