US Ambassador Designate Arrives at Post
Jeffrey D. Levine, the incoming US ambassador to Estonia, arrived in Tallinn on Sunday in preparation for officially taking up his post next week.
The California native is due to present his credentials to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on September 17.
Levine, who joined the US State Department in 1985, is a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Sofia from 2003 to 2006 and in Budapest from 2007 to 2010, after which he held the position of Director for Recruitment, Examination and Employment, the embassy said in a statement.
Prior to taking up a diplomatic career, Levine worked for seven years as a newspaper reporter and was a founding staff member of USA Today.
“I consider myself a tech guy and look forward to experiencing Estonia's advanced use of technology in daily life. I will also be seeking every opportunity to link Estonian entrepreneurs to their counterparts in the United States,” he said in an introductory YouTube video released by the Embassy in mid-August.
Levine replaces Michael Polt, who served as ambassador from December 2009 until his departure this July.
Steve Roman