Bio
Robert Gelbard is a veteran American diplomat with a Foreign Service career spanning over three decades.
Ambassador Gelbard held numerous senior roles in the U.S. State Department, including U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (under the administration of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush) as well as Ambassador to Indonesia and Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (under the administration of Bill Clinton). He also served as President Clinton’s Special Representative to the Balkans. Other roles include: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South America, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, U.S. Representative to the Paris Club, and as a member of numerous U.S. Government delegations to the OECD, among other positions and posts. Throughout his government and diplomatic career, he served seven U.S. presidents from both political parties.
Ambassador Gelbard has received numerous U.S. government awards, among them the Presidential Meritorious Award and the State Department's Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor Awards. After government service, he became an international business consultant and has served on the boards of several organizations focused on foreign policy as well as numerous corporate boards. Among them he is co-Chair of the Green School Dean’s Advisory Board.
Ambassador Gelbard graduated from Colby College and earned a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.