Ronan Farrow - Obama Administration Appointment

Obama Administration Appointment

At the State Department since 2009, Farrow has directed the US government's relationship with nongovernmental actors in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His appointment was billed by late Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke as an unprecedented show of commitment by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the civil society and non-governmental actors playing a critical role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. At the time of Farrow's appointment, a State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity referred to him as "a friggin' genius," adding that "he’s young but he has a depth of experience that many people twice his age lack."

The Pakistani daily The Nation praised the State Department for selecting Farrow, claiming that “with his undoubtable access to corridors in Washington, is worth many Haqqanis” (referring to former Pakistani Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani) and projecting that he would revitalize efforts to combat poverty — “we have the expertise and the energy, and with people like Farrow to bring in business partners, we can do it.”

In his capacity as a State Department official, Farrow has spoken extensively, particularly at universities on the subject of youth engagement.

In 2011, he was named one of the top 99 most influential young professionals under 33 years old in foreign policy by The Diplomatic Courier.