Daniel Bennett Smith

Daniel Bennett Smith (born March 6, 1956) is an American diplomat who served as the director of the Foreign Service Institute and acting United States Secretary of State at the presidential transition of Joe Biden.^[1] He has held the rank of career ambassador since September 2018.^[2] He previously served as Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research at the United States Department of State, assuming that post on February 14, 2014.^[3] He is considered a veteran diplomat by the U.S. diplomatic community.^[4]

Daniel Bennett Smith
Director of Foreign Service Institute
In office October 26, 2018 – May 19, 2022
President	Donald Trump Joe Biden
Preceded by	Nancy McEldowney
Succeeded by	Joan A. Polaschik
U.S. Chargé d'affaires to India
In office April 30, 2021 – June 29, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Donald Heflin
Succeeded by	Atul Keshap
Acting United States Deputy Secretary of State
In office January 26, 2021 – April 14, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Stephen Biegun
Succeeded by	Wendy Sherman
Acting United States Secretary of State
In office January 20, 2021 – January 26, 2021
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Mike Pompeo
Succeeded by	Antony Blinken
19th Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
In office February 14, 2014 – October 23, 2018
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Philip Goldberg
Succeeded by	Ellen E. McCarthy
United States Ambassador to Greece
In office September 28, 2010 – August 5, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Daniel V. Speckhard
Succeeded by	David D. Pearce
22nd Executive Secretary of the United States Department of State
In office 2007–2009
Preceded by	Harry K. Thomas Jr.
Succeeded by	Stephen D. Mull
Personal details
Born	(1956-03-06) March 6, 1956 (age 69) Redwood City, California, U.S.
Education	University of Colorado, Boulder (BA) Stanford University (MA, PhD)

Early life and education

Smith delivers remarks at his swearing-in ceremony at the Foreign Service Institute at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia on October 26, 2018.

Smith obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Colorado Boulder, followed by a Master of Arts and PhD from Stanford University.^[3][5] His dissertation is titled "Toward Internationalism: New Deal Foreign Economic Policy, 1933–39", and was completed in 1983.^[6]

Career

Under President Barack Obama, Smith served as the United States Ambassador to Greece from 2010 to 2013.^[7]

In 2018, Smith was selected to serve as the Director of the Foreign Service Institute.

In 2021, President Joe Biden selected Smith to serve as the acting secretary of state until his nominee for the position, Antony Blinken, was confirmed by the United States Senate.^[8] Antony Blinken was confirmed on January 26, 2021.^[9] On May 3, 2021, he was appointed as US envoy to India.