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Bernadette Meehan

In the context of today's society, Bernadette Meehan has become a relevant topic that deserves to be deepened and analyzed. From its origins to its impact today, Bernadette Meehan has aroused the interest of experts and people from different fields. This article seeks to explore the various facets of Bernadette Meehan, from its economic implications to its influence on popular culture. Along these lines, the different perspectives will be examined that will help us better understand the role that Bernadette Meehan plays in our daily lives. Likewise, the controversies and debates that revolve around Bernadette Meehan will be addressed, with the aim of enriching readers' knowledge and generating critical reflection on this topic.

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Bernadette Meehan
Meehan in December 2025
United States Ambassador to Chile
In office
September 30, 2022 – January 20, 2025
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byCarol Z. Perez
Succeeded byBrandon Judd
Spokesperson for the United States National Security Council
In office
October 2014 – June 2015
PresidentBarack Obama
Personal details
NationalityAmerican
SpouseEvan S. Medeiros
EducationBoston College (BA)

Bernadette M. Meehan is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Chile from 2022 to 2025. She has been appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Wikimedia Foundation, and is to assume the role on 20 January 2026, succeeding Maryana Iskander.[1] She previously worked as executive vice president of global programs for the Obama Foundation.[2] She also served as spokesperson for the United States National Security Council during the Obama Administration, and as a Foreign Service officer with the Department of State for more than a decade.

Early life and education

Meehan was born in the Bronx, raised in Pleasantville, New York and graduated from Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, New York.[3] She graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.[3] After graduation, she worked on Wall Street, first at JPMorgan Chase and then Lehman Brothers.[4] She later joined the United States Foreign Service.[3][5][6]

Career

Meehan joined the United States Department of State as a Foreign Service officer in 2004, and began her new career as a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.[5] She survived a kidnapping and physical assault by armed men in Bogotá in April 2006. Two of the perpetrators were arrested and sentenced to ten years in jail, while two perpetrators were never found.[7][8]

She served in Colombia for two years before volunteering to serve in Iraq. She worked at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2006 to 2007 as a Consular Officer, and for several months as Special Assistant to Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.[5]

In September 2007, Meehan left Iraq to study Arabic at the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute in Virginia to prepare for her next tour as the public affairs officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.[5]

In 2010 she returned to Washington, D.C. to work as a State Department "line officer", advancing the Secretary of State’s overseas travel. She then became special assistant to the Secretary of State.[5] In 2012, Meehan was detailed to the White House National Security Council (NSC) and in 2014 she became the spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

Meehan left the NSC in 2015 to become an adjunct professor and State Department resident fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.[9] She was recalled to the NSC to oversee the planning for President Obama's historic trip to Havana, Cuba. According to The New York Times, her appointment to this position reflected the importance the President put on the trip and the complicated nature of planning the visit.[10] She then remained at the White House as a Senior Advisor to President Obama until January 2017.

In February 2017, Meehan departed the Foreign Service to serve as the chief international officer at the Obama Foundation.[11] In this role, she was responsible for developing and overseeing all international programs for the Obama Foundation, including the Obama Foundation Scholars;[12] Leaders Africa program; Leaders Asia-Pacific program;[13] and Leaders Europe program. She eventually became the executive vice president for global programs and a member of the foundation's executive committee.

Meehan served on the board of advisors for Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, within the Walsh School of Foreign Service.[14]

United States ambassador to Chile

Meehan sworn in as Ambassador to Chile in 2022 by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman

On July 9, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Meehan to be the next United States ambassador to Chile.[15] Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 15, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination on May 18, 2022.[16] On July 20, 2022, the United States Senate confirmed her nomination by a 51–44 vote.[17] She was sworn in on August 29, 2022[18] and presented her credentials to President Gabriel Boric on September 30, 2022.[19]

As ambassador, Meehan was known for a large social media following[20][21] and popularity among the Chilean people. She made the front page of El Mercurio, Chile's newspaper of record, when she completed a skydive with U.S. and Chilean Special Forces as part of multi-nation joint military exercise Southern Star.[22][23]

She was lauded for multiple commercial and regulatory successes including passage of the U.S.-Chile Bilateral Tax Treaty in both the U.S. and Chilean Senate after more than ten years pending in the U.S. Senate;[24] announcement of Google as lead investor of the Humboldt Cable, the first subsea cable connecting South American and the Asia-Pacific region;[25] and negotiation of a side letter to the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement protecting market access for U.S. dairy and meat exports using common names.[26][27][28][29]

During Meehan's tenure U.S. mining firms also announced significant expansions, including Freeport-McMoran's $7.5 billion investment in copper mining[30] and Albemarle's expansion of lithium extraction and processing.[31]

Following the election of President Donald Trump, Meehan submitted her resignation as ambassador effective January 10, 2025, following tradition for political appointees of both parties.[32][33]

