James D. Melville, Jr. to be Nominated as Ambassador to Estonia

James D. Melville, Jr. (State Dept.)
James D. Melville, Jr.

The White House announced on May 6 that President Obama intends to nominate James Desmond Melville, Jr. as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia. 

James Desmond Melville, Jr., a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany, a position he has held since 2012.  He previously served as Executive Director of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from 2010 to 2012.

Prior to that, Mr. Melville served as Minister-Counselor for Management at the U.S. Embassy in London, United Kingdom from 2008 to 2010 and at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia from 2005 to 2008.  Mr. Melville also served as Management Officer and Supervisory General Services Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France from 2001 to 2005 and as Administrative Officer at the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels, Belgium from 1997 to 2001.

His earlier positions with the Department of State include service as a Foreign Service Examiner, Senior Watch Officer in the Executive Secretariat Operations Center, and Legislative Management Officer in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs.  Mr. Melville received a B.A. from Boston University and a J.D. from Rutgers University.