Jennifer Bachus

Jennifer Bachus is an American diplomat and career member of the Senior Foreign Service who serves as principal deputy assistant secretary and senior bureau official for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the 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.

Career Bachus joined the United States Foreign Service in 1998 and is a long-time member of the American Foreign Service Association.

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 issues.

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.

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 ad interim and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic,