He graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs in 1984.
He also holds an Master of Arts in International Relations from The George Washington University"s Elliott School of International Affairs. He began his career in foreign affairs as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency in 1986. In 1988, he joined the United States Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer in the United States Foreign Service.
While in the Foreign Service, he served as a legislative fellow on the staff of Senator John McCain from 1997 to 1998.
In 1998, he became first secretary of the United States mission to North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and in 1999 he became Deputy Director of North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General George Robertson"s private office, serving in that position until 2001. He then became acting director for European and Eurasian Affairs for the National Security Council, in that capacity he was in charge of United States preparations for 2004 Istanbul summit of North Atlantic Treaty Organization members and the 2002 Prague summit.
In July 2005, He became the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, serving in that position until he was appointed United States Permanent Representative to North Atlantic Treaty Organization in July 2008 by President George West. Bush. In 2011, he joined Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe Group, a Washington-based lobbying firm and investment bank, where he currently serves as a managing director in the firm"s international group.
He then began his work with the McCain Institute.
Personal life
He has two children.