President Obama has nominated David Shear, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, to become the next US Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.   Shear will replace Ambassador Michael Michalak, who is leaving next month after three and a half years of service.   I have no doubt that Mr. Shear will follow in his predecessor’s footsteps and continue to emphasize education as a US policy priority in Vietnam. 

David Shear is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. Since 2009, he has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Previously, he was Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Other overseas assignments include Tokyo, Beijing, and Sapporo. Washington assignments include Deputy Director, Office of Korean Affairs; Special Assistant to Under Secretary for Political Affairs; Desk Officer, Office of Japanese Affairs; Deputy Director, East Asia Office of Regional Affairs; Desk Officer, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs; and Third Secretary, U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Mr. Shear received a B.A. from Earlham College and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.  (Source:  President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 9 December 2010)

State Department Bio:  Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs: David B. Shear