◉ By Domani Spero

On June 10, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Daniel B. Baer as the next United States Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with rank of Ambassador. The WH released the following brief bio:

Daniel B. Baer is a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.  Prior to joining the Administration in 2009, he was an Assistant Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.  From 2007 to 2008, Dr. Baer was a Faculty Fellow in the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University.  From 2004 to 2007, he worked at The Boston Consulting Group, first as a consultant and later a project leader.

Dr. Baer received an A.B. from Harvard University, an M.Phil and a D.Phil from Oxford University.

The Human Rights Campaign stated about Baer:

“Daniel Baer — the current Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor — If confirmed, would become the fourth openly-LGBT person to serve as a U.S. Ambassador abroad, and the first to a multilateral institution. “Deputy Assistant Secretary Baer has led a distinguished career of public service, both at home and abroad,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Over the last few years at the Department of State, Daniel has worked tirelessly to promote democracy and human rights in every corner of the globe, helping to secure and protect the freedoms of the world’s most vulnerable communities. This, paired with his years of global business experience, makes him an outstanding choice to be our nation’s next Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”

Mr. Baer’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for today, June 11 at 2:15 pm.  If confirmed, Mr. Baer would succeed career diplomat and former State Department spokesman Ian Kelly who was appointed to OSCE (in Vienna) in March 2010.

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