Post-ambassadorial career

On December 9, 2025, Meehan was appointed CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation.[34] She will assume the role on January 20, 2026.[35]

Personal life

Meehan speaks English, Spanish and Arabic.[35] She is married to Evan S. Medeiros, the Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.[36]

References

  1. ^ "Wikimedia Foundation appoints Bernadette Meehan as Chief Executive Officer". Wikimedia Foundation. 2025-12-09. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  2. ^ O'Toole, Molly (5 February 2015). "White House Says Obama's New National Security Strategy a 'Compass' Through 'Shifting Security Landscape'". Defense One. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "The gael fall 2015". Issuu. September 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-08-14. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  4. ^ "Boston College Magazine » Winter 2013 » Linden Lane » Capital gains". Archived from the original on 2015-06-25. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  5. ^ a b c d e Meehan, Bernadette (8 February 2012). "RealJobs: Bernadette Meehan". BC Affairs. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Bernadette Meehan | Institute for the Study of Diplomacy | Georgetown University". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  7. ^ Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (November 3, 2006). "Cárcel a dos hombres por 'paseo millonario' a vicecónsul de E.U." El Tiempo.
  8. ^ "Las Mil Vidas de Bernadette". El Mercurio - Revista Ya. August 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "Bernadette Meehan". isd.georgetown.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10.
  10. ^ Davis, Julie Hirschfeld (2016-03-07). "White House and Cuba Maneuver Over Obama's Visit". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-07-31. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  11. ^ "Obama Foundation Announces New Program to Train Emerging Leaders Across Africa". The Obama Foundation. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  12. ^ "Coming to Columbia This Fall, Obama Foundation Scholars". The New York Times. June 28, 2018. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  13. ^ "The Obamas to launch their foundation's 'Leaders: Asia Pacific' programme in KL this December". www.optionstheedge.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  14. ^ "Board of Advisors". Georgetown University.
  15. ^ "President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Four Individuals to Serve as Ambassadors". The White House. 2021-07-09. Archived from the original on 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  16. ^ "PN787 — Bernadette M. Meehan — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  17. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Bernadette M. Meehan, of New York, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Chile)". www.senate.gov. Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  18. ^ "Quién es Bernadette Meehan, embajadora de EE. UU. En Chile" (in Spanish). 13 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Presidente de la República Gabriel Boric Font recibe Cartas Credenciales de seis nuevos embajadores" [President of the Republic Gabriel Boric Font receives Letters of Credence from six new ambassadors]. Government of Chile. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Las Mil Vidas de Bernadette". El Mercurio - Revista Ya. August 29, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Bernadette Meehan, la embajadora de EEUU que brilla en redes sociales". October 1, 2022.
  22. ^ ""Blue Skies!" Ambassador @USAmbCL Bernadette Meehan performs an epic tandem jump along with U.S and Chilean paratroopers over Colina air space in support of multi-partner-nation Exercise". Twitter. August 8, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  23. ^ "Embajadora de Estados Unidos salta en paracaídas en ejercicio militar conjunto". 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 15 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  24. ^ "Treasury Announces Entry into Force of Income Tax Treaty with Chile". Treasury.gov. December 19, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  25. ^ "Announcing Humboldt, the first cable route between South America and Asia-Pacific". Google.com. January 11, 2024.
  26. ^ "Chile Approves Agreement with U.S. to Protect Market Access for U.S. Cheese and Meat Products". USTR.gov. September 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  27. ^ "IDFA Applauds U.S. Agreement with Chile to Protect U.S. Cheese Exports". International Dairy Foods Association. September 4, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  28. ^ "Agreement secured with Chile to protect U.S. cheese, meat exports". feedstuffs.com. September 5, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  29. ^ "U.S., Chile Strike Landmark Common Names Agreement". National Milk Producers. October 2, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  30. ^ "Freeport McMoran plans $7.5bn investment to expand Chile copper mine". mining.com. July 23, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  31. ^ "Yellen sees big jump in US imports from Chile, eyes progress on green transition". Reuters.com. March 2, 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  32. ^ Ramírez, Sebastian (2024-12-04). "U.S. ambassador to Chile resigns, a key player in bilateral agricultural relations". FreshFruitPortal.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-09. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  33. ^ "CNN Íntimo: Bernadette Meehan, embajadora EE.UU en Chile". CNNChile. January 2025. Archived from the original on 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  34. ^ Sophia, Deborah Mary (December 9, 2025). "Exclusive: Wikipedia operator taps former US Ambassador to Chile for CEO role". Reuters.
  35. ^ a b "Wikimedia Foundation appoints Bernadette Meehan as Chief Executive Officer". Wikimedia Foundation. December 9, 2025.
  36. ^ "Evan S. Medeiros Biography" (PDF). Georgetown University. 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
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