Shefali Razdan Duggal was sworn in as the 72nd U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands on September 20, 2022, and presented her credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander on October 19, 2022. Shefali is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Center for American Progress (International Policy Advisory Council), Council of American Ambassadors, Foreign Policy for America, Pacific Council on International Policy, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Meridian International Center, Advisory Council of USC Center on Public Diplomacy, Wake Forest Leadership and Character Council and a Board Member of the Netherland-America Foundation.
Prior to serving as Ambassador, Shefali actively engaged in political advocacy, serving on the National Finance Committee for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and as a National Co-Chair of Women for Biden. Shefali also held the position of Deputy National Finance Chair at the Democratic National Committee.
From 2014 to 2020, she served on the National Board of Directors of EMILY’s List. She was appointed by President Barack Obama to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council (2014–2018). Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles in numerous national political campaigns.
A Kashmiri Pandit born in Haridwar U.P. India, Shefali moved to the United States at the age of two and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Shefali was raised by a single mom, who worked two minimum wage jobs to support them.
Ambassador Razdan Duggal holds a B.S. in Mass Communication, with a minor in Political Science, from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and an M.A. in Media Ecology from New York University. She also received an honorary doctorate from Miami University.
On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024, the Dutch named a fuchsia-pink tulip, the “Tulipa Shefali,” making her the first ambassador to the Netherlands, from any country, to receive such a tribute. She was also nominated for the U.S. Department of State’s prestigious Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service—the first U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands to receive this nomination.
