imported>Pipe058: Reverting edit(s) by ~2026-20716-80 (talk) to rev. 1347017173 by ClueBot NG: Vandalism (RW 16.1)

2026-04-04T05:21:28Z

Reverting edit(s) by ~2026-20716-80 (talk) to rev. 1347017173 by ClueBot NG: Vandalism (RW 16.1)

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{{Short description|American diplomat and CEO}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox ambassador
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Bernadette Meehan
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Meehan-12032025CK 0312 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Meehan in December 2025
| alt =
| order =
| status =
| ambassador_from = United States
| country = Chile
| president = [[List of ambassadors appointed by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]]
| office1 = [[Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation]]
| term_start1 = January 20, 2026
| predecessor1 = [[Maryana Iskander]]
| term_start = September 30, 2022
| term_end = January 20, 2025
| predecessor = [[Carol Z. Perez]]
| successor = [[Brandon Judd]]
| office2 = Spokesperson for the [[United States National Security Council]]
| term_start2 = October 2014
| term_end2 = June 2015
| president2 = [[Barack Obama]]
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| party =
| education = [[Boston College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| spouse = [[Evan S. Medeiros]]
}}

'''Bernadette M. Meehan''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|iː|ə|n}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0-7wFGpoI&t=10s|title=CNN Íntimo Bernadette Meehan, embajadora EE UU en Chile|publisher=CNN Chile|date=December 12, 2024|access-date=January 12, 2026}}</ref>) is an American diplomat who served as the [[United States Ambassador to Chile]] from 2022 to 2025. She has been the [[chief executive officer]] (CEO) of the [[Wikimedia Foundation]] since January 20, 2026.

==Early life and education==
Meehan was born in the [[The Bronx|Bronx]], raised in [[Pleasantville, New York|Pleasantville]], New York, and graduated from [[John F. Kennedy Catholic High School (Somers, New York)|Kennedy Catholic High School]] in [[Somers, New York|Somers]], New York in 1993.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/kennedycatholic/docs/the_gael_-_fall_2015|title=The gael fall 2015|website=Issuu|date=September 2015|access-date=November 1, 2019|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814050500/https://issuu.com/kennedycatholic/docs/the_gael_-_fall_2015|url-status=live}}</ref> At 16, she moved to [[Río Gallegos]], Argentina, as a high school exchange student.<ref>{{cite news|last=Meehan|first=Bernadette|date=December 9, 2025|url=https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/12/09/welcoming-the-wikimedia-foundations-new-ceo/|title=Welcoming the Wikimedia Foundation's new CEO|work=Diff|publisher=Wikimedia Foundation|access-date=January 12, 2026}}</ref> She graduated from [[Boston College]] with a bachelor's degree in [[political science]].<ref name=":0" /> After graduation, she worked on [[Wall Street]], first at [[JPMorgan Chase]] and then [[Lehman Brothers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2013/linden_lane/capital-gains.html|title=Boston College Magazine » Winter 2013 » Linden Lane » Capital gains|access-date=May 6, 2015|archive-date=June 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625034503/http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2013/linden_lane/capital-gains.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> She later joined the [[United States Foreign Service]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="BC Affairs">{{cite web|last1=Meehan|first1=Bernadette|title=RealJobs: Bernadette Meehan|url=https://bccareer.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/realjobs-bernadette-meehan/|publisher=BC Affairs|access-date=February 17, 2015|date=February 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217160120/https://bccareer.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/realjobs-bernadette-meehan/|archive-date=February 17, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="isd.georgetown.edu">{{Cite web |url=http://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan |title=Bernadette Meehan | Institute for the Study of Diplomacy | Georgetown University |access-date=December 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222105421/http://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Career==
Meehan joined the [[United States Department of State]] as a Foreign Service officer in 2004, and began her new career as a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in [[Bogotá]], Colombia.<ref name="BC Affairs" />{{better source needed|date=December 2025}} In 2010, she returned to [[Washington, D.C.]] to work as a State Department "line officer", advancing Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]]'s overseas travel. She then became<ref name="BC Affairs" /> special assistant to Clinton.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meehan, Bernadette M. - Republic of Chile- July 2021 |url=https://2021-2025.state.gov/meehan-bernadette-m-republic-of-chile-july-2021/ |website=United States Department of State |access-date=23 February 2026 |language=en |quote=Ms. Meehan also served as Special Assistant to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.}}</ref> In 2012, Meehan was detailed to the [[United States National Security Council|White House National Security Council]] (NSC) and in 2014 she became the spokeswoman for the National Security Council.<ref name="BC Affairs" /> Meehan left the NSC in 2015 to become an adjunct professor and State Department resident fellow at [[Georgetown University]]'s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in the [[School of Foreign Service|Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan|title=Bernadette Meehan|website=isd.georgetown.edu | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810145941/https://isd.georgetown.edu/meehan | archive-date=August 10, 2016}}</ref>

