1. Patrick Hubert Gaspard was born on July 26,1967 and is an American former diplomat who served as president of Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.
19 Facts About Patrick Gaspard
1. 2.
Patrick Gaspard served as United States Ambassador to South Africa from 2013 to 2016.
3.
Patrick Hubert Gaspard was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, to parents from Haiti.
4.
Patrick Gaspard's parents had moved to Congo at the behest of revolutionary leader Patrice Lumumba, who urged French-speaking professionals to move to the country.
5.
Patrick Gaspard moved with his parents to the United States when he was three years old, and he was raised in New York City.
6.
Patrick Gaspard graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and attended Columbia University from 1984 to 1987.
7.
From 1998 to 1999, Patrick Gaspard was chief of staff to the New York City Council.
8.
Patrick Gaspard was an advisor on Bill de Blasio's successful bid in the 2013 New York City mayoral election.
9.
Patrick Gaspard spent nine years as the executive vice president for politics and legislation for the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East labor union, the largest local union in America.
10.
Patrick Gaspard initially rejected the opportunity to work on Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2007 but later got the SEIU to endorse him.
11.
Patrick Gaspard officially joined the campaign as a political director in June 2008.
12.
Patrick Gaspard has been credited with helping the Obama Administration redesign PEPFAR to more efficiently work within South Africa's healthcare system.
13.
In September 2017, Patrick Gaspard replaced Chris Stone as president of the Open Society Foundations.
14.
Patrick Gaspard served in this capacity until December 2020, when he was replaced by Mark Malloch Brown, a British Lord, Baron, and diplomat.
15.
On June 30,2021, liberal think tank Center for American Progress announced that Patrick Gaspard would become its President and CEO, replacing Neera Tanden who left to become an advisor to Joe Biden.
16.
In May 2024, Patrick Gaspard forcefully defended the right of United States university students to protest the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza during the Gaza war.
17.
Patrick Gaspard is known for his love of poetry, and has cited poet and politician Aime Cesaire as a key inspiration of his.
18.
Patrick Gaspard has reportedly taken part in acting and spoken word performances in his spare time.
19.
Patrick Gaspard has received honorary doctorates from Columbia University and Bard College.