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David Huebner, former United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa (left) with spouse, Dr. Duane McWaine

United States Ambassador to New Zealand
In office December 4, 2009 – January 17, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	William McCormick
Succeeded by	Mark Gilbert
United States Ambassador to Samoa
In office February 3, 2010 – January 17, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	William McCormick
Succeeded by	Mark Gilbert

Personal details
Born	1960 (age 64–65) Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Duane McWaine
Education	Princeton University (BA) Yale University (JD)

David Huebner (born 1960) is an American lawyer and diplomat. He is known for his work as an international arbitrator, which means he helps solve disagreements between different countries or companies. He also served as the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.

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Early Life and Education

David Huebner was born in 1960 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. This was a small town known for coal mining.

He went to Mahanoy Area High School. After that, he studied at Princeton University, where he earned a high-level degree. He was a top student and was part of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Later, he attended Yale Law School. While there, he led the Yale Journal on Regulation. He also helped teach law classes in local high schools. From 1984 to 1985, he worked as a special assistant for a member of Japan's government.

Legal Career Highlights

Huebner, accompanied by his partner Duane McWaine, sworn in as ambassador by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in 2009.

After finishing law school in 1986, David Huebner started his legal career in Los Angeles, California. He worked at several international law firms. He focused on international arbitration, which involves settling legal disputes between parties from different countries.

He also worked on corporate compliance, making sure companies followed rules. In 2005, he moved to Shanghai, China, to open a new office for his law firm. He led the firm's work in China until he became an ambassador.

After his time as ambassador, Huebner continued his legal work. He joined another law firm in 2014. He helped governments and companies with international disagreements. These often involved trade, investments, and technology.

In 2016, President Barack Obama chose him to be on a special panel for settling international investment disputes. Since 2017, he has worked as an independent arbitrator and mediator. This means he helps people and groups solve their problems without going to court.

He is a respected expert in international law. He is part of many important arbitration groups around the world. He also taught international law at the University of Southern California for many years.

Diplomatic Service

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Ambassador Huebner during a Pōwhiri at Parliament forecourt - Wellington, November 2010.

In October 2009, President Barack Obama nominated David Huebner to be the U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. The U.S. Senate approved his nomination in November 2009.

He was sworn in as ambassador by Vice President Joseph Biden in December 2009. As ambassador, he was responsible for U.S. relations with New Zealand, Samoa, and also the small island nations of Cook Islands and Niue.

During his time as ambassador, Huebner focused on connecting with young people. He also worked to improve relationships between the U.S. and these countries. He helped expand exchange programs and find new ways for countries to work together.

The U.S. State Department believes that relations between the United States and New Zealand were at their best in decades during his term.

Strengthening Country Ties

Ambassador Huebner hosted many important U.S. officials in New Zealand. These included visits by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2010 and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in 2012. These visits were very important for strengthening ties.

In 2010, Secretary Clinton and New Zealand's Foreign Minister signed the Wellington Declaration. This agreement helped create a stronger partnership between the U.S. and New Zealand. It set up a plan for working together on important projects.

He also helped Samoa and the United States sign an agreement. This agreement helped Samoa protect its ocean areas. He also supported projects to help communities in Samoa, like building a medical center.

Connecting with Youth

David Huebner was very dedicated to young people. He created student adviser groups at universities in New Zealand. He met with these groups regularly to discuss important topics.

He also brought these student groups together for a "Connecting Young Leaders Conference." This event helped young people learn leadership skills and network. His program for student advisers was so successful that it was copied in other places.

In 2013, he started a similar event called the "Future Leaders of the Pacific Conference." This conference brought together young leaders from Pacific Island nations.

Other programs he supported included:

Awards for top science students.
Adding Samoa to the Fulbright scholarship program.
Supporting robotics competitions.
Teaching in local schools and lecturing at universities.
Sponsoring sports exchanges.
Hosting NASA's annual mobile apps competition.

Under his leadership, the U.S. Embassy also organized a "USA Universities Expo" in Auckland. This event brought representatives from many American universities to meet local students.

Public Outreach Efforts

Ambassador Huebner changed how the Embassies connected with the public. He focused on reaching out to all parts of society. This included working with indigenous peoples, faith communities, and veterans.

He also made the Embassy in Wellington a test site for new digital communication methods. In 2010, he started one of the first ambassador blogs. He also greatly expanded the Embassies' use of social media. In 2013, he even built a digital recording studio in the Embassy.

Under his leadership, the Embassy also helped organize a conference about digital communication. This event brought together experts from different countries to discuss the future of the internet.

Community Involvement

David Huebner has been very active in community service. He has supported youth literacy and education programs. He is an honorary chairperson for Fulbright New Zealand, which helps students study abroad.

He also serves as a trustee for the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. He was a founding member of the Los Angeles Committee on Foreign Relations. He also helped lead the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), an organization that works for fair representation.

He was appointed to the California Law Revision Commission by two different governors. He also taught international law at the University of Southern California. He has a special interest in education and literacy. He has supported the public library in his hometown of Mahanoy City for many years.

Awards and Recognition

David Huebner has received many honors for his work:

In 2012, he won the Gold Standard Award for Social Media Communications.
In 2013, he was the Grand Marshal for his hometown's 150th anniversary. He received the key to the city for his public service.
In 2013, the Royal Society of New Zealand gave him an award for promoting science and technology.
Also in 2013, he was made a Fellow of the Auckland University of Technology. This was for his commitment to higher education.
In 2014, his diplomatic passports and other items from his time as ambassador were added to the Smithsonian Institution's collection of American history.
In 2016, the U.S. Navy gave him the Distinguished Public Service Award. This was for his humanitarian and security work as ambassador.

Images for kids

David Huebner, former United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa (left) with spouse, Dr. Duane McWaine
Huebner, accompanied by his partner Duane McWaine, sworn in as ambassador by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in 2009.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Ambassador Huebner during a Pōwhiri at Parliament forecourt - Wellington, November 2010.

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