Suzan G. LeVine

Suzan G. LeVine
United States Ambassador to Switzerland
Incumbent
Assumed office June 5, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Don Beyer
United States Ambassador to Liechtenstein
Incumbent
Assumed office June 26, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Don Beyer
Personal details
Born	Suzan Gail Davidson (1969-11-17) November 17, 1969
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Eric LeVine
Alma mater	Brown University
Religion	Judaism

Suzan Gail "Suzi" LeVine (born November 17, 1969) was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein on May 30, 2014. She took up her position in Bern on June 2, 2014.^[1] LeVine took her oath of office while placing a hand on a Kindle and thereby became the first U.S. official to be sworn in on an e-reader.^[2] She will resign her post in Bern on January 20, 2017.^[3]

Political Engagement

Entrepreneurship, innovation, diversity and the apprenticeship model have been focal points during LeVine’s tenure in Switzerland.^[4] She has also championed female participation in technical fields, supporting women in both corporations and university.

LeVine has been especially engaged in bringing the Swiss dual education system to the United States. She is convinced that there are many pathways to success, and that an “Apprenticeship Renaissance,” as she calls it, is a key to the long-term economic growth in the United States and a key to more people than ever achieving their American Dream. ^[5]

Career

Prior to joining the U.S. Government, LeVine focused on education in both her professional and volunteer life. From 2006-2013, she served as the co-founder and then chairperson of the advisory board for the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) at the University of Washington – one of the world’s leading early learning research institutes.

From 2009-2012, LeVine worked at Microsoft as Director of Strategic Partnerships for Student Developers and Director of Communications for Education. In these roles, she worked with innovative students, school leaders and educators from around the world, helped promote the importance of teaching 21st century skills, and managed relationships with other organizations dedicated to student inspiration and success.

LeVine’s early career centered on software and the Internet. From 1993-1998, she worked as a Product Manager for Microsoft where she helped launch the final versions of MS-DOS and Windows 95. With Expedia, Inc. from 1998-2005, she worked as a Director of Marketing through the startup’s IPO and then as the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the luxury travel division.

In addition, LeVine has been involved throughout her life in social innovation and community organizing. Among other initiatives, she co-founded The Kavana Cooperative, an independent and nationally-recognized Jewish community in Seattle, Washington.

She won the Microsoft Alumni Foundation “Beacon Award” in 2013 for community leadership and inspiration, the Helen M. Jackson “Woman of Valor” award in 2008, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle Spitzer Young Leadership award in 2007. In 2012, she was awarded a Wexner Fellowship for her leadership in the Seattle Jewish community. ^[1]

Education

She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with aerospace applications from Brown University. ^[6]

Personal Life

She and her husband, Eric LeVine, have two children, with whom they enjoy hiking, biking, traveling and playing with their dog. ^[6]

References