Kelly Craft

United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2021

Kelly Dawn Knight Craft (née Guilfoil; born February 24, 1962)[1] is an American diplomat. She was the 30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from September 2019 to January 2021. Before, she was the United States ambassador to Canada, the first woman to hold the post.[2][3][4]

Kelly Craft
30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations
In office
September 12, 2019 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyJonathan Cohen
Preceded byNikki Haley
Succeeded byLinda Thomas-Greenfield
United States Ambassador to Canada
In office
October 23, 2017 – August 23, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byBruce Heyman
Succeeded byDavid L. Cohen
Personal details
Born
Kelly Dawn Guilfoil

(1962-02-24) February 24, 1962 (age 62)
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)David Moross (div.)
Judson Knight (div.)
(m. 2029)
EducationUniversity of Kentucky (BA)

In 2007, she was appointed by President George W. Bush as the U.S. delegate to the United Nations, where her focus included U.S. engagement in Africa.[5][6] Knight-Craft was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from Kentucky. She is a member of the University of Kentucky's board of directors.[5] She heads Kelly G. Knight LLC, a business advisory firm based in Lexington, Kentucky.

In June 2017, Craft was nominated to serve as United States Ambassador to Canada by President Donald Trump.[7]

On February 22, 2019, President Trump nominated Craft to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.[8] On July 31, 2019, her nomination was confirmed by a vote of 56–34.[9]

After two divorces, she is now married to a coal entrepreneur. During her first week as Ambassador to Canada she suggested that man-made climate change was just one possible theory.[10]

On September 7, 2022, Craft launched her campaign to become Governor of Kentucky in the 2023 election.[11]

References

change
  1. Straehley, Steve; Wallechinsky, David (August 14, 2017). "United States Ambassador to Canada: Who Is Kelly Knight Craft?". AllGov. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  2. "Kelly Craft sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Canada". WKYT. August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  3. "Ten Nominations Sent to the Senate Today" (Press release). White House Office of the Press Secretary. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  4. "PN603 – Kelly Knight Craft – Department of State". U.S. Congress. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Trump nominates Kelly Knight Craft as the next ambassador to Canada". BBC. June 15, 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  6. ELLIS, RONNIE. "Bush nominates Knight for UN". Glasgow Daily Times. Archived from the original on 2017-03-18. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  7. Latek, Tom (June 14, 2017). "Kelly Knight Craft is Trump's pick to serve as US Ambassador to Canada". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  8. Trump, Donald J. [@realdonaldtrump] (2019-02-22). "I am pleased to announce that Kelly Knight Craft..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-02-22 – via Twitter.
  9. On the Nomination (Confirmation: Kelly Craft, of Kentucky, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Nations and Representative to the Security Council), United States Senate, July 31, 2019
  10. "New U.S. ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft says she believes 'both sides' of climate science". www.cbc.ca.
  11. Schreiner, Bruce (2022-09-07). "Trump ambassador Kelly Craft joins Kentucky governor's race". Associated Press. Retrieved 2022-09-07.