A native of Baker was chosen to play an international role in the Biden Administration. On Monday (November 23), President-elect Joe Biden continued announcing choices for positions in his administration, and Louisiana's own Linda Thomas-Greenfield was his pick for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
A graduate of Louisiana State University, Thomas-Greenfield's career spans more than three decades. Her foreign service experience stretches back to when President Ronald Reagan was in office. From 2013-2017, she served as an ambassador to Liberia in addition to serving in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of African Affairs under President Barack Obama.
In a tweet on Monday, she said how her mother prepared her for this role.
"My mother taught me to lead with the power of kindness and compassion to make the world a better place. I've carried that lesson with me throughout my career in Foreign Service — and, if confirmed, will do the same as Ambassador to the United Nations."
In 2016, Thomas-Greenfield spoke to WAFB about her career.
"It's about public service," she said. "I think that every young person ought to have as part of their goal to serve their country. It doesn't have to be in the military. It could be in the Peace Corps. It could be working for a government agency."
In a statement, President-elect Biden said that his appointees will "help advance our agenda and ensure every American has a fair shot."
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