Robert Patterson began his term as U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan on April 26, 2011.

Patterson is a career officer in the Senior Foreign Service. He has had foreign assignments in Central and Eastern Europe, the North Caucasus, Russia, the USSR, and East Africa since joining the State Department in 1985.

Immediately before coming to Turkmenistan, Patterson served as Counselor for Somalia Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. He has also served as Chief of the Political/Internal Office in Moscow, and has headed the political sections at U.S. embassies in Hungary, Ukraine, and Armenia.

A native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Patterson received a B.A. degree from Reed College, and M.A. and M.Phil degrees from Columbia University, as well as an M.A. from the U.S. Naval War College.

He served in the U.S. Air Force, and received an Honorable Discharge in 1974.

He speaks Russian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and German.

Patterson is married to fellow Foreign Service Officer Inmi Patterson, who is currently the U.S. Consul General in Hamburg, Germany.

Contact Information

U.S. Embassy Ashgabat
9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street)
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000

Phone: (99312) 35 00 45
Fax: (993-12) 39 26 14

Email: consularashgab@state.gov
Website: http://turkmenistan.usembassy.gov/