Scott Miller | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2022 | |
United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein | |
Assumed office January 11, 2022 | |
President | Joe Biden |
Preceded by | Ed McMullen |
Personal details | |
Born | Scott Charles Miller May 13, 1979 Glenwood Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | |
Residences |
|
Education | University of Colorado Boulder (BSBA) |
Website | Department of State website |
Scott C. Miller (born May 13, 1979[1]) is an American LGBT rights activist, philanthropist and former banker. He currently serves as the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, a role he has held since 2022.
Education
[edit]Miller was born on May 13, 1979, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, to David and Beverly Miller.[2] He was raised in Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.[3]
Career
[edit]Miller worked as a management consultant at Accenture, as an event planner[3] and as an account vice president at UBS Wealth Management in Denver.[4]
Activism and philanthropy
[edit]Together with his husband, Tim Gill, Miller is active in LGBT rights activism, philanthropy, and Democratic Party politics.[4]
Both are co-chairs of the Gill Foundation,[5] one of the largest sponsors of LGBT equality causes in the United States.[4] The foundation was instrumental in improving the reputation and visibility of LGBT people in Colorado and changing its image as a "hate state".[5] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Miller led programs that provided more than 5 million meals to Coloradans in need.[6][7]
Gill and Miller are political allies of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and Gill has been described as "one of the architects of the Democratic takeover of Colorado politics".[4] Gill and Miller have donated at least $3.6 million to Democratic candidates and campaigns since 2010,[3] and Miller has been active in groups supporting the presidential candidacies of Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.[4]
Ambassador to Switzerland
[edit]On August 6, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Miller to be the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The post is traditionally given to a political appointee, often a prominent donor.[3][8] Notable LGBTQ+ organizations like Victory Fund praised Miller's nomination.[9]
On August 10, 2021, his nomination was sent to the Senate.[10] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on November 2, 2021. In his prepared testimony, Miller highlighted priorities that would guide his work if confirmed.[11] The committee reported him favorably on December 15, 2021.
On December 18, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by voice vote.[12] He was sworn in on December 21, 2021.[13] He presented his letters of credence to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, on January 11, 2022.[14] On February 16, 2022, he presented his credentials to Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein at Vaduz Castle.[15][16] Miller is one of a small number of openly queer U.S. Ambassadors.[17]
Personal life
[edit]Miller married Tim Gill, the founder of Quark, in 2009, in a ceremony officiated by Governor Deval Patrick.[18] The couple lives in Phipps Mansion in Denver.[18] His official residence is Villa Blumenrain in Bern, Switzerland.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ United States Public Records
- ^ "Gartenparty beim US-Botschafter Scott C. Miller in Bern". Schweizer Illustrierte (in Swiss High German). Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d AP/Keystone-SDA/ts (August 7, 2021). "Biden names Scott Miller as US ambassador to Switzerland". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Denver-based LGBT rights activist tapped by Biden to serve as ambassador Switzerland". The Colorado Sun. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ a b London, Nell (December 13, 2018). "As Colorado Swears In An Openly Gay Governor, How One Couple Quietly Changed Minds On LGBT Issues". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Ambassador Scott C. Miller". U.S. Embassy in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "Gill Foundation Grants More Than $1 Million in 2020 to COVID Relief in Colorado". Gill Foundation. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "President Biden Announces 10 Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. August 6, 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Imse, Elliot. "Scott Miller Nominated to Be Ambassador to Switzerland; Victory Institute Says He Will Be a "Fantastic Representative"". LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. August 10, 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Testimony of Mr. Scott Miller Nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and to the Principality of Liechtenstein U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations" (PDF). November 2, 2021.
- ^ "PN1030 - Nomination of Scott Miller for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. December 18, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ^ "Ambassador Scott Miller". U.S. Embassy in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ "Arrival of Ambassador Scott Miller". U.S. Embassy in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ @USEmbassyBern (February 16, 2022). "It was a great honor to present my credentials to H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein today at Vaduz Castle" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ @MFA_LI (February 16, 2022). "Today, US Ambassador Scott Miller presented his credentials to HSH Hereditary Prince Alois in Vaduz" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Lavers, Michael K. (October 17, 2022). "Blade sits down with U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein". www.washingtonblade.com. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Bouchard, Jay (December 2, 2019). "Who Is Tim Gill?". 5280. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Gartenparty beim US-Botschafter Scott C. Miller in Bern". Schweizer Illustrierte (in Swiss High German). Retrieved March 19, 2024.