Wendy Sherman

Wendy R. Sherman, the 21st US deputy secretary of state and the first woman in that position, has been, in her long career, a diplomat, businesswoman, professor, political strategist, author, broadcast analyst and social worker. 

Ambassador Sherman served under three presidents and five secretaries of state, becoming known as the diplomat for "hard conversations in hard places." As deputy secretary, Sherman was the point person on China. When undersecretary for political affairs, Sherman led the US negotiating team that reached an agreement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between the P5+1, the European Union and Iran. And, as counselor at the State Department, Sherman led on North Korea and was engaged on Middle East negotiations. President Barack Obama awarded Sherman the National Security Medal for her diplomatic accomplishments.

Prior to becoming deputy secretary, Sherman was director of the center for public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as a senior fellow at the School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and a professor of the practice of public leadership. 

In 2002, along with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Sherman built a global consulting business, The Albright Group, where she served as vice-chair for a decade and later returned as senior counselor to then the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Sherman previously served on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, chaired Oxfam America’s Board of Directors, served on the US Department of Defense’s Defense Policy Board, successfully managed a campaign for US Senate, and was director of child welfare for the State of Maryland.

Sherman has been a frequent commentator on television and radio and is the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power and Persistence.

Sherman attended Smith College and received a BA cum laude from Boston University and a master’s degree in Social Work, Phi Kappa Phi, from the University of Maryland. She is married to Bruce Stokes and has a daughter and two grandsons.