Philip Reeker became Deputy Spokesman of the Department of State in May 2000. In this capacity he oversees the Office of Press Relations, Office of Regional Media Outreach, the Foreign Press Centers and the Press Office at USAID. Previously, from July 1999, Mr. Reeker was the Director of the Office of Press Relations within the Bureau of Public Affairs. Mr. Reeker joined the Foreign Service with the U.S. Information Agency in March of 1992. His first overseas assignment was as Assistant Information Officer in Budapest, Hungary from 1993 to 1996. He moved on to be Public Affairs Officer at the American Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia from 1997 through June 1999. In that capacity, he was spokesman for Ambassador Christopher Hill in his dual role as Ambassador to Macedonia and U.S. Special Envoy for Kosovo. Born in Pennsylvania, Mr. Reeker grew up in several U.S. cities and spent his high school years in Brisbane, Australia. He received a B.A. in history from Yale University (Class of 1986), and a Master of International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management in Arizona. His foreign languages are Hungarian, Macedonian and German.

Mr. Reeker presented an overview of US foreign policy priorities, and answered questions regarding current foreign policy issues.