Ambassador Wilkinson served as US Ambassador to the Republic of Mozambique from 2000 through 2003 and to Burkina Faso from 1996-1999. During her distinguished career in the Department of State she also served in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Accra, Ghana, Tijuana, Mexico, the Netherlands Antilles, and Lisbon, Portugal. Her Washington assignments included Director of the Face-To-Face Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Director of the Office of Diplomatic and Public Liaison and Director of the Office of West African Affairs. Upon her departure from Mozambique, Ambassador Wilkinson was appointed as the first Diplomat in Residence at Arizona State University then, following her retirement from the State Department, as Assistant Dean for Global Engagement in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is currently the Senior Vice President and Deputy to the President of Meridian International Center in Washington, DC. Ambassador Wilkinson was born in Buffalo, New York and was educated at Brown University and the University of Chicago. She speaks Portuguese and has knowledge of Spanish, and French.