March 22, 1988
The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert S. Gelbard, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, as Ambassador to the Republic of Bolivia. He would succeed Edward Morgan Rowell.
Since 1985 Mr. Gelbard has been Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs at the Department of State. Previously, he was Director of the Office of Southern African Affairs, 1984 - 1985, and Deputy Director of the Office of Western European Affairs of the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, 1982 - 1984. From 1978 to 1982, he was first secretary in Paris, France; financial economist for the Office of European Regional Political and Economic Affairs for the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, 1976 - 1978; and an international economist for the Office of Development Finance at the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, 1973 - 1975. He served as a principal officer, 1971 - 1972, and consul, 1970 - 1971, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Mr. Gelbard joined the Foreign Service in 1967, and served in the Peace Corps in Bolivia, 1964 - 1966, and in the Philippines, 1968 - 1970.
Mr. Gelbard graduated from Colby College (A.B., 1964) and Harvard University (M.P.A., 1979). He was born March 6, 1944, in Brooklyn, NY. He is married, has one child, and resides in Washington, DC.