Name Alexa Wesner | Party Democratic Party | |
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Role United States Ambassador to Austria Office United States Ambassador to Austria since 2013 Profiles | ||
U s ambassador alexa l wesner presented credentials
Alexa Lange Wesner (born 1972) is the former United States Ambassador to Austria. She was nominated by President Barack Obama on July 27, 2013 and was presented with her credentials on September 12. Her term ended on January 20, 2017.
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Biography
Wesner was born in Washington, DC, and spent her childhood in Reston, Virginia. She is the daughter of first-generation immigrants from Germany and Latvia. During high school Wesner was a nationally ranked track and field athlete and a varsity swimmer. She later parlayed these skills into triathlon, and in 2003 qualified to join the U.S. National team.
She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Stanford University in 1994, and moved to Austin, Texas, upon graduation to work for a technology start-up. Three years later she founded HireTECH, a consulting and recruiting company focusing on the tech industry. She launched a second recruiting consultancy, Recruiting Labs, in 2000.
Wesner is a supporter of the Democratic party, and has donated approximately $300,000 to Democratic party candidates and the Democratic National Committee. She was an early supporter of President Barack Obama, and as a campaign bundler she raised a combined $676,000 for his 2008 and 2012 Presidential runs. She founded Be One Texas to build support for democratic and progressive causes in Texas, and in 2009 was appointed to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
In 2013 Wesner was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Austria. She was one of several campaign donors to receive high-profile diplomatic postings under Barack Obama.
Family
Alexa Wesner is married to venture capitalist Blaine Wesner, with whom she has three young children.