Todd C. Chapman

Todd C. Chapman
United States Ambassador to Ecuador
Incumbent
Assumed office January 29, 2016
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Deputy	Robin D. Meyer
Preceded by	Adam E. Namm
Personal details
Born	1962 (age 55–56) Houston, Texas
Nationality	United States of America
Spouse(s)	Janetta Chapman
Children	2
Education	Duke University (1983) Joint Military Intelligence College (2000)
Occupation	Diplomat

Todd C. Chapman (born 1962)^[1] is a career United States Foreign Service officer and current United States Ambassador to Ecuador.^[2] Todd C. Chapman arrived in Ecuador as U.S. Ambassador on January 29, 2016. He is a diplomat with more than 25 years of experience in the foreign service. Ambassador Chapman was Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs as of November 2015. Prior to this position, he served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, working together with the 350 personnel in the Bureau to advance global security relationships, administer over $6 billion in security assistance, and negotiate security agreements around the world. Ambassador Chapman previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia from 2011-2014, managing the 1400-person mission and a wide range of economic, commercial and political issues. As the Senior Deputy Coordinator for Development and Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, he provided policy direction and oversight for over $4 billion in foreign assistance. He was Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique from 2007-2010, implementing over $500 million in assistance programs. Earlier assignments completed include in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Taiwan, and in Washington DC several times. Todd joined the State Department in 1990 and is a Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service.

Biography

Chapman was born in Houston, Texas.^[2] When he was a child he moved with his family to São Paulo, Brazil. Chapman lived in Brazil through secondary school, graduating from Escola Maria Imaculada (Mary Immaculate Chapel School).

Chapman returned to the United States to attend Duke University where he earned a BA in 1983. He worked as a commercial banker for seven years before joining the United States Foreign Service in 1990.^[3]

Chapman attended the Joint Military Intelligence College, earning a MS in Strategic Intelligence in 2000. In 2001, Chapman was assigned as an Economic Officer in San Jose, Costa Rica. In 2004, he was appointed Political/Economic/Commercial Counselor at the embassy in La Paz, Bolivia.

In 2006 he served as executive assistant in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Department, Washington D.C., and in 2007 he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Maputo, Mozambique. He served as Senior Diplomatic Coordinator for Economic Affairs in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2010 to 2011. In 2011 he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Mission to Brasília, Brazil.^[3]

In 2015 Chapman was appointed United States Ambassador to Ecuador by President Barack Obama^[4] and confirmed by the U.S. Congress.^[5]

Ambassador Chapman began serving as United States Ambassador to Ecuador on January 29, 2016.

Allegations that he had threatened to stop military support to Ecuador were reported by the New York Times in July 2018. The alleged threats were made, according to the Times, because Ecuador was supporting a resolution before the World Health Organization which supported encouraging breast feeding.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on July 8, 2018,^[6] and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs on July 10, 2018,^[7] refuted the allegations, rejecting the assertion that Ambassador Chapman or anyone affiliated with U.S. Embassy Quito threatened Ecuador with trade sanctions or the withdrawal of security assistance related to a resolution at the World Health Assembly. The Ecuadorian Government, in a July 9, 2018, joint statement^[8] from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility denied that any outside pressures influenced the Ecuadorian government’s position on the resolution.

Complete United States Foreign Service Postings List

• US Ambassador to Ecuador (2016–Present)
• Washington D.C., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs (2014)
• Brasília, Brazil, Deputy Chief of Mission (2011)
• Kabul, Afghanistan, Senior Diplomatic Coordinator for Economic Affairs (2010 to 2011)
• Maputo, Mozambique, Deputy Chief of Mission (2007)
• Washington D.C., Executive Assistant, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2006)
• La Paz, Bolivia, Political/Economic/Commercial Counselor
• San Jose, Costa Rica, Economic Officer (2001)
• Abuja, Nigeria, Energy Officer (1997)
• Maputo, Mozambique, Economic/Commercial officer (1993)
• Taiwan, Consular Officer (1991)

References