Trump nominates Teplitz as US Ambassador to Sri Lanka

President Donald Trump today nominated career foreign service officer Alaina B Teplitz as the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

She is currently the US Ambassador to Nepal.

If confirmed by the Senate, Teplitz would replace Indian-American Atul Keshap, who is the current US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, she joined the US State Department in 1991. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Earlier, Teplitz held the Assistant Secretary-ranked position of Director of the Under Secretary for Management's Office of Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation (M/PRI) at the Department of State from 2012-2015.

Under her leadership, M/PRI found innovative ways to reform bureaucracy and improve the way that our diplomatic service operates. She championed efforts to improve knowledge management, data use and risk management, says her biodata at the State Department.

Teplitz was Minister Counselor for Management at US Embassy in Kabul from 2011-2012. She also served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Near East and South and Central Asia Bureau's joint executive office from 2009-2011, where she handled the South and Central Asia portfolio, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.