Ambassador Anthony Godfrey

A seasoned foreign policy leader with deep experience in managing diverse teams, Ambassador Anthony Godfrey spent the majority of his overseas career in developing or post-conflict areas, managing change and directing teams to focus U.S. resources to achieve development goals. As chief of mission in Serbia, he worked closely with leaders in government, nongovernmental organizations, and international organizations to build consensus for shared values. His innovative engagement with the Serbian people across media platforms helped dispel misconceptions about U.S. goals for the region, encouraging greater readiness to engage. 

His service as deputy ambassador of the U.S. mission in Russia occurred during a challenging period, when the Russian government targeted embassy staff as a response to sanctions. Godfrey’s work sustained staff morale, focused diminishing resources on core policy priorities, and communicated clearly – both for Russian audiences and for Washington – the consequences of Russia’s policies. While serving as director of Iraq affairs for the Department of State, he chaired the inter-agency task force that built the international coalition to combat the threat of ISIS. 

As director for Turkey and Eurasian energy on the White House national security staff during the Obama Administration, Godfrey’s work focused on cooperative European missile defense and building consensus for shared counter-terrorism goals. Before beginning his career with the State Department, he served 12 years in the U.S. Navy. 

 Ambassador Godfrey speaks Russian, Serbo-Croatian, and Turkish.  A native of New York, he is a long-time Virginia resident, recently settling in Richmond. His personal interests include open-water swimming, choral singing, cooking, and travel.