Mr. Atwood was appointed Executive Vice President of Citizens Energy Corporation and Director of Citizens International in 1999 to oversee the design and implementation of Citizens' international development programs. One of the world's foremost development experts, Atwood served for six years as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and, before joining Citizens Energy, led Kosovo relief efforts in the Balkans for the Clinton Administration.
Over a 30-year career in public life, Atwood has served under several Presidents in key administrative and policy-making posts. He served in the Carter Administration as Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations. In the Clinton Administration, he served briefly as Under Secretary of State for Management. He was President of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs from 1986 to 1993 and, before that, Dean of Professional Studies at the Foreign Service Institute. In December 1998, President Clinton nominated Atwood as Ambassador to Brazil.
Mr. Atwood has a B.A. degree in history/government from Boston University and did graduate work at American University, where he received an honorary doctorate in 1994.