Kara McDonald

Kara C. McDonald is an American diplomat currently serving as the United States ambassador to Lithuania. She previously served as the deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor from 2020 to 2024.

Early life and education

McDonald was raised in Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and comparative literature from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts degree from The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She speaks French, Romanian, and Russian.

Career

McDonald is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. She has served as U.S. Consul General in Strasbourg, deputy permanent observer to the Council of Europe, and deputy chief of mission in Chișinău, Moldova.

Other roles include director in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, deputy special coordinator for Haiti, and director for United Nations and International Operations at the National Security Council.

She was also a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and held overseas posts in Bucharest and Port-au-Prince. From 2021 to 2022, she served as the senior official to monitor and combat antisemitism Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 21, 2023. The committee favorably reported her nomination on July 13, 2023. On November 29, 2023, her nomination was confirmed in the Senate by voice vote. She presented her credentials to President Gitanas Nausėda on January 26, 2024.