Institute Alumnus William M. Bellamy has just completed a successful four year stint as Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a research institution of the US Department of Defense. The former American Ambassador to Kenya, has accepted the position of Warburg Professor for International Relations at Simmons College in Boston, United States. During Bellamy’s time at the Center, he helped keep it a valuable asset for the Department of Defense and the US government.

Before taking up his post at the Africa Center, he was resident senior fellow in the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC. Previously he had served as Senior Vice-President of the National Defense University. William Bellamy was US ambassador to Kenya from 2003 to 2006. During his tenure in Kenya he directed US security programmes in the Horn of Africa. He also supervised the US government’s largest foreign HIV/AIDS programme and led multinational efforts to combat corruption and promote good governance in Kenya. He served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (2001-2003) and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (2000-2001).

His earlier diplomatic assignments include Deputy Chief of Mission in Canberra (1997-2000), Political Minister-Counselor in Paris (1993-1997) and Political Counselor in Pretoria and Cape Town (1991-1993). In South Africa he was closely engaged in US diplomatic efforts to promote a peaceful transition from apartheid to democratic rule.

Mr Bellamy is the recipient of a Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Award, and a Distinguished Honor Award and two Superior Honor Awards conferred by the Secretary of State. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a journalist in San Francisco and public relations officer for a major bank in Los Angeles.