Charge d'Affaires
Charge d'Affaires Joel Reifman
Joel Reifman
Biography
Joel Reifman has been serving as Charge d’Affaires, a.i. since the departure of Ambassador Ronald McMullen on July 19, 2010. Previously, Joel was the leader of Provincial Reconstruction Team embedded with the Army’s 1st Advise and Assist Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. He coordinated civilian agency reconstruction and stability efforts for western Anbar province. Projects under Joel’s supervision included efforts to promote rule of law, development of small business, health, and economic infrastructure.
From August 2008 to September 2009, Joel served as Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Panama, where he led efforts to finalize the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement, promote financial and trade transparency, and protect over $6 billion of U.S. investment in Panama. Joel was Deputy Director of the office of Aviation Negotiations from 2006 to 2008, which concluded the historic U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement and other agreements with Australia, Canada, Kuwait, China, Japan, Russia, and Argentina. In addition, Joel served as Head of Delegation for multi-agency teams that negotiated Open Skies Agreements with Liberia, Georgia, and Croatia and a substantial increase in aviation liberalization with Colombia.
Working as a Legislative Fellow in the Office of Senator Joseph Lieberman from 2005 to 2006, Joel contributed to the Senator’s efforts on China (concentrating on energy and education), Iran, and Darfur. From 2003 to 2005, Joel served as Deputy Economic Counselor and, subsequently, Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Islamabad. He focused on improving intellectual property enforcement, customs security, economic liberalization, investment climate, and anti-poverty measures.
Joel began his Foreign service career with assignments at U.S. Embassy Bucharest (1995 to 1997) and U.S. Embassy Kampala (1997 to 1999) (where, as Consular Chief, he assisted AmCit survivors and the families of AmCit victims after the March 1999 Bwindi massacre and managed vastly expanded visa demands after the August 1998 destruction of U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam). Other Washington assignments include Economic and Business Bureau Staff Assistance (1999 to 2000) State Economic Course (2000 to 2001) and Panama Desk Officer (2001 to 2003).
Prior to joining the State Department, Joel served as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Air Force.
Joel earned a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from Southern Methodist University School of Law.