Rozanne L. Ridgway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rozanne L. Ridgway
Ridgway in 2010
14th Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs
In office July 19, 1985 – June 30, 1989
President	Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Richard Burt
Succeeded by	Raymond Seitz
United States Ambassador to East Germany
In office January 26, 1983 – July 13, 1985
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Herbert Okun
Succeeded by	Francis Meehan
19th Counselor of the United States Department of State
In office March 20, 1980 – February 24, 1981
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Matthew Nimetz
Succeeded by	Robert McFarlane
United States Ambassador to Finland
In office August 5, 1977 – February 20, 1980
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Mark Austad
Succeeded by	James Goodby
Personal details
Born	Rozanne Lejeanne Ridgway (1935-08-22) August 22, 1935 (age 89) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Hamline University

Rozanne Lejeanne Ridgway, born on August 22, 1935, is an important American diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. She worked for the U.S. State Department for 32 years. This department helps the U.S. government manage its relationships with other countries. During her career, she held many important jobs. She was an ambassador to Finland and East Germany. An ambassador is the highest-ranking diplomat sent to another country. She also became the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. Rozanne Ridgway has been a key leader in American foreign policy. This means she helped shape how the U.S. deals with other countries. She was also a skilled negotiator for the United States.

Rozanne Ridgway: A Diplomat's Story

Early Negotiations and Key Roles

In the early 1970s, Rozanne Ridgway helped solve long-standing problems. These problems were about fishing rights in countries like Brazil, Peru, and the Bahamas. Because of her success, she was appointed in 1976. She became the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and Fisheries. During this time, she helped create a treaty. This treaty set fishing rights up to 200 miles (370 km) from the coast. Later, her negotiations also helped U.S. citizens get their property back from Czechoslovakia.

Leading Talks During the Cold War

Rozanne Ridgway played a very important role during the Cold War. She was the main negotiator at all four meetings between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. These meetings were very significant. They led to the first major reductions in nuclear weapons. They also marked the beginning of the end of Communism and the Cold War. Her work helped change how global powers interacted.

Ambassador to Finland and East Germany

Between her jobs at the State Department, Ridgway served as an ambassador. From 1977 to 1980, she was America's Ambassador to Finland. Later, from 1983 to 1985, she served as the Ambassador to the German Democratic Republic, also known as East Germany.

Important Organizations

Rozanne Ridgway is a member of several important groups. These groups often focus on international relations and global issues.

• Council on Foreign Relations
• Trilateral Commission
• Bilderberg Group
• National Geographic Society (Trustee)
• Brookings Institution (Trustee)

She was also the president of the Atlantic Council from 1989 to 1996. Currently, she is the chairwoman of the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation.

Honors and Recognition

In 1998, Rozanne Ridgway received a special honor. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. This recognizes women who have made great contributions to American society.