Azita Raji (
Persian: آزیتا راجی, September 29, 1961 – February 6, 2022) was an Iranian-born American diplomat, banker, and philanthropist. She was nominated by President
Barack Obama in October 2014[1] to serve as the United States ambassador to the
Kingdom of Sweden,[2] and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate in February 2016.[3][4][5] She presented her credentials to
King Carl XVI Gustaf on March 15, 2016,[6][7] and completed her tour of duty on January 20, 2017.[8][9]
Ambassador Raji was nominated for the State Department's highest award for a non-career ambassador, the
Sue M. Cobb Prize for Exemplary Diplomatic Service. She was the first female United States ambassador to Sweden, as well as the first Iranian-born American to serve as an ambassador of the United States.[10]
Raji's past philanthropic activities have included numerous active leadership roles in the nonprofit sector:[16] Trustee and member of the Executive Committee, Barnard College, Columbia University; Advisory Board, Columbia Business School Tamer Center for Social Enterprise; Founding Co-Chair, Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University; Economic Advisory Council,
Center for American Progress; Director,
National Partnership for Women & Families.[17]
Political
By 2008, Raji had left the financial sector to focus on national politics. In 2012, she served as National Finance Vice-Chair and Chair of Swing State Victory Fund for the Obama campaign. Raji was a national advisory board member of the
Democratic National Committee and a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee from 2008 to 2012.[18] In 2013, President Obama appointed Raji to serve as a Commissioner on The President's Commission on
White House Fellows.[19] In addition, Raji was appointed a Commissioner of the Smithsonian
National Portrait Gallery.[20]
On July 4, 2016, Raji was recognized as an honoree of
Great Immigrants: The Pride of America, the
Carnegie Corporation of New York's annual recognition of inspiring naturalized U.S. citizens who have made notable contributions to the progress of American society.[21]
Raji lived and worked in the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, and the Far East and was fluent in several languages, including
Persian and French.[29] She was married to Gary Syman, a former partner of
Goldman Sachs.[30] They have five daughters and seven grandchildren.[31]
Raji died on February 6, 2022, after a short illness at the age of 60.[32][33]