US Senate confirms new envoy to PH MaryKay Loss Carlson

MANILA, Philippines — The United States Senate on Thursday, May 5, confirmed the appointment of MaryKay Loss Carlson as the next US ambassador to the Philippines.

Carlson’s confirmation was made through a voice vote, according to official US Congress records. Her appointment was first announced back in February 4 by US President Joe Biden.

The Arkansas native succeeds Sung Kim, who served as US envoy to Manila from November 2016 to October 2020. Kim is currently US Special Representative for North Korea Policy. (READ: In plot twist, outgoing US ambassador gets in Duterte’s good graces)

The embassy has been headed by chargé d’affaires Heather Variava since September 2021. She succeeded chargé d’affaires John Law, who was at the helm from October 2020 to September 2021.

Carlson’s assignment to Manila is the latest in a foreign service career that started in 1985.

Her most recent appointment was as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

She had served as deputy chief of mission in New Delhi, India for three years, 10 months of which she served chargé d’affaires. Carlson had been assigned to US diplomatic missions in China, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic.

According to a profile on the US State Department website, Carlson holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College, Tennessee, and masters’ degrees from Georgetown University and the National War College. She is also a Spanish and Chinese speaker, the profile added.

Also confirmed by the US Senate were two other diplomats for key Asia-Pacific posts: Caroline Kennedy as ambassador to Australia, and Philip Goldberg as envoy to South Korea.

Kennedy, the daughter of former US President John Kennedy, was previously the US envoy to Japan under President Barack Obama. Career diplomat Goldberg was also a former envoy to the Philippines. – Rappler.com