Meehan was enlisted{{When|date=December 2025}} by [[Ben Rhodes (White House staffer)|Ben Rhodes]] to help plan Barack Obama's [[Cuban thaw#US presidential visit|visit to Cuba]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hirschfeld Davis |first1=Julie |title=White House and Cuba Maneuver Over Obama's Visit (Published 2016) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/world/americas/white-house-and-cuba-maneuver-over-obamas-visit.html |access-date=19 December 2025 |date=7 March 2016 |language=en |quote=Mr. Rhodes enlisted Bernadette Meehan, a former National Security Council spokeswoman and Foreign Service officer, who left the White House in June, to return to the West Wing to help plan the trip, reflecting the complexity of the task and the importance Mr. Obama places on bringing it off smoothly. |archive-date=July 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062344/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/world/americas/white-house-and-cuba-maneuver-over-obamas-visit.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She worked as a senior advisor at the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] from January 2016 to January 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Happy Hour with the Obama Foundation's Bernadette Meehan {{!}} AS/COA |url=https://www.as-coa.org/events/happy-hour-obama-foundations-bernadette-meehan |website=www.as-coa.org |access-date=19 December 2025 |language=en |quote=From January 2016 to January 2017, Meehan served as a senior advisor at the White House National Security Council, conducting negotiations with the government of Cuba and overseeing a series of regulatory changes and migration agreements.}}</ref> In February 2017, Meehan left the Foreign Service to serve as the chief international officer at the [[Obama Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.obama.org/updates/leaders-africa/|title=Obama Foundation Announces New Program to Train Emerging Leaders Across Africa|date=April 23, 2018|website=The Obama Foundation|access-date=July 31, 2018|archive-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062148/https://www.obama.org/updates/leaders-africa/|url-status=live}}</ref> She eventually became its executive vice president of global programs.<ref name="Reuters" />

