Ambassador Gene Cretz hails from Albany, New York and retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2015 after a distinguished diplomatic career, during which he served as U.S. Ambassador to Ghana (2012-2015), U.S. Ambassador to Libya (2008-2012), and Minister-Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Egypt (2001-2003). Ambassador Cretz served previously as a U.S. Diplomat in Israel, Syria, China, India, and Pakistan and has experience working with the United Nations. Ambassador Cretz served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kabul, Afghanistan from 1975-1977. Following retirement from the Foreign Service, Ambassador Cretz joined the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). He was the Director General’s Representative to Israel from August 2015- December 2019. Ambassador Cretz currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Hamilton Advisors and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Rochester and an M.S. degree in Linguistics from the State University of New York at Buffalo.