country predecessor successor birth_place president party profession ambassador_from birth_date term_start spouse image article_title term_end
new zealand william mccormick mark gilbert mahanoy city , pennsylvania barack obama democratic diplomat lawyer legal academic united states 1960 december 04 , 2009 duane mcwaine thumb david huebner
 january 17 , 2014
david huebner

david huebner -lrb- born 1960 -rrb- is a partner in the international arbitration , public international law , and national security practices of the law firm arnold & porter llp , resident in its los angeles office .
he previously served as the united states ambassador to new zealand and samoa .
he was the first openly gay ambassador in the obama administration and the third openly gay ambassador in united states history .
his tenure was marked by significant improvement in bilateral relations , with commentators observing that relations are stronger and closer than they have been in decades .
called an `` excellent public face for the united states , '' he has been widely praised as a successful ambassador including for his accessible , inclusive approach , his emphasis on students and future leaders , and the innovative restructuring of his embassies around social media and other nontraditional tools and approaches of diplomacy .
before being appointed ambassador he worked as an international lawyer in los angeles , shanghai , and new york , specializing in international arbitration and mediation .
he is licensed as an attorney in california , new york , and in the district of columbia , and as a solicitor in england and wales .
