On April 22, 2022, President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Michael Gonzales as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia. On April 25, 2022, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee received the nomination.
Michael C. Gonzales of California is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor. He currently serves as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. Before this assignment, Gonzales was the Director of Analysis of Africa in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Overseas, he held leadership positions as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, and of the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi; and as the Political and Economic Counselor of the U.S. Embassies in Harare, Zimbabwe and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Among other assignments, Gonzales served as Spokesperson and Information Officer at the U.S Embassy in Addis Ababa; Ethiopia Desk Officer in the State Department; and Deputy Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, Uganda.
Gonzales earned a B.A. Degree from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, and an M.A. Degree from American University’s School of International Service in Washington, D.C. He speaks Spanish and French.
