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Tina Kaidanow

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Tina Kaidanow
Kaidanow in 2014
Senior Advisor for International Cooperation in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
In office
September 25, 2018 – December 16, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byKeith Webster
17th Coordinator for Counterterrorism
In office
February 18, 2014 – February 22, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byDaniel Benjamin
Succeeded byNathan A. Sales
United States Ambassador to Kosovo
In office
April 8, 2008 – July 6, 2009
Acting: April 8 – July 25, 2008
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byChristopher Dell
Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office in Pristina
In office
July 4, 2006 – April 8, 2008
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byPhilip Goldberg
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born(1965-06-03)June 3, 1965
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedOctober 14, 2024(2024-10-14) (aged 59)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania (B.A., M.A.)
Columbia University (M.A.)

Tina Susan Kaidanow (June 3, 1965 – October 16, 2024) was an American diplomat and government official. She served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs before moving to the United States Department of Defense. From 2008 to 2009, Kaidanow served as United States Ambassador to Kosovo.

Early life and education

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Kaidanow was born on June 3, 1965, in Philadelphia, and was raised in Baltimore County, Maryland.[1][2][3] She earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and another master's degree in political science from Columbia University in New York, as well as a certificate in Russian studies from the Harriman Institute at Columbia.[4]

Career

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Kaidanow was a career member of the United States Foreign Service. She had assignments in Belgrade (1995–1997), Skopje (1998–1999), Sarajevo (1997–1998 and 2003–2006), Pristina (2006–2009), and Kabul (2012–2013), as well as the United States National Security Council and the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (2009–2011).[4][5] At the National Security Council, Kaidanow worked as Director for Southeast European Affairs.[4]

In Skopje, from 1998 to 1999, Kaidanow served as a special assistant to United States Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher R. Hill. Kaidanow later became the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo from 2003 to 2006.[4]

In 2006, Kaidanow became the Chargée d'Affaires for the U.S. Office in Pristina.[6] In 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, and was subsequently recognized by the United States.[6] The new U.S. embassy in Pristina opened, with Kaidanow as the first United States Ambassador to Kosovo.[7][6]

From August 2009 to June 2011, Kaidanow served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and then served as the bureau's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary until 2012.[8] From September 2012 to October 2013, Kaidanow served as the DCM at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.[4] In this capacity, according to Politico, she vetoed a plan to prosecute Taliban commanders and their drug lord allies in U.S. courts for drug trafficking, because of concerns about the country's political stability.[9]

Kaidanow served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism from February 2014 to February 2016.[4] In February 2016, Kaidanow moved to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary.[10]

On September 25, 2018,[11] Kaidanow was appointed a senior advisor for international cooperation in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.[12][13][14][15] She resigned on December 16, 2019.[16][17][18]

Death

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Kaidanow died from cardiac arrest at Georgetown University Hospital on October 16, 2024, at the age of 59.[19][20][21] She was hospitalized for the previous three weeks due to internal bleeding.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Rosenberg, Carol (October 24, 2024). "Tina S. Kaidanow, 59, Diplomatic Force in Kosovo and Guantánamo, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  2. ^ https://memorials.sollevinson.com/tina-kaidanow/5500496/index.php
  3. ^ "Tina S. Kaidanow (1965–)". U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Tina S. Kaidanow". U.S. Department of State. February 18, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  5. ^ "Tina Kaidanow". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "US Appoints Kosovo Ambassador". Balkan Insight. May 21, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "Bush to nominate Tina Kaidanow for US ambassador to Kosovo". Kosovo Compromise. May 21, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  8. ^ "Likely New U.S. Diplomat For Eurasia 'Gets Things Done'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. August 13, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  9. ^ Meyer, Josh (July 8, 2018). "The secret story of how America lost the drug war with the Taliban". POLITICO. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  10. ^ "Bureau of Counterterrorism's Tina Kaidanow Moves to Pol-Mil Affairs, Justin Siberell Now Acting Coordinator". Diplopundit. March 18, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  11. ^ "Bio" (PDF). web.archive.org: www.acq.osd.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  12. ^ Mehta, Aaron (September 6, 2018). "Longtime diplomat Kaidanow heads to Pentagon". Defense News.
  13. ^ "Kaidanow leaving State for DOD". InsideDefense.com. September 5, 2018.
  14. ^ "State Dept. Vet Tina Kaidanow Appointed DoD International Cooperation Head". Executive Gov. September 7, 2018.
  15. ^ Egozi, Arie (September 5, 2018). "In Push For Arms Exports, Top State Official Moves To DoD".
  16. ^ Swanson, Ian (December 18, 2019). "Fifth Pentagon official announces resignation in seven days". TheHill.
  17. ^ "Ambassador Kaidanow becomes 5th Pentagon official to resign in 7 days". Axios.
  18. ^ Mehta, Aaron (December 18, 2019). "Top defense exports official exits the Pentagon amid multiple recent resignations". Defense News.
  19. ^ "The former US ambassador to Kosovo, Tina Kaidanow, died". Koha. October 16, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "Ndërron jetë Tina S. Kaidanow, ambasadorja e parë amerikane në Kosovë" [Tina S. Kaidanow, the first American ambassador to Kosovo, has passed away]. TV 21 (North Macedonia) (in Albanian). October 17, 2024. Archived from the original on October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  21. ^ "Vdes Tina Kaidanow – ambasadorja e parë amerikane në Kosovë". zeriamerikes.com. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tina Kaidanow.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office in Pristina
July 2006 – April 8, 2008 		Position abolished
New office United States Ambassador to Kosovo
April 8, 2008 – July 6, 2009 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Coordinator for Counterterrorism
February 18, 2014 – February 22, 2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs
February 22, 2016 – September 2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Keith Webster
 Senior Advisor for International Cooperation in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
September 25, 2018 – December 16, 2019 		Succeeded by
TBD
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