Dr. Keith Anderton Shares Insights from 28-Year Diplomatic Career

President Gordon Martin and Rotarian Jeet Radia with Dr. Anderton

This week the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed multi-lingual veteran U.S. State Department diplomat Dr. Keith Anderton. He shared stories from his 28-year career, along with insights on the historical context, international policies and current-day implications within his sphere of expertise in Europe, Japan, China and Russia. He shared the diplomat’s role to solve problems and promote U.S. foreign policy objectives abroad with an extensive cross-cultural understanding.

“Diplomacy comes down to compromise in the interest of achieving U.S. national interests,” Dr. Anderton said. “The best diplomats are persuasive negotiators, people who can think on their feet, suggest alternatives, and look for win-win solutions.

“We are almost uniquely a nation of people who came from other nations. And our diplomatic corps today reflects this diversity, which I think gives us a leg up on understanding the rest of the world. U.S. diplomacy is about leadership…It’s a role we should continue to embrace and cherish. If we are a nation which truly believes in peace, justice and freedom for all…I think we have a duty to promote and preserve these values both at home and abroad to the best of our ability.”

Bio for Dr. Keith Anderton

Multilingual foreign affairs executive with over 28 years' experience leading and motivating teams to solve problems and promote U.S. foreign policy objectives in Europe and Asia. Self-directed. strategic thinker comfortable operating in foreign environments. Fluent in French, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian. Seeking to contribute unique skills and varied experience gained through living and working in nine countries to further international trade and cross-cultural understanding. Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander, U.S. Army Europe, Frankfurt, Germany; Counselor for Nuclear Affairs, U.S. Mission to international Organizations in Vienna, Austria; Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand; and the First Secretary, U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium.

Select Professional Experience:
Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander, U.S. Army Europe, Frankfurt, Germany
Counselor for Nuclear Affairs, U.S. Mission to lnt'I Organizations in Vienna, Austria
Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand
First Secretary, U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium

Other Relevant Experience
Deputy Director, Office of Nordics and Baltics, U.S. State Department
Foreign Policy Expert, Office of Russian Affairs, U.S. State Department
Senior Assistant to Amb. Thomas Foley, U.S. Embassy Tokyo, Japan
Economic Officer (WTO, APEC, Trade), U.S. Embassy Tokyo, Japan
Economic Officer (Oil and Gas), U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia  

Education:
Harvard University, Ph.D.
Harvard University, M.A.  
Princeton University, B.A. (with Honors)

Awards:
• State Department Superior Honor Award (Office of Russian Affairs)
• State Department Meritoious Honor Award (2) (U.S. Mission to NATO)
• Rathenau Postdoctoral Fellow (Technical University of Berlin)
• Social Science Research Council Fellow (Free University of Berlin)
• Newcombe Dissertation Fellow
• Fulbright Scholar to Japan
• DMD Fellow to Germany
• National Merit Scholar

Languages: Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Russian, Thai

Personal: Married with three children. Hobbies include dining, traveling, hiking, biking, and reading in spare time.