Ambassador Adam H. Sterling

Ambassador (ret.) Adam H. Sterling served 32 years as a U.S. diplomat, culminating in tours as the U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic (2016-2019) and as the Senior Foreign Policy Advisor and Civilian Deputy to the Commander of U.S. Forces in Europe.  He also led the U.S. embassies in the Netherlands and Azerbaijan, serving twice at each post as Chargé d’Affaires during assignments as Deputy Chief of Mission. His Washington assignments included service at the White House as Director for Central and Eastern European Affairs on the National Security Council staff and at the State Department as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs.  Earlier overseas assignments were at the U.S. embassies in Israel, Kazakhstan, Belgium and Peru.  Ambassador Sterling grew up in New York City and Lawrence, Kansas.  He is currently based in Geneva, where his wife, Veerle Coignez, works at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.