===United States ambassador to Chile===
[[File:29 August 2022, Deputy Secretary Sherman officiates the Swearing-In Ceremony of Ambassador Bernadette M. Meehan (cropped).jpg|thumb|Meehan sworn in as Ambassador to Chile in 2022 by Deputy Secretary of State [[Wendy Sherman]]]]
On July 9, 2021, President [[Joe Biden]] nominated Meehan to be the next [[United States ambassador to Chile]].<ref name="July9">{{Cite web|date=July 9, 2021|title=President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate Four Individuals to Serve as Ambassadors|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-four-individuals-to-serve-as-ambassadors/|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=The White House|language=en-US|archive-date=January 21, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121201648/https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-four-individuals-to-serve-as-ambassadors/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hearings on her nomination were held before the [[Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] on March 15, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination on May 18, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=PN787 — Bernadette M. Meehan — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/787 |date = March 15, 2022|access-date=March 22, 2022}}</ref> On July 20, 2022, the [[United States Senate]] confirmed her nomination by a 51–44 vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Bernadette M. Meehan, of New York, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Chile) |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00264.htm |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=www.senate.gov |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720224434/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00264.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> She was sworn in on August 29, 2022,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ex-ante.cl/quien-es-bernadette-meehan-nueva-embajadora-de-ee-uu-en-chile/ | title=Quién es Bernadette Meehan, embajadora de EE. UU. En Chile | date=September 13, 2022 | language=es | access-date=September 27, 2022 | archive-date=September 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927180350/https://www.ex-ante.cl/quien-es-bernadette-meehan-nueva-embajadora-de-ee-uu-en-chile/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and presented her credentials to President [[Gabriel Boric]] on September 30, 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 30, 2022 |title=Presidente de la República Gabriel Boric Font recibe Cartas Credenciales de seis nuevos embajadores |trans-title=President of the Republic Gabriel Boric Font receives Letters of Credence from six new ambassadors |url=https://prensa.presidencia.cl/fotonoticia.aspx?id=202068 |access-date=December 10, 2025 |work=Government of Chile |archive-date=February 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209091818/https://prensa.presidencia.cl/fotonoticia.aspx?id=202068 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the election of President [[Donald Trump]], Meehan submitted her resignation as ambassador effective January 10, 2025, following tradition for political appointees of both parties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2025 |title=CNN Íntimo: Bernadette Meehan, embajadora EE.UU en Chile |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0-7wFGpoI |website=CNNChile |access-date=April 15, 2025 |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217142851/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw0-7wFGpoI |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Post-ambassadorial career===
On December 9, 2025, Meehan was appointed CEO of the [[Wikimedia Foundation]].<ref name="Reuters">{{Cite web |last=Sophia |first=Deborah Mary |date=December 9, 2025 |title=Exclusive: Wikipedia operator taps former US Ambassador to Chile for CEO role |url=https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/wikipedia-operator-taps-former-us-ambassador-chile-ceo-role-2025-12-09/ |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> She assumed the role on January 20, 2026,<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Wikimedia Foundation appoints Bernadette Meehan as Chief Executive Officer |url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2025/12/09/wikimedia-foundation-appoints-bernadette-meehan-as-chief-executive-officer/ |website=Wikimedia Foundation |date=December 9, 2025}}</ref> succeeding [[Maryana Iskander]].

==Personal life==
Meehan speaks English, [[Spanish language|Spanish]], and [[Arabic]].<ref name=":1" /> She is married to [[Evan S. Medeiros]], the Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at [[Georgetown University]]'s [[Walsh School of Foreign Service]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2020 |title=Evan S. Medeiros Biography |url=https://cdn.cfr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/medeiros-bio.2020.pdf |publisher=[[Georgetown University]] |access-date=December 9, 2025 |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413221851/https://cdn.cfr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/medeiros-bio.2020.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*{{C-SPAN|96741}}
* [https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?field-keywords=Bernadette+Meehan&field-keywords2=&field-keywords3=&from%5Bdate%5D=&to%5Bdate%5D=&person2=&items_per_page=100 Meehan] at [[The American Presidency Project]] at the [[University of Santa Barbara]]. Includes statements by Meehan as deputy NSC spokesperson, as well as announcements about her diplomatic role.

{{s-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Carol Z. Perez]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to Chile]]|years=2022–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Brandon Judd]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Ambassadors of the United States to Chile}}
{{Wikimedia Foundation}}
{{Wikipedia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meehan, Bernadette}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American diplomats]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Chile]]
[[Category:American financial analysts]]
[[Category:JPMorgan Chase people]]
[[Category:Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences alumni]]
[[Category:Obama administration personnel]]
[[Category:Political spokespersons]]
[[Category:United States Foreign Service personnel]]
[[Category:United States National Security Council staffers]]
[[Category:Women ambassadors of the United States]]
[[Category:Women financial analysts]]
[[Category:Wikimedia Foundation staff members]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Bernadette Meehan - Revision history

imported>Pipe058: Reverting edit(s) by ~2026-20716-80 (talk) to rev. 1347017173 by ClueBot NG: Vandalism (RW 16.1)