Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
# Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs in the United States Department of State. The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. President Donald Trump appointed Andrew Lawler to the post as Acting Assistant Secretary and nominated him to the Senate-confirmed post on September 8, 2020. His nomination was returned to the President by the United States Senate on January 3, 2021. President Joe Biden nominated Monica Medina as Assistant Secretary on April 27, 2021. Medina was confirmed by the Senate on September 28, 2021, by a vote of 61–36.

The goal of the agency is to "advance America's security and prosperity through international leadership on oceans, environment, science, space, and health".

## Assistant Secretaries of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 1975—present

| Name | Assumed office | Left office | President appointed by |
| - | - | - | - |
| Dixy Lee Ray | January 19, 1975 | June 20, 1975 | Gerald Ford |
| Frederick Irving | April 28, 1976 | March 26, 1977 | Gerald Ford |
| Patsy T. Mink | March 28, 1977 | May 1, 1978 | Jimmy Carter |
| Thomas R. Pickering | October 10, 1978 | February 24, 1981 | Jimmy Carter |
| James L. Malone | June 1, 1981 | July 22, 1985 | Ronald Reagan |
| John Negroponte | July 19, 1985 | November 23, 1987 | Ronald Reagan |
| Frederick M. Bernthal | May 24, 1988 | March 16, 1990 | Ronald Reagan |
| E. U. Curtis Bohlen | June 27, 1990 | October 31, 1992 | George H. W. Bush |
| Elinor G. Constable | June 2, 1993 | September 15, 1995 | Bill Clinton |
| Eileen B. Claussen | January 19, 1996 | July 18, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
| David B. Sandalow | October 28, 1999 | January 19, 2001 | Bill Clinton |
| John F. Turner | November 13, 2001 | July 11, 2005 | George W. Bush |
| Claudia A. McMurray | February 21, 2006 | January 20, 2009 | George W. Bush |
| Kerri-Ann Jones | August 20, 2009 | April 25, 2014 | Barack Obama |
| Judith G. Garber (acting) | April 26, 2014 | September 7, 2017 | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| vacant | September 7, 2017 | September 7, 2020 | Donald Trump |
| Jonathan M. Moore (acting) | September 8, 2020 | January 20, 2021 | Donald Trump |
| vacant | January 20, 2021 | August 5, 2021 | Joe Biden |
| Marcia Bernicat (acting) | August 6, 2021 | September 28, 2021 | Joe Biden |
| Monica Medina | September 28, 2021 | April 28, 2023 | Joe Biden |
| Jennifer R. Littlejohn (acting) | May 1, 2023 | Present | Joe Biden |

## Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 2014—2021

| Name | Assumed office | Left office | Title |
| - | - | - | - |
| Judith G. Garber | April 26, 2014 | January 1, 2019 | (Acting Assistant Secretary April 26, 2014 – September 7, 2017) Senior Bureau Official September 8, 2017 – January 1, 2019 |
| Marcia Bernicat | January 1, 2019 | April 3, 2020 | Senior Bureau Official |
| Jonathan M. Moore | April 3, 2020 | September 7, 2020 | Senior Bureau Official April 3 – September 7 (named Acting Assistant Secretary September 8, 2020 - January 20, 2021) |
| Marcia Bernicat | January 20, 2021 | August 5, 2021 | Senior Bureau Official January 20 – August 5 (named Acting Assistant Secretary August 6, 2021) |
