The United States first established diplomatic relations with the Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) in 1922. One ambassador, resident in Riga, Latvia, was appointed to all three nations. Relations with the three nations were broken after the Soviet invasion of the republics in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. The United States never recognized the legitimacy of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, nor the legitimacy of the governments of those states under Soviet occupation. Hence, diplomatic relations were not resumed until 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The U.S. Embassy in Latvia is located in Riga.
On Thursday, February 5, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Nancy Bikoff Pettit, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to the U.S. Senate for confirmation to serve as Ambassador to Latvia.
Name: Frederick W.B. Coleman – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: September 20, 1922
Presented credentials: November 13, 1922
Terminated mission: Left post October 20, 1931
Name: Robert Peet Skinner – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: September 23, 1931
Presented credentials: January 28, 1932
Terminated mission: Left post April 29, 1933
Name: John Van Antwerp MacMurray – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: August 28, 1933
Presented credentials: December 13, 1933
Terminated mission: Left post February 12, 1936
Name: Arthur Bliss Lane – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: January 24, 1936
Presented credentials: July 2, 1936
Terminated mission: Left post September 16, 1937
Name: Frederick A. Sterling – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: August 9, 1937
Presented credentials: —
Terminated mission: —
Name: John C. Wiley – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 18, 1938
Presented credentials: October 6, 1938
Terminated mission: June 17, 1940
Note: Soviet forces occupied Riga on June 17, 1940, which effectively ended the U.S. diplomatic presence in those nations. Ambassador Wiley departed Riga on July 25, 1940.
Note: Earl L. Packer was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when all U.S. diplomatic officials were withdrawn and the legation in Riga was officially closed on September 5, 1940.
Note: The United States announced its readiness to reestablish relations with Latvia on September 2, 1991. Embassy Riga was established October 2, 1991 with Ints M. Silins as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending his appointment as ambassador.
Name: Ints M. Silins – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: March 23, 1992
Presented credentials: April 10, 1992
Terminated mission: Left post July 14, 1995
Name: Larry C. Napper – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: June 27, 1995
Presented credentials: August 1, 1995
Terminated mission: Left post October 1, 1998
Name: James Howard Holmes – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: August 4, 1998
Presented credentials: August 27, 1998
Terminated mission: Left post September 15, 2001
Name: Brian E. Carlson – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: November 5, 2001
Presented credentials: December 4, 2001
Terminated mission: Left post December 6, 2004
Name: Catherine Todd Bailey – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: November 29, 2004
Presented credentials: February 4, 2005
Terminated mission: c. December 2007
Name: Charles W. Larson, Jr. – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: January 7, 2008
Presented credentials: February 12, 2008
Terminated mission: June 2009
Name: Judith G. Garber – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: August 14, 2009
Presented credentials: August 25, 2009
Terminated mission: July 9, 2012
Name: Mark Pekala – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 10, 2012
Presented credentials: September 4, 2012
Terminated mission: Left post August 7, 2014
Name: Nancy Pettit – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 29, 2015
Presented credentials: September 8, 2015
Terminated mission: Incumbent
