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Sandra OudkirkDirector of the American Institute in Taiwan since 2021.
Date of Birth: .
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Brenda Ling Ing Oudkirk was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She earned a Master of Science degree from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Diplomatic Career
Oudkirk joined the U.S. Department of State in 1991. She has held consular assignments in Taipei, Dublin, Turkey, Jamaica, and China. Notable previous postings include Senior U.S. Official for APEC and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. In October 2019, she participated in the Pacific Islands Dialogue and the Yushan Forum, emphasizing the importance of establishing diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Pacific allies.
American Institute in Taiwan
On July 8, 2021, Oudkirk was appointed Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan. She is the first woman to hold this position. Oudkirk officially assumed the role on July 15, 2021. In a December 2023 interview with NPR, when asked if she believed a PRC invasion of Taiwan was imminent, Oudkirk stated: "There's an important distinction between making contingency plans and training troops, and, you know, preparing for something. And I think we've even heard from the PRC [People's Republic of China] itself that they have a preference for peaceful reunification, and the United States believes that there is no imminent threat of an invasion of Taiwan."
Personal Life
Oudkirk is fluent in Chinese and Turkish. She is married to Scott McConnin Oudkirk, with whom she has worked at embassies in Beijing and Ankara. Their three children, Andy, Olivia, and Thomas, were born in Turkey.
