Jennifer M. Link serves as the Senior Development Advisor in the U.S. Embassy to Yemen, resident in Riyadh. In this leadership role, she oversees assistance efforts to secure stability and economic recovery for Yemen, strengthen the ability of Yemeni systems and institutions to meet Yemeni citizen needs, help manage conflict, and build a foundation for sustainable peace.
Previously, Ms. Link served as the Deputy Director for the Syria Transition Assistance Response Team (START), a U.S. government multi-agency team which provides assistance to Syrians in Syria and Turkey to de-escalate violence and combat extremism, save and re-build lives, alleviate suffering, and support Syrians as they strive for a peaceful, dignified future. Before joining START, as the Deputy Mission Director for the newly reopened USAID/Myanmar, she oversaw critical USAID programming to strengthen the country in its transition to democracy.
Prior to taking the role as DMD, Ms. Link led several USAID democracy and governance (DG) programs – establishing the DG program in Myanmar; managing USAID’s largest DG program in Africa in the world’s youngest country South Sudan; helping to launch the Central America Regional Security Initiative and programs to support the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement while in El Salvador; and leading USG development assistance to support the historic 2005 elections cycle and constitutional drafting processes in Iraq. Her first role in USAID took her to Russia, where she served as the deputy director of DG.
Before joining USAID, Ms. Link was appointed as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois, working as a litigator to protect the public interest. She also served as Chief of Litigation in the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Ms. Link holds a bachelor’s degree from Rosary College/Dominican University, a Master’s in National Security Strategy from the National War College/National Defense University, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service at the rank of Counselor.