Ambassador John A. Heffern, a retired member of the Senior Foreign Service, joined Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in September 2017. He actively collaborates with Georgetown's Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation. His mission at Georgetown is to find ways to link the foreign service world with the world of innovation and entrepreneurship. His last job in the Foreign Service was Acting Secretary of State for Europe. He served as Ambassador to Armenia from 2011-2014. His previous posts include Deputy Chief of Mission at USNATO and in Jakarta. Heffern served as a Pearson Fellow on the House International Relations Committee. Prior to entering the Foreign Service, Heffern served in the office of Senator John Danforth (R-MO). Heffern is from St. Louis, Missouri, and received a B.A. from Michigan State University. Heffern actively promoted closer public-private partnerships at State, specifically with social entrepreneurship groups and fellows. He is married, with five adult children and four grand children.