Judith Beth Cefkin

Deputy Chief of Mission Judith Beth Cefkin

Ms. Cefkin assumed her duties as Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand on July 9, 2010.  This is Ms. Cefkin’s second tour in Bangkok.  She served here previously (1990-1993) as the Ambassador’s Staff Assistant and as a Political Officer.  Ms. Cefkin’s most recent prior assignments were as DCM at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006-2009), and as an examiner on the Foreign Service Board of Examiners. 

Ms. Cefkin began her State Department career in 1983, serving as a vice consul in Mexico City.  In 1985, Ms. Cefkin returned to the State Department serving as the Desk Officer for Rwanda, Burundi, and the Central African Republic, followed by a tour in the Political-Military Bureau's Office of Security Assistance and Sales.  After completing Thai language training, Ms. Cefkin transferred to Bangkok. 

Succeeding assignments included:  the U.S. Embassy in Paris, where she headed the Political Internal Unit; State's Office of European Union and Regional Affairs; the U.S. Embassy in Manila, where she served as Counselor for Political Affairs; and Washington where she served as Deputy Director of the State Department’s Office of Western European Affairs, and then Director of the Office of Nordic and Baltic Affairs, charged with managing relations with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. 

Prior to entering the Foreign Service, Ms. Cefkin worked as a television news producer at network news affiliates in Denver and Houston.  She also worked in Congress's Office of Technology Assessment and as a legislative intern in the U.S. Senate.  She received a B.A. in Government from Smith College (1975), followed by a Masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (1977).

Ms. Cefkin is married to Paul L. Boyd, who is also a Foreign Service Officer.  Mr. Boyd is currently the Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea.