# Jennifer Bachus

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jennifer_Bachus
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jennifer_Bachus.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Bachus
> Source revision: 1326362842
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American diplomat}}
[[File:UN AI for Good Summit 2025 - Jennifer Bachus 01.jpg|thumb|Bachus at the 2025 [AI for Good Summit](/source/ITU_AI_for_Good) in [Geneva](/source/Geneva)]]

'''Jennifer Bachus''' is an American diplomat and career member of the [Senior Foreign Service](/source/Senior_Foreign_Service) who serves as principal deputy assistant secretary and senior bureau official for the [Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy](/source/Bureau_of_Cyberspace_and_Digital_Policy) at the [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State). She was the inaugural lead official of the bureau when it was established in 2022 and has acted as head of the bureau pending the appointment of an ambassador-at-large.<ref name="Nextgov">{{Cite web |last=Kelley|first=Alexandra|date=April 4, 2022|title=State Department Announces First Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy|url=https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2022/04/state-department-announces-first-bureau-cyberspace-and-digital-policy/363982/|website=Nextgov/FCW|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref><ref name="AFSAFSJ">{{Cite web |title=New Bureau, New Cyber Priorities in Foreign Affairs|url=https://afsa.org/new-bureau-new-cyber-priorities-foreign-affairs|website=The Foreign Service Journal|publisher=American Foreign Service Association|date=November 2022|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref>

== Career ==
Bachus joined the [United States Foreign Service](/source/United_States_Foreign_Service) in 1998 and is a long-time member of the [American Foreign Service Association](/source/American_Foreign_Service_Association).<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /> She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service.<ref name="USChamber">{{Cite web |title=Jennifer Bachus|url=https://events.uschamber.com/sicwdinner/2612581|website=U.S. Chamber of Commerce|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref>

In 2022 the State Department created the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) to lead and coordinate U.S. diplomacy on cyberspace, digital technologies, and related [cyber-security](/source/Computer_security) issues.<ref name="Nextgov" /> Bachus was named the bureau’s senior bureau official and principal deputy assistant secretary, serving as its inaugural lead while the administration sought Senate confirmation of an ambassador-at-large to head the office.<ref name="Nextgov" /><ref name="AFSAFSJ" /> As principal deputy assistant secretary, she has overseen work on international cyber security, cross-border data policy, and digital rights, including U.S. participation in multilateral discussions on cyber norms and internet governance.<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /><ref name="TechHQ">{{Cite web |last=Kaur|first=Dashveenjit|date=October 8, 2024|title=Unpacking the US global cyberspace & digital policy strategy with Jennifer Bachus|url=https://techhq.com/news/unpacking-the-us-global-cyberspace-digital-policy-strategy-with-jennifer-bachus/|website=TechHQ|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref>

Bachus has described the bureau’s approach as one of “digital solidarity”, in which the United States works with partners and allies to promote an open, secure, and rights-respecting digital environment rather than pursuing unilateral technological dominance.<ref name="TechHQ" /> She has spoken publicly about the bureau’s role in shaping international responses to [ransomware](/source/ransomware), [supply-chain security](/source/Supply_chain_security), and the protection of [undersea cables](/source/Submarine_cable), data centres, and other critical digital infrastructure.<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /><ref name="TechHQ" />

Bachus has appeared frequently in public discussions of cyber diplomacy and digital policy, including events hosted by the American Foreign Service Association, the [Technology Policy Institute](/source/Technology_Policy_Institute)’s Aspen Forum, the [German Marshall Fund](/source/German_Marshall_Fund), and the [International Telecommunication Union’s](/source/International_Telecommunication_Union) AI for Good Global Summit, where she has represented the State Department’s perspective on international cyber security and cross-border data flows.<ref name="AFSAInside">{{Cite web |title=Inside Diplomacy: The State of U.S. Cyber Diplomacy|url=https://afsa.org/inside-diplomacy-state-us-cyber-diplomacy|website=American Foreign Service Association|date=July 14, 2022|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref><ref name="Aspen">{{Cite web |title=Aspen Forum 2024 – Speakers|url=https://techpolicyinstitute.org/aspen-forum/aspen-forum-2024/|website=Technology Policy Institute|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref><ref name="GMF">{{Cite web |title=A Trusted Framework for Cross-Border Data Flows|url=https://www.gmfus.org/event/trusted-framework-cross-border-data-flows-0|website=German Marshall Fund of the United States|date=October 5, 2023|access-date=2025-11-28}}</ref> 

=== Early foreign service career ===
Before moving into cyber and digital policy, Bachus held a series of overseas and Washington assignments. She served as ''[chargé d’affaires](/source/Charg%C3%A9_d'affaires) ad interim'' and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in [Prague](/source/Prague), [Czech Republic](/source/Czech_Republic),<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /><ref name="USChamber" /> and earlier as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in [Pristina](/source/Pristina), [Kosovo](/source/Kosovo).<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /> Her other overseas postings have included work as political-economic counselor at the U.S. Embassy in [Astana](/source/Astana), [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan), and as head of the [American Presence Post](/source/American_Presence_Post) in [Toulouse](/source/Toulouse), [France](/source/France).<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /> In Washington she has served as office director for Central Europe in the [Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs](/source/Bureau_of_European_and_Eurasian_Affairs) and as special assistant in the Office of the [Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment](/source/Under_Secretary_of_State_for_Economic_Growth%2C_Energy%2C_and_the_Environment).<ref name="AFSAFSJ" /><ref name="USChamber" />

===Education===
Bachus has a M.A. from the [College of Europe](/source/College_of_Europe) in [Bruges](/source/Bruges) and her undergraduate degree is from [Brown University](/source/Brown_University).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jenny Backus ’90 {{!}} Pembroke Center {{!}} Brown University|url=https://pembroke.brown.edu/people/jenny-backus-90|website=pembroke.brown.edu|access-date=2025-11-28|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}
{{United States Department of State}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bachus, Jennifer}}
Category:Women diplomats for the United States
Category:Diplomats for the United States
Category:Brown University alumni
Category:College of Europe alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jennifer Bachus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Bachus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Bachus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.