Elizabeth Fitzsimmons is a retired U.S. ambassador. She served as U.S. ambassador to the Togolese Republic from January 2022 until June 2024. Under her leadership, Togo was selected for a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, was included in the president’s malaria initiative, and hosted the historic first-ever visit of a U.S. Coast Guard ship to the Port of Lomé, Togo’s capital. At the time of her retirement from the U.S. Foreign Service, Elizabeth was the acting assistant secretary of state for conflict and stabilization operations.

Prior to her appointment as ambassador to Togo, Elizabeth was the acting principal deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of African Affairs. Prior assignments include service as a deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, and deputy executive secretary to Secretaries Kerry and Tillerson.

Elizabeth joined the department in 1995, prior to her graduation from the University of Virginia, and at the time of her swearing in was the youngest member of the Foreign Service. She served overseas in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Cambodia, India, Bulgaria, and Togo.

Elizabeth is a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the International Women’s Forum, a member of the Leadership Council of Women in National Security, and on the national board of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. Her writing has been published by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Foreign Service Journal. She and her husband have five children and five grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Diplomatic Dressing, a personal styling company, and her styling expertise has been featured in Alexandria Stylebook, The Washingtonian, Wardrobe Oxygen, and Foreign Policy.