The United States ambassador to Palau is the official representative of the president of the United States to the head of state of Palau.
| Ambassador of the United States to Palau | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the United States Department of State | |
| Nominator | The President of the United States |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Inaugural holder | Helen Reed-Rowe as Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary |
| Formation | September 27, 2010 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Koror |
Until 1994 Palau had been a part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the United States. On May 25, 1994, the United Nations Security Council ended the trusteeship for the Palau district, and Palau became independent on October 1, 1994. The U.S. recognized Palau on the same day. Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Palau were established on December 6, 1996, when U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas C. Hubbard was concurrently accredited to Palau and presented his credentials; he remained resident at Manila. The ambassadors to the Philippines continued to represent the U.S. until October 10, 2004, when the U.S. Embassy in Koror was established, with Deborah L. Kingsland as Chargé d’Affaires. The first ranking ambassador was commissioned to Koror in 2010.[1]
Ambassadors and chiefs of mission
| Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas C. Hubbard – Career FSO[2] | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 2, 1996 | December 6, 1996 | Left Manila July 24, 2000 | |
| Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. – Career FSO[2] | February 21, 2002 | July 6, 2002[3] | October 10, 2004 | The U.S. was represented by a series of Chargé d'Affaires 2004–2010. | |
| Helen Reed-Rowe – Career FSO | September 27, 2010 | September 30, 2010 | July 26, 2013 | ||
| Amy J. Hyatt – Career FSO | January 2, 2015 | March 10, 2015 | February 12, 2020 | ||
| John Hennessey-Niland - Career FSO | February 14, 2020 | March 6, 2020 | September 9, 2022[4] | ||
| James Boughner - Career FSO | Chargé d'Affaires a.i. | September 9, 2022 | N/A | September 29, 2023 | |
| Joel Ehrendreich | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 27, 2023 | September 29, 2023 | Incumbent |
