Helen La Lime served a distinguished 38-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service during which she earned the rank of Minister Counselor and served twice as ambassador. In 2013, she was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Ambassador to Angola.

Prior to this she held many important roles in the State Department including Director of Outreach at the United States Africa Command in Germany (2011-2013), Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in South Africa (2008-2011), Consul General of the United States in Cape Town, South Africa (2006-2008), Ambassador of the United States to Mozambique (2003-2006), Director of the Department of State’s Office of Central African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs (1999-2003), and Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Morocco (2001-2003) and in Chad (1996-1999). Ambassador La Lime also worked in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from 1993 1995.

Since October of 2019, Ambassador La Lime has served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. Ambassador La Lime holds a master’s degree from the National Defense University, and a bachelor’s degree in languages and linguistics from Georgetown University. She is fluent in French, Spanish and Portuguese.