John Koenig retired in 2015 after more than three decades in the U.S. Foreign Service, having spent the last 20 years in Europe. His last post was as U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, where he brokered the agreement to launch the latest round of UN-sponsored settlement negotiations.
He previously served as Political Advisor to the NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, which oversaw Alliance operations in the Mediterranean and Balkans; as Deputy Chief of Mission in Berlin, Germany, during the German EU and G8 presidencies; and as Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.S. Mission at NATO, as the Alliance expanded its Afghanistan operations and intensified outreach to the Middle East.
In 2011, he received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award in recognition of the policy and leadership roles he played in Berlin and at USNATO. He received an MA in International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. He currently lectures at the University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies.