Bloggers

Bruce J. Oreck, Ambassador

Bruce J. Oreck was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Finland on August 12, 2009. Ambassador Oreck has a diverse and encompassing background. Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Oreck also lived in New Orleans, Louisiana for many years and prior to moving to Helsinki, was a long time resident of Boulder, Colorado.

Ambassador Oreck’s blog entries have been directed to Ambassador’s Journal.

 Michael A. Butler, Deputy Chief of Mission

Michael Butler took up his duties as Deputy Chief of Mission in Helsinki in June of 2008. Mr. Butler was promoted to the Senior Foreign Service in October, 2003. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1973, earning a BA and he earned a MA in History from Old Dominion University in Norfolk. In 1975 he returned to the University of Virginia as a student in its doctoral program in History; he earned a Ph.D. in American History, with primary focus on American diplomatic history and secondary focus on modern European history, in 1980. Mr. Butler’s doctoral dissertation was entitled “The Dilemmas of Neutrality: The United States, the Oslo Nations, and the Response to Hitler, 1933-1940.”

Mr. Butler is the author of Cautious Visionary: Cordell Hull and Trade Reform, 1933-1937, which was published by Kent State University Press in 1998. He is currently working on a second book-length manuscript entitled “The Roosevelt Administration and the Politics of European Security, 1932-1936.”

Wendy Kahler
I am Wendy Kahler, Environment, Science and Technology Officer at the American Embassy in Helsinki. I arrived in Finland in August 2008 and will be working here for three years to promote cooperation between the US and Finland on environment, climate and technology issues. This is my first time living in Europe, having spent the last six years or so in Africa.

I am starting this blog as a way to discuss the Embassy’s work on environment, science and technology (we say EST for short!) issues, and generate discussion on these topics with the wider community. I must admit that I never blogged before coming to Finland. In most of Africa, internet connection can be spotty and full-scale blogging is not so popular. However, Finland is one of the most-wired countries in the world, so it seems only fitting to put that technology to its best use.

I welcome your insights and feedback on all my entries. If you have a specific question, I encourage you to post it on the blog. At the moment, I anticipate posting one new entry a month, and responding to any remarks within a week.

Courtney B.
Courtney is the Summer 2010 Public Affairs Intern at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.   She is currently completing her Master’s degree and is considering a future career as a Foreign Service Officer.

Nicole Conn
I am the Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Finland.  I arrived in July 2007 and I very much enjoy living and working here. (Ms. Conn has left Finland in the summer of 2010.)

Kimberly G. Hargan
I am the Assistant Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, working mostly in press affairs.  I was an archaeologist before becoming a diplomat.  I have worked in Europe, Africa, Asia and Washington, D.C., over the course of my career. (Mr. Hargan has left Finland in the summer of 2009.)