Ambassador Todd Chapman (Ret.) is an international business consultant serving on several corporate boards in the U.S. and in Brazil.  He recently concluded a 30-year diplomatic career, most recently as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil where he advanced a broad economic, security, and environmental agenda at the sixth-largest U.S. embassy in the world.  Ambassador Chapman was the first U.S. ambassador to be decorated with the Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil’s highest civilian honor for non-citizens.  Previously, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, and Charge d’Affaires in Mozambique.  His international experience also includes postings in Afghanistan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, and Nigeria. 

Ambassador Chapman is the recipient of several State Department Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards and is one of only two U.S. ambassadors ever to receive the Mission Integration Award from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.  He was selected for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2021, recently admitted into the American Academy of Diplomacy, and is a non-resident senior adviser with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  Ambassador Chapman earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Duke University and a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University.  He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Commissioner Insights

Fmr. Ambassador Todd Chapman in conversation with Krach Institute’s Thuy Vu about the importance of tech diplomacy and the Global Tech Security Commission and the importance of ensuring that technology advances freedom.