Kenneth Chern

Consul General

Biography

Kenneth Chern took up his duties as United States Consul General in Perth, Australia in August 2007. His immediate prior assignment was as Deputy Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; before that, he served as Deputy Director of the Office of Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

Focusing on East Asian and Pacific affairs, he has also been posted to Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, and Cebu. In earlier Washington assignments, he worked at the State Department’s China Desk, the Japan Desk, and the Australia/New Zealand Desk. He served in the White House as Director of Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, helping to organize the first APEC leaders meeting in Seattle. He has won three individual Superior Honor Awards for his work in counterterrorism, human rights, and public diplomacy, and has been cited in several group awards. He has an extensive background in political affairs, and is experienced in trade, science and technology issues.

Ken has a B.A. degree from Brooklyn College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where he specialized in the history of U.S.-East Asian relations. Before joining the Foreign Service, he taught for two years at the University of Rochester and for ten years at the University of Hong Kong, where he attained the rank of Senior Lecturer in History, published a book and numerous articles on U.S.-East Asian relations, and researched and presented a seven-week television series on twentieth century China. He speaks French, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Ken’s wife Ronni teaches English at Presbyterian Ladies College. The Cherns have twin daughters. One lives in Pittsburgh, where she serves as a law school admissions director and her husband is a law clerk with a county judge. The other lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where she is a graduate admissions counselor at a school of public policy and her husband is a certified public accountant.

Consul General

The Consul General is the post’s Principal Officer and coordinates all functions of the U.S. Government in the Perth consular district. The Consul General maintains contact with senior Australian officials, both state and federal, within the consular district and keeps the Embassy and Washington informed of important political, economic and other developments affecting U.S. interests. The Consul General often represents the United States at public functions and addresses various groups and organizations on issues affecting Australian-American relations. Briefing visiting U.S. officials and American business representatives is also an important responsibility.

Last update: Friday, 29 May 2009 GMT+1000