Ambassador Earl Anthony (“Tony”) Wayne, the former United States Ambassador to Mexico (2011-2015) and Argentina (2006-2009) and former Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs (2000-2006), has joined American University as a Distinguished Diplomat-in-Residence in the School of International Service (SIS). During his tenure at AU’s SIS, Ambassador Wayne will teach and mentor students and work to elevate the profile of the school.

“We are honored to welcome Ambassador Tony Wayne to the American University’s School of International Service,” said Christine BN Chin, Dean of the School of International Service. “His diplomatic career spans regions of the world, functions and areas of expertise, and we are excited that our students will have the unique opportunity to learn from his vast experience in the highest levels of the Foreign Service.”

“Following my career as a professional diplomat, I have felt a strong desire to help teach new generations to better understand, to value and to wisely execute and guide the international affairs of the United States and of other countries in the coming years. I am very honored to have the opportunity to do so at American University’s School of International Service.”

Ambassador Wayne’s diplomatic career spans more than four decades in North America, Latin America, Southwest Asia and Europe working on issues ranging from economics and education to anti-terrorism and public security. During his tenure in Mexico, Wayne helped to establish the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue and his embassy teams delivered more than $1 billion worth of capacity-building to that country’s law enforcement and justice institutions and initiated more than 90 new programs under the $2.5 billion Merida Initiative to support anti-crime reforms.  

During Wayne’s years as Ambassador, the U.S. strengthened the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Forum on Higher Education, Innovation and Research that allowed for more than 3,000 Mexican students and teachers to participate in educational exchanges with U.S. institutions of higher education in 2014 and fostered more than 50 university partnerships.

In addition to his service in Mexico and Argentina, Wayne served as Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan (2010-1011) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (1997-2000). He retired from the State Department in late 2015 as a Career Ambassador, the most senior rank in the Foreign Service.

A champion for diversity, equity and inclusion, during his tenure as Ambassador, Embassy Mexico City was selected as one of three inaugural State Department “Gender Champions” for its support of gender programs and priorities.

Since leaving the State Department, Ambassador Wayne has served as a Public Policy Fellow and Co-Chair of the Mexico Institute’s Board at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow for the Global Business and Economics Program at the Atlantic Council, and as a Senior Non-Resident Advisor for the Project on Prosperity and Development at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the American Academy of Diplomacy, among other affiliations. Wayne has written and spoken widely on U.S.-Mexico relations, trade, Afghanistan and other topics. He is currently completing a new study on a Workforce Development Agenda North America at the Wilson Center.