Pamela L. Spratlen

Pamela Leora Spratlen (born 1954) is a U.S. diplomat. She is the former United States Ambassador to Uzbekistan and United States Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

Early life and education Pamela Spratlen was born in Columbus, Ohio and was raised in Washington state and California. Her father, Thaddeus Spratlen, was a professor in the Department of Marketing at the University of Washington's School of Business. As a younger man, Thaddeus Spratlen also applied to join the Foreign Service, but was blocked by more racially restrictive hiring policies by the State Department at that time. Pamela Spratlen's mother, Lois Price Spratlen, was an associate professor and ombudsman at the University of Washington's School of Nursing.

Career Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Spratlen volunteered for Volunteers in Service to America and served for almost nine years as a staff member in the California State Legislature.

Spratlen was nominated by President Barack Obama on July 28, 2014, and confirmed by the Senate on November 20, 2014. She was sworn in as United States Ambassador to Uzbekistan on December 18, 2014.

Spratlen has received several Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards from the State Department.

Personal life One of Spratlen's sisters, Pat Spratlen Etem, was a member of the 1980 and 1984 Olympic rowing teams.