A familiar face to the island serving as the U.S. ambassador to Albania will give the keynote address during the University of Guam's virtual Fañomnåkan Commencement Ceremony.

Yuri Kim was 4 years old in 1976 when she immigrated from Korea to Guam with her family. She graduated from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam before heading to the University of Pennsylvania for her bachelor's degree and then to the UK for her Master's degree.

As a career diplomat, Kim has worked on key foreign policy and national security challenges across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and was on an American delegation in talks focused on ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

She has served as the director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the State Department from 2018–2019, responsible for Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, and the broader Eastern Mediterranean region, and as director of the Office of European Security and Political-Military Affairs, responsible for NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

She also previously served as chief of staff to the deputy secretary of state, a special assistant to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and a special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Her overseas assignments have included Turkey, Iraq, South Korea, Japan, and China.

She began her role as the U.S. ambassador to Albania this past January as the first Korean-American ambassador.

“Ambassador Kim’s experience in diplomacy and international relations is so relevant to the global issues we’re experiencing today. And having grown up in Guam, she will be a relatable and inspirational role model for our graduates as Guam’s next generation of leaders,” UOG President Thomas W. Krise said.

Kim will deliver speech from her post in Tirana, Albania. The commencement ceremony will be streamed live at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, on the University of Guam’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UniversityofGuam.