Coordinators for Combating Terrorism Page 1 of 3

U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE

Coordinators for Combating Terrorism

Title: Special Assistant to the Secretary of State and Coordinator for Combating Terrorism
Name: L. Douglas Heck
State of Residency: Oregon
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Aug 29, 1976]
Termination of Appointment: Jun 6, 1977
Note: Appointed Jul 23, 1976, as Special Assistant to the Secretary of State and Coordinator for Combating
Terrorism.

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: Heyward Isham
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Oct 26, 1977]
Termination of Appointment: Aug 1, 1978

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: Anthony C. E. Qualnton
State of Residency: Washington
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Aug 16, 1978]
Termination of Appointment: Aug 1, 1981

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: Robert M. Sayre
State of Residency: Virginia
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [May 11, 1982]
Termination of Appointment: Sep 10, 1984

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: Robert B. Oakley
State of Residency: Louisiana
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Sep 10, 1984]
Termination of Appointment: Oct 12, 1986
Note: Effective Nov 4, 1985, the Office was elevated to the Office of Ambassador at Large for Counter-
Terrorism. Oakley was designated as Acting Ambassador at Large pending nomination and confirmation of a
successor.

Title: Ambassador at Large for Counter-Terrorism

Name: L. Paul Bremer, III
State of Residency: Connecticut
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Oct 16, 1986]
Termination of Appointment: May 25, 1989

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: Morris D. Busby
State of Residency: Virginia
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [May 1, 1989]
Termination of Appointment: Jul 24, 1991

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/12257pf.htm 5/29/03
 Combating Terrorism Page 2 of 3

Jote: The Office was scheduled for incorporation into a proposed Bureau of Narcotics, Terrorism, and Crime
under the Department of State reorganization plan of Feb 5, 1993. Section 161(e) of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (P.L. 103-236; 108 Stat. 404) re-authorized the office on Apr
30, 1994.

Title: Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism

Name: A. Peter Burleigh
State of Residency: California
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Jul 24,1991]
Entry on Duty: Nov 22, 1991
Termination of Appointment: Nov 23, 1992
Note: Received the personal rank of Ambassador, Aug 7, 1991.

Note: The following officers served as Acting Coordinators for Counter-Terrorism 1992-1994: Thomas E.
McNamara, Nov 1992-Jul 1993; and Barbara Bodine, Jul 1993-Aug 1994.

Title: Coordinator for Counterterrorism

Name: Philip C. Wilcox, Jr.
State of Residency: Maryland
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Aug 16, 1994]
Entry on Duty: Mar 24, 1995
Termination of Appointment: Jun 27, 1997
Note: Appointed to the rank of Ambassador during his tenure, Mar 24, 1995.

Title: Coordinator for Counterterrorism

Name: Christopher W.S. Ross
State of Residency: California
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: [Mar 30, 1998]
Entry on Duty: Mar 24, 1995
Termination of Appointment: Dec 13, 1998
Note: Served as Acting Director.

Title: Coordinator for Counterterrorism

Name: Michael A. Sheehan
State of Residency: New Jersey
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Aug 9, 1999
Entry on Duty: Aug 9,1999
Termination of Appointment: Dec 20, 2000
Note: Served as Acting Director from Dec 14, 1998. Held rank of Ambassador at Large during his tenure.

Title: Coordinator for Combating Terrorism

Name: Francis X. Taylor
State of Residency: Maryland
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Jul 12, 2001
Entry on Duty: Jul 13, 2001
Termination of Appointment:
Note: Held rank of Ambassador at Large during his tenure.

Title: Coordinator for Combating Terrorism

Name: J. Cofer Black
State of Residency: Virginia
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Nov 26, 2002
Entry on Duty: Nov 26, 2002
Termination of Appointment:

Creation of Position: On Aug 1, 1976, the Department of State elevated the position of Special Assistant to

http ://w ww. state, gov/r/pa/ho/po/12257pf.htm 5/29/03

 Jombating Terrorism Page 3 of 3

the Secretary of State and Coordinator of the Office for Combating Terrorism to that of Director of the Office for
Combating Terrorism, with rank equivalent to an Assistant Secretary of State. All Directors have been
designated by the Secretary of State, not commissioned. The Department had established the earlier position
in October 1972 to head an interagency working-level committee charged with addressing the problem of
international terrorism. The Department has changed the incumbent's title twice since 1976 to "Ambassador at
Large for Counter-Terrorism" on Nov 4, 1985, and to "Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism on May 1, 1989.

http://www.state.gOv/r/pa/ho/po/12257pf.htm 5/29/03