Karen Donfried

Karen Erika Donfried The State Department announced in March 2023 that Donfried would be stepping down from her post at the end of the month. She also served as president of the German Marshall Fund from April 2014 to September 2021.

Early life and education Donfried was born as daughter to Karl P. Donfried and Katherine E. Donfried Her father was a professor of religion at Smith College, and her mother was the owner of an automobile parts company. At Wesleyan, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In April 2014, Donfried became the first female president of the German Marshall Fund. Since 2019, Donfried has been co-chairing on the Transatlantic Task Force of the German Marshall Fund and the Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung (BKHS), alongside Wolfgang Ischinger.

On March 26, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Donfried as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings on her nomination on July 20, 2021. The committee favorably reported her nomination on August 4, 2021. Donfried was confirmed by the entire Senate on September 28, 2021, by a vote of 73–26.

On September 10, 2024, the Library of Congress announced Donfried's appointment as director of the Congressional Research Service, effective September 23, 2024.

Other activities Council on Foreign Relations, Member American Council on Germany (ACG), Member Foreign Affairs Policy Board, Member Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA), Member of the Strategic Committee World Economic Forum (WEF), Member of the Europe Policy Group (since 2017) World Economic Forum (WEF), Member of the Global Future Council on the Future of Regional Governance

Awards Donfried became an officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2018, received the Cross of the Order of Merit from the German government in 2011, became an officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium in 2010, and received a Superior Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State in 2005 for her contribution to revitalizing the transatlantic partnership. Donfried speaks German.