Martin Forums | 2012-13

Richard LeBaron is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center of the Atlantic Council, located in Washington DC. He is currently working on projects related to US policy towards the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. LeBaron retired from the State Department in April of 2012 after serving as a US diplomat for over thirty years.

His final position at the State Department was Coordinator of the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications. His most recent overseas posting was as Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in London from August 2007 to August 2010. Mr. LeBaron served as Chargé d’Affaires in London from February to August 2009.

Previous to his assignment to London, Mr. LeBaron served as the U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait (2004-2007). From September 2001 to July 2004, Mr. LeBaron served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the United States in Tel Aviv, Israel. Mr. LeBaron was Minister-Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs at the Embassy of the United States in Cairo, Egypt from 1998 to 2001.

While posted in Washington from 1991 to 1998, Mr. LeBaron served in three positions related to the Middle East: Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, Director of the Peace Process and Regional Affairs Office in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State, and Public Affairs Adviser for the Near Eastern Bureau. From 1991 to 1993, Mr. LeBaron was Political Officer in the State Department’s Office of European Community Affairs.

Mr. LeBaron’s earlier overseas diplomatic postings included: Lisbon (1989-91), Tunis (1986-89), New Delhi (1982-84) and Managua (1980-82). Before he entered the Foreign Service, Mr. LeBaron held a two-year consultancy in Brazil working on science policy issues. Mr. LeBaron studied at the University of Colorado (BA) and the George Washington University (MA).