Ms. Oudkirk is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service who has spent over 30 years representing U.S. interests across the globe in roles of increasing scope and responsibility. She has been detailed to the Department of War since 2024, first as the Associate Director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and then as the Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor to U.S. European Command. She served as the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan from 2021-2024.
Ms. Oudkirk served in Washington in the bureaus of East Asian & Pacific Affairs, Energy Resources, and Economic & Business Affairs on issues related to great power competition, energy security, threat finance, and economic sanctions. Earlier in her career she served as a Senior Watch Officer in the Operations Center.
Her previous overseas service includes assignments in Taipei, Dublin, Ankara, Kingston, Istanbul, and Beijing.
Ms. Oudkirk was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, and is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is married to fellow Foreign Service Officer Scott Oudkirk and has three adult children. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and Turkish.