Julie Furuta-Toy

Julie Furuta-Toy


United States Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2016
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Petra Zabriskie (Acting)
United States Ambassador to Norway Acting
In office September 28, 2013 – June 2015
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Barry White
Succeeded by	Robert Bradtke (Acting)
Personal details
Alma mater	University of California, Riverside Indiana University, Bloomington National Defense University

Julie Furuta-Toy was chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of the United States, Oslo and acting United States Ambassador to Norway. The wait for confirmation of a new ambassador by the United States Senate led to a long term as acting Ambassador to Norway of more than 23 months. On June 18, 2015, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Ms. Furuta-Toy to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the country of Equatorial Guinea, and she was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 22, 2015.

Furuta Toy is the daughter of Emi K. Furuta and Tokuji Furuta.

Furuta-Toy earned a Bachelor's degree from University of California, Riverside in 1981. She credits her liberal arts education and study abroad her final year in the U.K. with sparking her interest in a foreign service career. She also earned a Master's degree in comparative literature from Indiana University and a Master's degree in security studies from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

She entered the United States Foreign Service in 1986. She has lived in the Philippines, Venezuela, Haiti, India, and Russia. In addition to her tours in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, she has served in Washington, D.C. in the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and the Bureau of Human Resources.