Ambassador Quainton is currently President and CEO of the National Policy Association, a position he assumed in 1999 after a 38-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service. During his last two years at the Department of State (1995-1997), he served as Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Personnel. After his retirement from the Foreign Service and prior to his assumption of his present position, he was Executive Director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation.
From 1992 to 1995, Ambassador Quainton was Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security. He was U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Kuwait, Nicaragua, and to the Central African Empire; earlier overseas assignments include Kathmandu, Paris, New Delhi, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Sydney. He served as the State Department's Deputy Inspector General between 1987-1989. He also headed the government's counter-terrorism program as the Director of the Office for Combating Terrorism.
Ambassador Quainton received Presidential Meritorious Service Awards in 1984 and 1989 and the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award in 1997.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Letters degree from Oxford University.