Heather Variava

Variava received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Variava also received master's degrees from the University of Missouri, the University of Sussex, and the National War College. In addition, she finished a fellowship with the International Women’s Forum.[1]

Variava is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. Variava previously had stints as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim, at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as the U.S. Consul General in Surabaya, Indonesia. Domestically, Variava was the Director of the Office of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Bhutan in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and also worked at the State Department Operations Center. Overseas assignments include postings at U.S. Missions in India, Mauritius, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.[1]

A native of Iowa, Variava speaks Indonesian, and has studied French, German, and Vietnamese.[1]