Joseph H. Melrose, Jr.

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Biography (summary) | Ambassador Melrose served the U.S. Department of State for three decades in the Foreign Service. He is currently Ambassador in Residence and Professor of International Relations at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.

During his diplomatic career, he held a variety of positions in Washington and abroad, including Vietnam, Syria, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, where he served as Ambassador (1998-2001).  In 2001 he was selected to coordinate the post September 11th Task Force and act as a Senior Consultant on Counterterrorism for the Secretary of State. He has served as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Delegation to the 61st and 62nd UN General Assembly.

Additionally, he led the Foreign Emergency Support Team, deployed to Nairobi, Kenya in the aftermath of the Embassy bombings, where he helped to reestablish Embassy operations and the recovery effort.

Throughout his life Ambassador Melrose has supported numerous charitable and community activities. Currently he is a volunteer consultant for the International Medical Corps (IMC) and a board member of both the NCCA and Students Partnership Worldwide.

Among the awards Ambassador Melrose has received are the H. Lloyd Jones Award for distinguished advising and mentoring, an honorary degree in Democratic and Human Rights Studies from Hilla University in Iraq, the Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award, the Secretary of State’s Career Achievement Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Ursinus College, the Department of State Group Distinguished Honor Award, the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America, and the Award of Merit from the World Islamic Federation.