{{Short description|American diplomat (born 1953)}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Judith Beth Cefkin |image = Judith Beth Cefkin official photo.jpg |office = 15th United States Ambassador to Fiji |president = Barack Obama<br />Donald Trump |term_start = February 3, 2015 |term_end = February 25, 2018 |predecessor = Frankie A. Reed |successor = Joseph Cella |office1 = 12th United States Ambassador to Kiribati |president1 = Barack Obama<br>Donald Trump |term_start1 = February 23, 2015 |term_end1 = February 25, 2018 |predecessor1 = Frankie A. Reed |successor1 = Joseph Cella |office2 = 13th United States Ambassador to Nauru |president2 = Barack Obama<br>Donald Trump |term_start2 = August 12, 2015 |term_end2 = February 25, 2018 |predecessor2 = Frankie A. Reed |successor2 = Joseph Cella |office3 = 15th United States Ambassador to Tonga |president3 = Barack Obama<br>Donald Trump |term_start3 = April 22, 2015 |term_end3 = February 25, 2018 |predecessor3 = Frankie A. Reed |successor3 = Joseph Cella |office4 = 13th United States Ambassador to Tuvalu |president4 = Barack Obama<br>Donald Trump |term_start4 = May 12, 2015 |term_end4 = February 25, 2018 |predecessor4 = Frankie A. Reed |successor4 = Joseph Cella |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1953}} |birth_place = Colorado, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Paul Boyd |alma_mater = Smith College<br />London School of Economics |salary = |website = }}
'''Judith Beth Cefkin''' (born in 1953) is an American diplomat and former ambassador to five nations in Oceania. She served concurrently as the ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu, while in residence in Suva, Fiji.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 February 2020 |title=The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Program AMBASSADOR JUDITH CEFKIN |url=https://adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Cefkin.Judith.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621162946/https://adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Cefkin.Judith.pdf |archive-date=21 June 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 |website=Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Cefkin was born in New York to Rose (née) Mackanick and John Leo Cefkin.<ref>[http://www.goesfuneralcare.com/obituaries/Rose-Cefkin/#!/Obituary Rose Cefkin] Obituary, Oct 8 2014</ref> She grew up in Ft. Collins, Colorado, where her father was a professor of political science at Colorado State University.<ref>[http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/us-ambassador-to-fiji-tonga-kiribati-tuvalu-and-nauru-who-is-judith-cefkin-141011?news=854499 U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru: Who Is Judith Cefkin?] AllGov, accessed March 28, 2016</ref> Cefkin attended Smith College, where she earned a B.A. in government in 1975. She then studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, earning a master's degree in International Relations in 1977.
==Career== thumb|left|Ambassador Judith Cefkin speaks as USNS Mercy arrives at Suva Port, Fiji After completing graduate studies, Cefkin became a television news producer.<ref>[http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=295328 New US ambassador visits newsroom] The Fiji Times, February 17, 2015</ref> She worked as a legislative intern in Washington, D.C. and also worked in the Office of Technology Assessment for Congress.
In 1983 Cefkin embarked on a career in the Foreign Service. Her assignments have included ones in Thailand, France, Mexico and The Philippines. She served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/marines-drink-cobra-blood-eat-insects-jungle-survival-drills-thailand-article-1.1021776 Marines drink cobra blood, eat insects in jungle survival drills in Thailand] New York Daily News, February 13, 2012</ref> {{clear|left}}
She was nominated by President Barack Obama as ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu on July 9, 2014. Her nomination was confirmed by the Senate on November 19, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=PN1841 — Judith Beth Cefkin — Department of State 113th Congress (2013-2014) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/1841 |website=US Congress |date=November 19, 2014 |access-date=September 1, 2022}}</ref> She presented her credentials in the five nations between February and August 2015, and served until February 25, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/cefkin-judith-beth|title=Judith Beth Cefkin (1953–)|work=Department of State}}</ref>
==Personal life== Cefkin is married to Paul Boyd, a foreign service officer who has also served as a police officer and member of the U.S. Special Forces.<ref>[http://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Cefkin_Testimony.pdf Testimony of Judith B. Cefkin Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of Tonga, and Tuvalu] U.S. Senate, September 10, 2014</ref>
In addition to English she speaks French, Thai, Bosnian and Spanish.<ref>[http://www.thejetnewspaper.com/2014/11/20/outgoing-u-s-ambassador-congratulates-her-successor-judith-cefkin/ OUTGOING U.S. AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATES HER SUCCESSOR JUDITH CEFKIN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416103221/http://www.thejetnewspaper.com/2014/11/20/outgoing-u-s-ambassador-congratulates-her-successor-judith-cefkin/ |date=2016-04-16 }} The Jet Newspaper, November 20, 2014</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://fj.usembassy.gov/ U.S. Embassy - Fiji] * [https://fj.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ U.S. Embassy Mission Leaders - Fiji] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409075330/https://fj.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/ |date=2020-04-09 }} * [https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/213516.htm U.S. Department of State Biography]
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{succession box|title=United States Ambassador to Fiji|before=Frankie A. Reed|after='''Michael B. Goldman<br />Chargé d’Affaires ad interim'''|years=2015–2018}} {{s-end}} {{US Ambassadors to Fiji}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cefkin, Judith Beth}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Fiji Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Kiribati Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Nauru Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Tuvalu Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Tonga Category:Women ambassadors of the United States Category:Obama administration personnel Category:Smith College alumni Category:United States Foreign Service personnel Category:21st-century American women civil servants Category:21st-century American diplomats