Gerald M. Feierstein

Gerald Michael Feierstein (born 1951) was the United States Ambassador to Yemen under President Barack Obama from September 2010 to October 2013. Since December 2013, Feierstein has served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs in the Department of State.

Background Feierstein was born in 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He received a B.A. in Philosophy from Point Park College in 1973 and an M.A. in International Relations from Duquesne University in 1975.

Career

Diplomatic service

In June 1975, Feierstein joined the Foreign Service as Director of the Office of Regional Affairs in the Near East Bureau. He subsequently served as: Director of the Office of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Affairs; Deputy Director in the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs; and Desk Officer for Nepal, Pakistan and Egypt.

Years Location Mission Notes 1976–78 Islamabad 1983–85 Tunis 1985–87 Riyadh 1989–92 Peshawar 1995–98 Muscat Chargé d'affaires 1998–2001 Jerusalem Deputy consul general 2003–04 Beirut 2008–10 Islamabad Deputy Chief of Mission 2010–13 Sana'a Ambassador

In 2012, al Qaeda in Yemen offered of gold (about US$160,000) for killing an American soldier in Yemen.

Later

Since October 2016, Feierstein has served as a Senior Fellow and Director for Gulf Affairs and Government Relations at the Middle East Institute.

In November 2018, the MEI Board of Directors named Feierstein as Senior Vice President of the Institute.

Personal life

Feierstein met his first wife, Mary, who is Pakistani, while first posted in Islamabad. His son served two combat tours in the United States Marine Corps during the Iraq War. In 2015, the marriage ended in divorce. In 2015, Feierstein married Carolyn McIntyre.