Scott Ticknor joined as Director of the Office of Environmental Quality in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science (OES) in September 2023. In this capacity, he oversees the U. S. State Department’s leadership in multilateral, trade-related, and waste/pollution environmental diplomacy. Previously, he served as Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate Mumbai, was on detail to the Corporate Council on Africa as Senior Advisor to the President, and held the position of Acting Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs (CBA) in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB). While in EB, he led the 25-person CBA Office in advocating on behalf of U.S. business interests abroad, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and protecting intellectual property rights.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Ticknor served as a Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) for the Commanding General of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa in Djibouti, East Africa. He has also served as Deputy Director of the Office of Economic and Regional Affairs in the Africa Bureau and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Timor-Leste.

His other assignments have included Political-Economic Chief in Mumbai, India (2000-2004) and Cameroon, Political Chief in Ghana, Economic/Commercial Officer in Bangladesh and Nicaragua, and Consular Officer in Spain, as well as the Sri Lanka and India ESTH Desk in Washington.

Mr. Ticknor is the recipient of multiple Superior Honor awards and the 2017 POLAD of the Year award, and speaks French, Spanish and Portuguese. He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary. He is originally from Vienna, Virginia. ​