Robert E. Sorenson

Chief of Mission and Consul General

Curacao, Netherlands Antilles

Mr. Sorenson grew up in northeast Ohio and studied at Boston University where he received his bachelor's degree (1974) and at Columbia University where he received a master's degree in political science (1976) before joining the Foreign Service in 1977.  His overseas assignments have included posts in southwest Asia, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean where he previously served as consul in Curacao (1985-87). 

Recently Mr. Sorenson served as Deputy Principal Officer to our mission in Pristina, Kosovo (2003-4) -- a region in which he also was posted as Consul General in Belgrade (1993-96) and as an international monitor in Vukovar, Croatia with the UN and OSCE missions there (1997-98).  He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso  (2001-3) and in Reykjavik, Iceland (1998-2001).  During 1996-97 he studied at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island where he received a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.   A career consular officer, Mr. Sorenson also had assignments in Ankara, Curacao, Amsterdam and Tehran which was his first Foreign Service assignment (1978-79).  His assignments in the State Department have included positions the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) and in the Bureau of African Affairs. 

Mr. Sorenson is married to the former Lesley Mercer.  They have two children, Amanda (b. 1985) and Daniel (b. 1987).  They are permanent residents of Portsmouth, Rhode Island.