American Institute in Taiwan

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is pleased to announce the selection of Stephen M. Young as the new Director of its Taipei office, succeeding Mr. Douglas H. Paal.  Mr. Young will assume his new duties in March of 2006 after consultations in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Young was born in Washington D.C. and was educated at Wesleyan University, where he received his B.A. and the University of Chicago, where he received an M.A. and Ph. D.

Within the Department of State he has served in the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs and the Office of Soviet Affairs and has been the Director of the Office of Caucasus and Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs, the Director of the Office of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh Affairs, and the Director of the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs.  His overseas assignments include two tours in Moscow, a tour in Beijing, and as Deputy Director of AIT Taipei.  His most recent overseas assignment was as ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic.

Mr. Young is married to Barbara A. Finamore.  They have three children.

The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 designated the American Institute in Taiwan as the instrumentality to conduct the commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan.