Biography
Early Life
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley was born in 1957 and grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Her mother was a secretary. Her father was an attorney. From a young age, she was curious about the world and international affairs. Her neighborhood had a large Jewish community. This inspired her to take Hebrew classes in high school.
She studied international relations and spent time studying abroad in Israel when she attended George Washington University. Living in a region where religion plays a major role in politics and daily life helped shape the way she understood the world. She volunteered with the Peace Corps and was placed in Oman after earning her bachelor’s degree. She later earned a Master’s degree in Security Studies and Advanced Economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Career in Diplomacy
Abercrombie-Winstanley began her career leading Middle East Area Studies at the Foreign Service Institute. This is where American diplomats receive training. She officially joined the Foreign Service in 1985. Her first assignment took her to Baghdad, Iraq, during the Iran-Iraq War. Early postings also brought her to Jakarta, Indonesia, and Cairo, Egypt. There she gained experience working across different cultures.
She worked in Washington, D.C. from 1991 to 1993 advising senior government official Lawrence Eagleburger on Middle Eastern and African affairs. She studied Arabic intensively in Tunisia before taking a position in the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, from 1994 to 1997. Her focus was Palestinian Israeli relations.
Abercrombie-Winstanley served as a fellow on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee working closely with then-Senator Joe Biden. She took part in election monitoring in the Gaza Strip in 2002. She was the first woman to lead a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia. She spoke up for women’s rights. She held key roles in the U.S. State Department, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Council. She helped shape foreign policy from several different positions.
She showed steady leadership during dangerous situations throughout her career. While serving as Consul General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the consulate was attacked by members of Al-Qae’eda. Abercrombie-Winstanley received the State Department’s Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards for her response during the attack. She also helped coordinate the largest evacuation of American citizens from a war zone since World War II in 2006. She was key in getting thousands of U.S. citizens safely out of Lebanon.
Leadership and Legacy
President Barack Obama chose Abercrombie-Winstanley to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Malta in 2012. She was the first Black woman to hold that position. She worked to strengthen ties between the two countries and pushed for the removal of Iranian flags from ships seeking to pass through or dock. This effort was in line with United Nations guidelines. She also took part in programs aimed at stopping human trafficking.
She became the first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in the history of the U.S. State Department in 2021. She led the creation of the department’s first DEIA Strategic Plan, covering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. She also produced the first Demographic Baseline Report, which provided data to track progress and hold the department accountable for change.
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley spent more than thirty years serving the United States government. She worked to improve diplomatic relationships, lead with cultural awareness, and pushed for fairness and equal treatment within the foreign service. She is recognized as a trailblazer for women and for Black Americans in diplomacy.
