Shapiro to head Institute of the Americas

Ambassador Charles S. Shapiro has been named president of the Institute of the Americas.

Shapiro, a career diplomat, is well known to those who follow U.S. policy in the region. Like his predecessor, Jeffrey Davidow, he served as an ambassador to Venezuela. Currently, he is senior adviser on Western Hemisphere Economic Initiatives, advising Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. His team works in assisting in reforms in more than a dozen countries. He served temporarily in Trinidad to organize the logistics for the participation of President Obama in the Summit of the Americas in April 2009.

His prior positions have included Coordinator, Western Hemisphere Trade Task Force; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Western Hemisphere Affairs; Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Andes; Coordinator for Cuban Affairs; and Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy, Chile.