User:HollerScholar/sandbox/Robert A. Sherman

Robert A. Sherman
U.S Ambassador Robert A. Sherman
United States Ambassador to Portugal
Incumbent
Assumed office May 30, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Allan J. Katz
Personal details
Born	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse	Kim Sawyer
Alma mater	University of Rochester Boston University School of Law

Robert A. Sherman has served as the U.S Ambassador to Portugal since 2014. He arrived in Lisbon on April 5th, 2014 and presented his credentials to the President of the Portuguese Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, on May 30th, 2014. He is well-known for his economic diplomacy, friendly nature, and for his videos in support of A Seleção’s victory in EURO2016.

Biography

Robert Sherman holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rochester and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Before he became an Ambassador, Mr. Sherman was a founding member of international law firm Greenberg Traurig’s Boston office. He was Massachusetts' Consumer Protection Division Chief and Assistant Attorney General for the years 1991-1993. He also served as Special Counsel to the Massachusetts Attorney General for one year, where he was responsible for the Attorney General Office's federal and multistate initiatives with the Department of Justice and Attorney General offices around the country. Ambassador Sherman has experience in trial and regulations, including litigation, government investigations, and internal corporate investigations. His emphasis is on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance, class action defense, and consumer protection.

He was an original member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee as well as a member of then President-Elect Obama's Transition Team, where he was primarily responsible for vetting cabinet-level positions. President Obama appointed Mr. Sherman to be the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in January 2013.

Mr. Sherman believes there is a strong continuity between his work as a lawyer and his work as a diplomat. “As a lawyer, I was trained to solve problems by listening closely to the interests of the other party, advocating strongly the interests of my client, and seeking solutions that worked for both sides. That is precisely what the skill set of an ambassador is.”

Mr. Sherman is a first-generation child of two Russian immigrants. A Brockton native, Sherman happened to grow up near one of the largest Portuguese communities in the United States. He is married to entrepreneur and lawyer Kim Sawyer, and is a father to two adult children.

Diplomatic Career

While serving as U.S Ambassador to Portugal, Ambassador Sherman has prioritized "21st century economic diplomacy". Consistently making concerted efforts to connect with Portugal’s business community, Ambassador Sherman has approached grassroots leaders in local businesses, travelling the country to speak to local leaders in business communities and in government to learn first-hand about their challenges and opportunities. On one of his more notable outreach efforts, Ambassador Sherman rode a Harley Davidson in Alentejo on the first of several trips around Portugal to raise awareness of the benefits of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnernship (TTIP).

U.S Ambassador Robert Sherman and Embaixatriz Kim Sawyer on a Harley Davidson

The promotion of bilateral investment has been one of Mr.Sherman’s main goals as Ambassador. Under Ambassador Sherman’s leadership, a group of Portuguese investors and businesses visited the SelectUSA Summit in Washington in March, 2015. Ambassador Sherman went on to also bring American investors to Portugal in an effort to help Americans in business understand the high quality of Portuguese entrepreneurship and innovation. In June 2015, the U.S Embassy organized a Biotech and Life Sciences Trade Mission to stimulate business opportunities and cooperation between American and Portuguese investors, research institutions and businesses. The mission was led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello.

Just three months after arriving in Lisbon, Embaixatriz Kim Sawyer and Ambassador Robert Sherman launched Connect to Success, the U.S Embassy in Lisbon’s flagship initiative in women’s entrepreneurship. Connect to Success consists of a corporate membership program, an MBA/Masters Consulting program, and free practical business workshops.

Ambassador Sherman attending Lisbon Pride 2016

Ambassador Sherman has been a dedicated advocate for LGBT Rights. He walked in the 2016 Lisbon Pride march- which, according to ILGA Portugal, made him the first Ambassador to Portugal to march in Lisbon Pride. During his tenure, the U.S Embassy in Lisbon hosted two rainbow flag-raising ceremonies to show U.S support for LGBTQIA rights. Ambassador Sherman also appeared in a video produced by "Tudo Vai Melhorar", the Portuguese affiliate of the well-known American "It Gets Better Project".

While he is most well-known for his “21st century economic diplomacy”, Ambassador Sherman has also pursued President Obama’s agenda of “smart” leadership. During his time in Portugal, the Ambassador has worked to increase the ways in which Portugal and the United States, in connection with other allied nations, can use their collective capacity to address issues of international security. The Ambassador has focused on strengthening engagement in areas like maritime security in West Africa, cybersecurity, narcoterrorism and NATO.

External links

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Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal