U.S. appoints first woman ambassador to Bahrain since 1971

Stephanie L. Hallett

By Habib Toumi

MANAMA: The United States has appointed its first woman ambassador to Bahrain, breaking with a tradition that lasted since the diplomatic agreement between the two countries in 1971 and has included 19 male ambassadors.

Bahrain in 2008 appointed a woman, Houda Ezra Nonoo, as its Ambassador to the United States, a role that also included responsibility over Bahraini diplomatic representation to Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina (non-resident).

Houda made history by being the first Jewish ambassador of an Arab country to the United States. Her tenure lasted until 2013.

Bahrain has appointed female ambassadors to the U.S., United Kingdom, France, China, Belgium and Thailand and a chargé d’affaires to Malaysia.

Turkey’s Hilal Başkal made history as the first woman ambassador to Bahrain in 2001. She served until 2005. Two more Turkish women were later appointed Hatun Demirer (2013-2018) and Esin Çakil (2021-present).

Stephanie Hallett in 2023

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Stephanie L. Hallett will be the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

She will replace Steve Bondy who was confirmed by the Senate in December 2021. Bondy, a member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, has received the Presidential Rank Award, several State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, and the Department of Defense Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award. He was recognized as the State Department Senior Foreign Policy Advisor of the Year in 2016.

Stephanie currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy to Israel and served as Chargé d’Affaires a.i. from July to November 2023.

Prior to her assignment in Israel, Stephanie was the Acting Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa and Director of Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council.

She also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, Oman.

Previous assignments include serving as the Deputy Director of the Executive Secretariat Staff in Washington, DC; as the Political and Economic Section Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain; and as the Deputy Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

Stephanie and members of the U.S. Embassy staff in Oman at the 15th Oman Cancer Association Walkathon at Qurm Park on October 13, 2018.

Stephanie also worked in the Office of Iranian Affairs and the State Department Operations Center in Washington, DC, and at the U.S. Consulates General in Monterrey, Mexico and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A native of Florida, Stephanie holds a B.A. from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and a M.Phil from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. She also speaks Arabic and Spanish.

Her nomination was received from the U.S. President in the Senate on Tuesday and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

List of US ambassadors to Bahrain

1. John N. Gatch, Jr. (1971-1972) – Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
2. William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. (1972-1974) – Ambassador to Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates, working out of Kuwait.
3. Joseph W. Twinam (1974-1976) – First ambassador in residence in Manama.
4. Wat T. Cluverius, 4th (1976-1978)
5. Robert H. Pelletreau, Jr. (1979-1980)
6. Peter A. Sutherland (1980-1983)
7. Donald C. Leidel (1983-1986)
8. Sam H. Zakhem (1986-1989)
9. Charles Warren Hostler (1989-1993)
10. David S. Robins (1993-1994) – Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
11. David M. Ransom (1994-1997)
12. Johnny Young (1997-2001)
13. Ronald E. Neumann (2001-2004)
14. William T. Monroe (2004-2007)
15. Adam Ereli (2007-2011)
16. Thomas C. Krajeski (2011–2014)
17. William V. Roebuck (2015-2017)
18. Justin Siberell (2017-2020)
19. Steven C. Bondy (2021)