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Jimmy Kolker

Jimmy Kolker, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs

Ambassador Jimmy Kolker is Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Global Affairs, in the office of the Secretary, leads the Department’s efforts to better the health and well-being of Americans and of the world’s population through global strategies and partnerships and working with other U.S. government agencies in the coordination of global health policy.

Jimmy was most recently Chief of the HIV and AIDS Section at UNICEF’s New York headquarters (2007-2011). Prior to joining UNICEF, Jimmy had a 30 year diplomatic career with the U.S. State Department. He served as Deputy Global AIDS Coordinator in the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (2005-2007), U.S. Ambassador to Uganda (2002-2005) and to Burkina Faso (1999-2002).  He was Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. embassies in Denmark and Botswana and won awards for political reporting at earlier posts in the UK, Sweden, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Jimmy grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.  He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Carleton College (Minnesota) and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University. He speaks French, Swedish, and Portuguese.