Joseph A. Mussomeli
Encyclopedia
Ambassador Joseph Adamo Mussomeli (May 26, 1952) is an employee of the U.S. Department of State and is currently the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia.
around the turn of the century. He was born in New York City on May 26, 1952. His father, Mariano Mussomeli, was an officer in the US Army and served in both World War II and the Korean War
. As such, Ambassador Mussomeli moved around the US somewhat in his youth, and also lived for some time in Germany.
By his high school years, his family had settled down in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
. He graduated from Camden Catholic High School
in 1970, going from there to Rutgers University
for two years before taking time off to hitch-hike through Europe. Upon returning to the United States, he attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey
) and graduated summa cum laude in 1975, earning a BA in Political Science. In 1978, he earned a Juris Doctor
degree from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.
, Egypt
, as a general service officer (GSO). After that, he returned to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Department of State as staff assistant to the Undersecretary for Security Assistance. His next overseas assignment was in Manila
, Philippines
, as a consular officer from 1984–1986, to which he would later return in 2002 as Deputy Chief of Mission
(DCM). Before that time, however, his tours included: North Korea Desk Officer (1986–1988), Senior Watch Officer (1989–1990), Economic Counselor in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
, (1990–1992), Inspector for the Office of Inspector General (1992–1994), Political Counselor in Rabat
, Morocco
(1995–1998), Deputy Chief of Mission in Manama
, Bahrain
(1998–2001), and as a member of the Senior Seminar (2001–2002). During his second tour in the Philippines as DCM, he served as Chargé d'affaires
for a year while the Ambassor, Frank Ricciardone
, was away. On June 24, 2005, the United States Senate
confirmed him as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia. He then went on to serving as the Director of Human Resources/ELCDA at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., for one year. Starting in May of 2008, he served for one year in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Assistant Chief of Mission. On September 29, 2010, the United States Senate confirmed him as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia.
Ambassador Mussomeli has received several awards including the 2010 Arnie Raphael Award, the 2008 Presidential Distinguished Service Award, two Superior Honor Awards, one Group Superior Honor Award, and two Meritorious Honor Awards.
Both Isaac and Alessia Mussomeli are alumni of Middlebury College
, their mother's alma mater. Isaac graduated from Middlebury in 2006, where he studied psychology
, mathematics
, and physics
. He is currently a student at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Alessia graduated summa cum laude from Middlebury in 2008 with a degree in linguistics
, and was a student of the late linguist Mark R.V. Southern
. She is currently a foreign service officer. Sharon Mussomeli initially met infant Thomas at the Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy in Manila, Philippines, and shortly thereafter adopted him.
Early life
Ambassador Mussomeli's grandparents on both sides of the family immigrated to America from SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
around the turn of the century. He was born in New York City on May 26, 1952. His father, Mariano Mussomeli, was an officer in the US Army and served in both World War II and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. As such, Ambassador Mussomeli moved around the US somewhat in his youth, and also lived for some time in Germany.
By his high school years, his family had settled down in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
. He graduated from Camden Catholic High School
Camden Catholic High School
Camden Catholic High School is a four-year comprehensive private coeducational Roman Catholic High School, located in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, serving students from the Camden County area...
in 1970, going from there to Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
for two years before taking time off to hitch-hike through Europe. Upon returning to the United States, he attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a suburb of Trenton....
) and graduated summa cum laude in 1975, earning a BA in Political Science. In 1978, he earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.
Career
After law school, Ambassador Mussomeli spent some years working in the legal field, working as a Deputy Attorney General in New Jersey, before entering the US Foreign Service in September 1980. His first overseas posting was in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, as a general service officer (GSO). After that, he returned to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Department of State as staff assistant to the Undersecretary for Security Assistance. His next overseas assignment was in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, as a consular officer from 1984–1986, to which he would later return in 2002 as Deputy Chief of Mission
Deputy Chief of Mission
A Deputy Chief of Mission , is the number-two diplomat assigned to an embassy or other diplomatic mission. He or she is usually considered the second-in-command or top lieutenant to the Head of Mission...
(DCM). Before that time, however, his tours included: North Korea Desk Officer (1986–1988), Senior Watch Officer (1989–1990), Economic Counselor in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, (1990–1992), Inspector for the Office of Inspector General (1992–1994), Political Counselor in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
(1995–1998), Deputy Chief of Mission in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
(1998–2001), and as a member of the Senior Seminar (2001–2002). During his second tour in the Philippines as DCM, he served as Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
for a year while the Ambassor, Frank Ricciardone
Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr.
Francis J. Ricciardone is the United States ambassador to Turkey. Previously he was Deputy Ambassador at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was also on leave from the U.S. Department of State as a guest scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has served as U.S...
, was away. On June 24, 2005, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
confirmed him as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia. He then went on to serving as the Director of Human Resources/ELCDA at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., for one year. Starting in May of 2008, he served for one year in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Assistant Chief of Mission. On September 29, 2010, the United States Senate confirmed him as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia.
Ambassador Mussomeli has received several awards including the 2010 Arnie Raphael Award, the 2008 Presidential Distinguished Service Award, two Superior Honor Awards, one Group Superior Honor Award, and two Meritorious Honor Awards.
Family
Ambassador Mussomeli's wife, Sharon Flack Mussomeli, is a retired foreign service officer. They have three children: Isaac, Alessia, and Thomas.Both Isaac and Alessia Mussomeli are alumni of Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
, their mother's alma mater. Isaac graduated from Middlebury in 2006, where he studied psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. He is currently a student at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Alessia graduated summa cum laude from Middlebury in 2008 with a degree in linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, and was a student of the late linguist Mark R.V. Southern
Mark R.V. Southern
Mark Roderick Vendrell Southern was an Indo-Europeanist and professor of German and linguistics.His research and teaching interests spanned the fields of Linguistics, Classics, Literature, Near Eastern Studies, and Religion...
. She is currently a foreign service officer. Sharon Mussomeli initially met infant Thomas at the Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy in Manila, Philippines, and shortly thereafter adopted him.
Hobbies
In his spare time, Ambassador Mussomeli enjoys writing poetry and short plays, going on walks, reading about history, and playing tennis and bocce ball.Sources
- US Embassy Phnom Penh Website
- United States Department of State: Biography of Joseph A. Mussomeli
- US Embassy Kabul Website
- US Embassy Ljubljana Website