James D. Pettit
James D. Pettit (born 1956) is an American diplomat, who served as United States Ambassador to Moldova in 2015–2018. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate. Pettit was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova on January 16, 2015. He presented his credentials to President Nicolae Timofti on January 30, 2015. Biography Pettit was born in North Dakota, moving to Hamburg, Iowa with his family when he was 7, and later to Council Bluffs, Iowa, at age 15. His father, Jack Pettit, was a Presbyterian minister. James Pettit graduated from Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs in 1974. He received a B.A. in International Studies from Iowa State University, and a M.A. in National Strategic Studies from the National War College. Between 2007 and 2010 Pettit was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, and previously Pettit served the Department of State as Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia (2003 – 2007), Consul General at Embassy Vienna, Austria (1999 – 2003), Director of Office of Post Liaison/Visa Office (1997 – 1999), Director of Washington Processing Center, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (1995 –