BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 24TH 2006 (CUOPM)
St. Kitts and Nevis‘ Ambassador to the United States of America, His Excellency Dr. Izben C. Williams was among East Caribbean diplomats who were present at the recent swearing-in of newly-appointed US Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean, Her Excellency Mrs. Mary Ourisman.
Ambassador Ourisman’s nomination received by the United State Senate on 21 July and was confirmed on 13 September. She is due to take up her appointment in Bridgetown, Barbados later this month. The wife of successful automotive tycoon Mandell (Mandy) Ourisman, Chairman of Ourisman Enterprises, the Texas-born Ambassador is in her own right a mover and shaker on the Washington political and social scenes and is fiercely dedicated to promotion of the arts and to cultural initiatives.
She is a trustee of the Washington Opera, and is one of only 50 people from across the United States to serve on the Smithsonian Institute’s National Board. At the Kennedy Centre she serves a trustee and vice-chairman of the Washington Committee of the Performing Arts and is on the Board of the International Committee on the Arts, in addition to being on the World Wildlife Fund’s National Council.
Her career path has spanned painting, interior designing ““ starting her own interior design business in California, and professional fundraising – after serving as Director of Development for GOPAC, a political action committee, she formed her own fundraising company.
In welcoming the Ambassador to her new post at a briefing luncheon today, Ambassador Williams, the current chair of the Caribbean Caucus of Ambassadors in Washington said that as the U.S. President’s Envoy to the sub-region, he looked forward to the Ambassador bringing her influence and talents to bear on Eastern Caribbean issues in ways that translate into strengthening of the bonds between our two peoples, to the betterment of all our lives, and to the prosperity of the nations to which she is accredited.
The luncheon was hosted by the Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein’s to the United States, Her Excellency Claudia Fritsche.